EQUITANA Arrives at the Melbourne Showgrounds!

Australia’s biggest equine festival, EQUITANA, arrives at the Melbourne Showgrounds this Thursday 15 November through to Sunday 18 November.

The 10^th edition of EQUITANA promises a spectacular, action-packed program for all horse lovers to watch and enjoy. Featuring elite competitions, Olympic riders, Aussie cowboys, world renowned equine educators, and the southern hemisphere’s largest equine shopping precinct!

Tickets at the Gate, including great family value passes for two adults and three children.

Be sure to come along to the Horsezone stand (site #216 in the Grand Hall) and meet gold medallist, Joann Formosa and go into our daily draws for great prizes! See timetable for meeting Joann

An event overview is outlined below, including a invitation to interested media to attend the official press conference with the equine industry’s most popular performers.

THE EXHIBITION PRECINCT

The shopping exhibition precinct holds the largest number of businesses at any EQUITANA to date, with over 300 companies offering a huge range of products from saddlery items, to clothing, designer jewelers and fantastic cowboy boots!  There is also a great variety of practical equipment such as floats and general farm equipment – everything to make life easier on your property. 

OPENING DAY – Thursday 15 November

Country meets the city when we present the indoor Open Cutting Championships, which provide an exciting array of Australia’s elite cutting horses and riders.  As an added bonus, NCHA Hall of Fame star Cutter, Richard Prew, will deliver a great Masterclass to show you how it’s done. 

The Cutting Championships will be followed by one of the most unique training experiences the country has seen, when Josh Lyons and Richard Winters, two of the USA’s top trainers, join forces for the first time to present a two hour behavioral clinic. 

The Tuff Rock Outdoor Competition arena provides lots of beauty and action with the Show Horse and Rider Thoroughbred Championships, a Horseball game with International players tearing up the turf and the Arabian Showcase, which features the finest Arabian horses in halter, ridden and flamboyant costume classes. 

The evening program sees The Equestrian Grand Final – Jumping take the stage.  In this thrilling contest, eighteen of the country’s top show jumpers attempt to lead the field over a challenging course against the clock and Melbourne’s Scott Ryan Bandwill have you dancing in your seats.

FAST ACTION FRIDAY – Friday 16 November

Fast action Friday features a unique Western Performance Clinic, presented by two of America’s top trainers and behaviouralists, Josh Lyons and Richard Winters and featureinsights into Cutting, Reining, Western Pleasure and trail training.  You can then settle in to watch the 3-day the horsemanship challenge, The Way of the Horse, where 3 of Australia’s top trainers start a young horse to achieve a responsive working partnership. 

The action is fast and furious in the outdoor arena, with the new “Top Score Stakes” carriage driving competition, which sees our daredevil drivers “flying” around the course to make those points and the popular jump and drive contest.

Renowned UK Eventing legend, Mary King, fresh from yet another medal win at the recent Olympics, presents a Masterclass that will show you just why she has been at the top for so long and will be followed by Exhibition Eventing, the new short course and fast paced competition that is taking the country by storm.  

Then when the sun goes down, the lights, music and excitement pump up with the EQUITANA Australian Open Reining Championships, where Australia’s elite Reining horses perform patterns punctuated by high-action spins and slides. The evening program will also feature international guests Richard and Sarah Winters, who will present an incredible reining freestyle together.

SPECTACULAR SATURDAY – Saturday 17 November

If you are a Dressage fan or someone who loves the majestic pageantry of Clydesdale horses, then this is the day for you.

The Specialist Dressage Clinic with Kyra Kyrklund gives you three hours with one of the world’s great Dressage Masters and will guarantee you come away with a swag of new ideas.

The Clydesdale and Heavy Horse Pageant will take you back through time, as they display these horses with a range of original harness equipment.

Then to top off a great day, you can sit back and enjoy the beautiful and balletic Equestrian Grand Final Dressage Freestyles. The evening will include a unique demonstration by Kyra Kyrklund and a stunning performance of Spanish Riding by Manolo Mendez on his magnificent Andalusian stallion and will be accompanied by renowned Flamenco Guitarist, Richard Tedesco, fresh from his world tour.

SUPER SUNDAY – Sunday 18 November

Sunday 18^thintroduces The Equitana Youth Forum, an interactive session that provides young riders with the unique opportunity to meet and ask questions of some of Australia's elite equestrian heroes from a range of disciplines.  The Australian Stock Horse State of Origin Time Trials is another new Equitana feature with top riders and horses from across the Nation.

The big finale for Equitana Melbourne is the “Sunday Entertainment Showcase”, designed to be a great family experience.  The showcase is pure equine entertainment, with the best riding and horsemanship displayed in acts that will have you holding your breath at the daring, screaming with excitement at the pace and splitting your sides with laughter.  The showcase features star internationals, Mary King (UK), Josh Lyons (USA), Richard Winters (USA) and Ali Al Ameri (UAE), along with some of Australia’s best riders.

Quick Link

• Visit the EQUITANA website for detailed daily timetable
• Buy tickets to EQUITANA