2012 Horseland QLD Festival of Dressage

Welcome to the award winning 2012 Horseland QLD Festival of Dressage, proudly sponsored by Horseland and located at the all new Queensland State Equestrian Centre!

In case you don't know, we LOVE horses, and we LOVE dressage. The QLD Festival of Dressage committee hopes to share our love of the sport with everyone with an interest in horses, no matter what type of rider you are or what sort of horse you may have.

It is our goal that everyone will go home with some new training or competition tips, a new insight into how their horses think or why they behave the way they do and of course, a good dose of retail therapy!

This year, we have a wonderful variety of practical demonstrations in the main arena, educational seminars in the Seminar Centre, our nail biting silent auction, fabulous Fashion Parade, displays and horses to take your breath away.

With the support of our amazing sponsors Horseland, IHB, Greystone, Moreton Bay Regional Council, Nathan Horse Floats, Ed's Hire, Prydes, Horsezone, Equitec, Equitana, Just Dreaming, Equissage and the Mitavite Ultimate Masterclass, and showcasing the incredible and vast talents of the Greystone QLD State Dressage Squad, we aim to inspire, excite and educate with something for everyone.

This year, we are thrilled to welcome International Trainer, Lientje Schueler, from Germany, who is conducting the Just Dreaming Masterclass.

Also from across International waters is Harold the Horse all the way from New Zealand in a special display sure to keep the crowds entertained.

We also welcome Councillor Greg Chippendale of Moreton Bay Regional Council, our QLD State Coach, Carlos de Cleermaecker, seat specialist, Jacqui van Montfrans, A level Judge and Grand Prix rider, Roger Fitzharding, and the wonderful Katie O'Neil and her amazing Pony, Smack, all the way from Victoria!

Also joining us again this year for a special guest appearance is Elf the little grey pony. Elf has made such a miraculous recovery after suffering severe injury and cruelty on Christmas day 2010 when he was dragged behind a car. Elf is now a very busy therapy pony for Equine Learning for Futures (ELF), a non-profit educational association working with at risk children, youth and adults who can benefit from equine facilitated learning. What a fantastic story and outcome for a little pony once in a very difficult situation.

Local guest presenters include the legendary Lea Bierman, award winning farrier Craig Jones, cardiac veterinary specialist Dr Claire Underwood, Occupational Therapist Felicity Fay and Holly Ohlson, the inspirational Liz Owens, and the cross discipline experts Shane and Mattea Davidson.

We have demonstrations for everyone from Tips for Training Hot, Spooky and Lazy horses, Improving Contact Issues, Creating the Illusion of Sitting Still, How and When to Start Flying Changes, How to Develop the Paces, Developing Canter Pirouettes as well as Insights into Training at Novice and Advanced Levels.

Our educational seminars are covering a great range of subjects including Overcoming the Fear Factor, Support Shoeing for the Performance Horse, Measuring and Reducing Cardiac Stress in Dressage Horses, Maintaining Mental Fitness in Horses, Dressage Seat Misconceptions,  Choosing the Right Horse, Tips for Saddle Fitting as well as Managing Training with Parenthood and Work.

Of course we also have our crowd favourites, the Equitec Festival Trail for the kids, The TnT Grains Awesome Foursome, the IHB Stallion Display with a special donated service to the world famous Sir Donnerhall on offer, and the ever popular Horsezone Fashion Parade!

Also for the Kids this year is their very own Pony Rides, face painting and jumping castle!

Some amazing items are up for bidding in our nail biting silent auction including a Greystone Paddock Vaccuum and Greystone Arena Rake, a Peter Horobin Double Bridle, and Aitkens Saddlery Barnsby Weymouth bridle, Equitana and Ultimate Masterclass tickets, the ever popular ELD Arena Spread-A-Bar, an Isabell Werth Saddle, Dobert bridle and other amazing items from Horseland.

We have 10 exciting stallions up for service fee bidding wars – including Lauries As, Prestige VDL, 007 and Sir Donnerhall himself!

If all this isn’t enough, this year the retail therapy on offer is better than ever with our amazing Trade Village and over fifty trade sites to visit!

The multi-draw raffle is better than ever with 20 prizes worth over $2500 in total! Some items on offer include, Greg Grant Saddlery vouchers, Horseland Equilibrium Training Boots and HV Polo Luggage, an ELD Bar Fridge, Prydes Easifeed and 2 lessons with the QLD State Coach, Carlos de Cleermaecker. Raffle tickets are $2 each or 3 for $5.

Remember all proceeds from the Festival of Dressage go directly back to Dressage QLD to help the future development of our wonderful sport! So dig deep, have fun, learn heaps and support Dressage QLD along the way!

Nicole Tough

Event Manager – QLD Festival of Dressage

Quick Link

• Visit the QLD Festival of Dressage website
• Read about the Horsezone Fashion Parade at the QLD Festival of Dressage