Saddleworld Dressage Festival - Day 2

Victorian riders Kerry Mack and Mary Hanna enjoying their successes from yesterday

Day two of the Saddleworld Dressage Festival was opened with blue skies and perfect condition.

The Pony Novice Championship was awarded to Baringa First Class ridden by young NSW rider, Brianna Cartwright.

The Advanced Pony Championship was won by Stephanie Dijkstra on Tina Barker's imported Kennedy WE, a previous placegetter at the Bundeschampionate. Kennedy WE received respectful scores from all judges and is no doubt going to be a strong asset to the Australian Pony breeding industry.

NSW dominated the Jones & Berkley Prix St Georges today taking out first and second place with Mark Kiddle coming in first for his ride on Waitano closely followed by Amanda Shoobridge on Ferrero Rocher. Gitte Donvig, daughter of the late Gert Donvig awarded Cheryl Fort the Gert Donvig Memorial Trophy for her ride on Rendezvous as highest placed Victorian in in the Prix St Georges. This award was very fitting as Cheryl was a good friend of Gert's.

The Kieffer Saddles Novice Championship was a close one with the eventual champion going to Gitte Donvig riding Brioni. Another fitting winner with Gitte riding in a Kieffer saddle.
The Grand Prix programme began with Hayley Gilbert taking out the Equestrian Victoria Grand Prix CDN on her elegant mare Odiana K. The much anticipated Pacific League World Cup Final Grand Prix supported by the Australian Sports Commission and Equestrian Australia High Performance Program was won by Rozzie Ryan and GV Bullwinkle narrowly ahead of Diamantina ridden by Maree Tomkinson, David Shoobridge and 00 Seven were hot on their heels coming in third place with less than 0.2%, setting the scene for a fantastic showdown tomorrow night.

The class of the day was the Canine Capers dog races, competition was fierce and the stakes were high! There were tears of joy and frustration, blind judges, threats of protests but no one brave enough to challenge the system. The eventual Champion Small dog when to multi champion 'Scooter' with Champion large dog going to 'Jack'. Both dogs received lovely collars donated by Flexible Fit Equestrian. Each day just keeps getting better, tomorrow will be the biggest day yet with the first round of the Aachen Final and the Pacific League World Cup Final Freestyle to be held in the evening whilst spectators enjoy a traditional Christmas dinner. The temperature is set to sore so remember to slip slop slap!

General admission tickets are available daily at the entrance gate at a cost of $5 per person with Saturday night tickets $25 per person for general viewing or $120 for the Christmas dinner.

Quick Links

• Day two results and more event information is available on the festival website www.equestrianvictoriaevents.com.au/DF
• Read report from Day one
• View dressage horses for sale on Horsezone