A Glorious Way to Spend Australia Day

Story: Rachel Smith Photos: Furdography

Northside Riding Club began the year with a horsey Australia Day Celebration. The Hunter Trials Championships that were rescheduled from last November due to rain were held on the Princess Anne Arena in the St Ives Show Ground on 26 January. Not a cloud was to be seen and despite soaring temperatures the event was spectacular, not just because of the fancy dress Aussie theme. The three organisers, Eva Rasmussen, Anwen Keeling and Lauren Seeley, went to amazing lengths to make the day a success spending hours taking entries, setting the course, drawing the maps and decorating the club house in green and gold. Winners received gorgeous ribbons and wonderful prizes. Volunteers were fed an Aussie feast of egg sandwiches, pavlova, lamingtons and minties. It couldn't have been a better way to celebrate being Australian.

CLICK HERE to view the Horsezone photo gallery.

The first class of the day was the Brighton Saddleworld Newcomers class with jumps up to a maximum of 65cm. The course consisted of a variety of cross country elements and show jumps giving the day a Derby feel. With the start and the finish in front of the clubhouse, spectators were able to cheer as each of the 35 combinations completed their course. This class was a true example of equestrian sport showing that age and gender are no barrier when it comes to competing. The places were spread across all the demographics with young rider Eliza Knox and her little grey pony Minty winning the class.

 

After a quick course change competition began in the Mitavite Introductory class. The course was varied using Northside’s fixed elements of the bank, the sunken road and the flyer along with the portable feature fences including the Apex, the arrow heads and the roll tops combined with some fantastic show jumps. Nearly 50 combinations rode the fun, flowing track hoping to win the champion rug.. Many of the riders in this class had attended the cross country clinic held on the Princess Anne Arena with Eventer Annabel Armstrong the weekend before the championships and were able to show they had paid attention being able to negotiate the course successfully. Anwen Keeling took a moment from her duties of feeding the volunteers to ride the course aboard Jill Severn’s talented eventer Sienna. They went clear and were closest to optimum time to be awarded the 2010 Introductory Champion much to the delight of the crowd.

 

The next class on the program was the Randwick Equine Centre Preliminary Class. To increase technical difficulty the track included an offset line of brushes as well as the larger Apex and skinny double of arrowheads. Riders were tested for accuracy as well as the ability to jump 95cm. The technical aspect took its toll and few riders recorded a clear round. Super Standardbred Samercan Bey took some riding at the Apex, but finished with a faultless score closest to the optimum time being awarded the 2010 Prelim Champion.

 

The final class of the day was the Nicola Jagger Musculoskeletal Vet Pre Novice Class. Competition was fierce and with few options on course riders had to be committed to their lines. Every combination had penalties but Jessica Henderson and Lighten Up rode the best time around the course to win the class. Nicola Jagger, the sponsor of this class, is a mobile, veterinary osteopathic specialist who is keen to maximise the movement and performance of horses. Nicola regularly treats a number of the Event horses who competed at the Hunter Trials Championships.

 

Two awards for best Aussie dressed competitors were awarded during the day. With so many fabulous outfits the organisers found it difficult to choose, but the golden pony, Smarties Player, with the southern cross painted on his rump was declared the winner of the best dressed horse. Junior competitor Sarah McVicker was awarded the best dressed rider. Special mentions also go to Peter Mitchell and Kathy Topham.

 

Northside Riding Club would like to thank all the volunteers who helped make the day possible and the sponsors of the event, You Tarzan Design, Brighton Saddleworld, Mitavite, Randwick Equine Centre and Musculoskeletal Vet Nicola Jagger. The next event scheduled to run at Northside Riding Club is the first monthly Show Jumping competition for 2011 on Sunday 13 February followed by a midweek dressage competition on Thursday 17 February. For the full results from the Hunter Trials and more information on upcoming events please visit www.northsideridingclub.org.au