Snowy Mountains Grammar School Interschools Equestrian Competition

Jindabyne Central School (photos: Stephanie Lees)

For the year 12 riders from SMGS it was a sad farwell to their interschools equestrian careers and to Dalgety Showground. (L to R) Darren Henshaw, Bobby Nicholl and Alexandra Poulos. Alex has not missed a year since kindergarten!

Harry Potter flew in on his winged steed to visit the Fancy Dress competition

The 13^th Annual Snowy Mountains Grammar School Interschools Equestrian Competition was held on Friday 4–6 May at Dalgety Showground.  This year 130 riders from years Kinder to 12 made the journey to the quant location and enjoyed three days of wonderful competition, participating in dressage, showjumping, riding and hacking events, sporting and the 4-part Stockmans Challenge competition. 

This year we were able to offer prizes in all our events and special thanks must go to our wonderful sponsors, Horsezone.com, Horseland in Fyshwick, and Cooma Rural Supplies.  The event prides itself in providing a high class competition for the local riders and thanks this year to our judges, Michelle and Lauren Tomasi, Michelle Turnbull, Fiona Sloane, Sally Stott, Rhiannon Ellis, Courtney Thompson, Ian Arnold, Greg Grant, and Danielle Ternes Dixon.  We are also lucky to have the services of commentator Tim Dreverman from Sydney.

The weather was perfect, after the frosty morning start each day and the atmosphere around the camp fires in the evening was fun, providing a great opportunity for children from around the region to share their common equine interests.  The SMGS gymkhana is unique in that it is run by students from the school, most of whom have no prior knowledge of horses.  All dressed in sports uniform they pencil , time keep ,marshall, score, set-up, even judge the various events and learn just how difficult it is to organise and run a successful competition.  It is very hard work but students return each year and some have been working for the three days for the whole of their secondary schooling.  This year it was wonderful to see the effort that riders are going to in wearing their equestrian school uniforms and presenting their horses immaculately.  The Schools Parade was spectacular and it was indeed difficult to judge the smartest school on parade with the final decision resulting in a tie between Jindabyne Central School and St Patricks Parish School in Cooma.

The overall schools pointscore was won by SMGS who narrowly defeated St Patricks Parish in Cooma and Bega High School.  On Saturday we hold a number of teams events and these are prestigious and popular.  It is just wonderful to watch the pair of riders, one secondary and one primary, as the year 11 and 12 students assist their small primary partners through workouts and around the ring.  There is a team of three from the same school but the blue ribbon event is the team of four and this year the shield was taken home by the girls from Bega High.

The Stock Horse Challenge consists of a stockhorse workout, a time trial, a utility course and a barrel race and this year the overall winner was Breanna Arnold from Jindabyne Central School.  The fastest barrel race was recorded by year 12 SMGS student Bobby Nicholl who completed the course in just over 16 seconds.  Individual High Point scorers in each age group are presented for the three days of competition and this year the highest point score was Jessica Clarke ( Year 3) from Wolumla Primary.  Other winners in their ages were Lily Veleba(SMGS), Lucy Evans(St Mary’s Moruya), Samantha Rudd (St Patricks Cooma), Hannah Sugerman ( SMGS ), and Brydie Tarlinton ( Bega HS ).

It was a great competition and it will be our last at Dalgety.  We hope to inaugurate a larger event for the region encompassing all the equestrian disciplines and being run by several organisations for the young riders in our district and inviting riders from all over NSW to come and join us for a major Interschools event.  Further information will be updated on the Snowy Mountains Grammar School website as it evolves.

By: Mrs Sue West - Director of Operations

Quick Link

• View more great photos in the SMGS Interschools Event Gallery