Teamwork wins the day at Bendigo event
The popular Midland Zone Pony Club’s teams championships turned out to be a happy competition.
THE noise level at Bendigo showgrounds went up several octaves at the Midland Zone Pony Club’s teams championships last week.
It would be hard to find a happier competition as it is a team event where points gained by the four-year-olds on a Shetland are as valuable as the points gained by the 16-year-olds on an A grade showjumper.
Sponsorship by the City of Greater Bendigo made it possible for 150 riders from all over Victoria to compete. For those not in a team, composite teams were made up so no-one misses out.
“We had lovely messages from so many people after it finished,” organiser Sue Foley said. “One said their composite team met three years ago as strangers at this event and the kids and mums have become great friends and kept the same team every year.”
In the team section placegetters were The Mane Attraction from Mt Duneed from the Rochie Rascals Rochester, the Hot to Trot from Mt Duneed, the Mildura Nightmares from Mildura, the Bamawm Firecrackers from Bamawm Extension and The Hursty Showstoppers from Hurstbridge PC. Composite Club Teams section winners were Crazy Horse Kids from Gisborne and Neangar Park Pony Clubs, from the Barbie Ponies team from Lancefield, Nyah and Bullengarook Clubs. Hursty Glen High Flyers from Hurstbridge and Yarra Glen were third from Riddell’s Creek and Lancefield combined, the Bendigo Supreme team made up of Bendigo and Neangar Park Clubs and the Buffalo Gals from Bright and Kyabram Clubs took the final placing.
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DRESSAGE AND JUMPING GREATS ON SHOW AT WERRIBEE
IT looked like coronavirus would put paid to the famous PSI Dressage and Jumping with the Stars for 2021, but it starts today and for three full days at Werribee Park National Equestrian Centre will buzz with Australia’s finest competition horses on display.
It began in 1998 when champion European rider/trainer Anky van Grunsven was brought to Australia in 1998 to present a dressage master class.
The occasion needed some enhancement and it was decided to combine it with a young dressage horse competition which is now the Australian Young Dressage Horse Championships with qualifying events all over Australia.
It has always produced huge interest in our homegrown young horses in the Young Dressage Horse and Pony Championships, Young Jumping Horse Championships and Young Event Horse Championships.
The accent on youth continues with the Young Rider Challenge and Rising Star Led Championships.
The Grand Prix dressage is one of the strongest classes seen in Australia where 20 of Australia’s finest will battle for the title.
Mary Hanna’s two mares, Calanta and Syriana, are in fine form, and Lone Jorgensen’s Corinna, Jayden Brown’s Willinga Park Sky Diamond and Kerry Mack’s young Mayfield Limelight are strong opposition.
In showjumping as well as the young horse classes, there is a Jumping World Cup qualifier, three Open Jumping series, and a Current Stars Jumping class.
The champion of champions young horses will be judged on Saturday, plus the Grand Prix Freestyle.
For information: https://djwts.org.au/competition-timetable/
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