Plan Your Visit to the Saddleworld Australian Dressage Championships

The Quadrille (photo: Julie Wilson)

Entertainment for Saturday night - Luke Thomas and his horse, Twisty

No matter what your budget, the Saddleworld Australian Dressage Championships has a lot to offer. From 23 to 27 October, the Sydney International Equestrian Centre becomes a playground for all those interested in horses. Riders from across Australia have been working hard to qualify for the event and as a result, we the spectators, get to see the final product of years of dedication to what is known by some as the hardest equestrian sport.

You will get to see international competitors such as Rozzie and Heath Ryan, Brett Parbery, Mary Hanna, Matthew Dowsley, Maree Tomkinson, Jayden Brown, Judy Dierks and the list goes on. There's also Para Equestrian competitions with the likes of gold medal Para Olympian, Joann Formosa, competing. What more could you ask for.

The event is designed so over the four days the competition gets fiercer with horse and rider combinations trying to achieve a personal best that will put them on the dais. There's so much to see that it's best to have a plan of attack that ensures you see all that is on offer.

The surrounds of the equestrian centre is like a parkland which means it is conducive to grab a coffee from one of the coffee carts, get a program and place yourself under one of the beautiful gum trees and plan the things you want to see. You can also get a draw of all the competitions from the web or pick up a programme booklet from the info stand at the entrance to the indoor arena. Ensure you have a pen to highlight all the horses you want to watch. Once you've done this, the rest is easy as you have just created a basic schedule for the day.

During your free time, the Trade Village which is set around the presentation area is always a great place to visit. With over thirty trade stalls showcasing their wares there's always something to buy and usually plenty of bargains. Lets face it, there's always something to add to your collection of horsy equipment - rugs, boots, DVDs, jewellery, supplements, jodhpurs, jackets, helmets, bits, bridles, saddles - I think I'll stop there as the list is endless! Another good thing to remember is a number of these trade stalls are sponsors of this event which means your dollars are going towards supporting the Event Sponsors.

For those who like the comfort of good food and wine, you can buy a variety of tickets that will give you entry to the Top Spot Marquee which is situated at the short end of the indoor arena giving you the prefect view of many of the top competitions.

These tickets offers you entry to the event for the day/s of purchase, access to the marquee at any time during the day; tea & coffee at any time; morning tea; lunch with wine; afternoon tea and a complimentary copy of the programme booklet.

Please note, not all tickets include the Saturday evening dinner. These tickets would also make a great gift for a horsey friend.

As usual, Saturday night will be the highlight of the event with the Pessoa Dressage Grand Prix Freestyle taking centre stage. This is when the best of the best will ride their tests to music and the winner will be up in the running to compete at the 2014 World Equestrian Games in Normandy. At 6.30pm there will also be some great entertainment from one of Australia's best horseman, Luke Thomas - check out the following teaser...

 

On the last day of the competition, the organisers, Dressage NSW, are cross promoting another event held in the Western Sydney Parklands - The Best from the West Food Festival. What a great way to finish your last day at the Saddleworld Australian Dressage Championships. Just around the corner from the Sydney International Equestrian Centre you can experience the following:

• 35 fete stalls selling a large variety of food and beverages, covering South America, Dutch, Turkish, Filipino, Mexican, Chinese, Italian and Vegetarian, chocolates, gelato, wines, coffee, fine olive oils, fresh fruit juices etc.
• 5 celebrity chef cooking demonstrations led by Justine Schofield from Channel Ten.
• Two kid's workshops running on the day, one is a Kid's Pizza Making Workshop and the other is a Reverse Garbage Kid's Workshop where kids can make fun things to wear from recycled materials.
• Entry is free to the public and there is free parking.
• For all details, visit www.westernsydneyparklands.com.au It's pretty simple really - when you mix horses, shopping, elite riders, great food, wine and coffee; what do you get? ... BLISS!

By: Scott Pollock

Quick Links

• For all the details visit www.dressagensw.com.au/nationals
• Dressage horses for sale on HORSEZONE
• Dressage STALLIONS AT STUD on STALLIONZONE