It may have been a slightly soggy start to the HRCAV TTT Horse Trials at Greenvale Equestrian Park today but the spirits of those competing were not dampened. On Saturday it was mainly Level 4 and 5 competitors who enjoyed all three phases of dressage, showjumping and cross country and did so with gusto.
The type, age, height and breed of horses varied dramatically but all of their owners seemed to be having a great time as I caught up with a few of them.
Some competitors are quite small ................ Lee Oliver and the 13hh Greylea Handpainted competing for team Fairy Tales (Bannockburn Teesdale)
While some are much larger ............ Ricky and 17.3hh Rex
Ricky Bannister was riding probably one of the biggest horses there today, 17.3hh AP Renegade (Rex), in Grade 4 for the Hidden Valley team called the Holy Rollers. As he hosed Rex down after cross country, Ricky told me that he was very happy with Rex who had done a good dressage test, been very calm and jumped clear on the cross course and his only problem had been that the show jumps are a bit small for him
“He seems to think he can just walk over them” said Ricky with a smile (well, he probably can).
Ricky didn’t start to ride until he was 21 years old as he focussed on football as a youngster so he joined an Adult Riding Club when he first got a horse 16 years ago. He says that Adult Riding Club has taught him so much and that he really enjoys the social side as well as the riding. He actually belongs to two clubs and on Sunday he will be coming back to compete on his Clydie cross (with the wonderful name of Trolley Dolly) for Bulla ARC at Level 3.
Katherine Johnson and Northern Cassablanca
While the Level 4 and 5 riders were busy on the showjumping and cross country courses in the afternoon, the Level 1 and 2 riders were doing their dressage phase. The facilities at the Bulla Riding Club certainly are impressive and coped really well with the number of riders there today. Five dressage arenas were laid out on one large sand arena while another large sand arena and a large grassed area were available for warm-up. Katherine Johnson was riding in Level 1 on her lovely warmblood horse, Northern Cassablanca (Cassa)for the Valley Riding Club and some of her friends were there to support and watch her. Katherine rides Cassa in EA competition also and earlier in the year won the Pre-Novice Section B at Tonimbuk Horse Trials but today was riding for her Adult Riding Club team, The Valley Girls. Katherine performed a very nice test which she said at the end was “Not too bad” however it was obviously still worth celebrating as the next time I walked past, a bottle of French champagne was being enjoyed! Now this is the sort of eventing I like!
Only the cross country and showjumping to go tomorrow - let's celebrate!
Although the HRCAV originated in Victoria and is mainly made up of Victorian based clubs, some riders have come from over the border in NSW. The Hinno Hoots team from Hinnomunjie Riding Club (between Omeo and Benambra, in VICTORIA's high country, as has been pointed out to me since - see Lyn's comments below!) had travelled over six hours to get to Greenvale but had enjoyed their first night of camping the night before. They had even adopted a ‘male from another club’ (no names given!) whose team mates had refused to camp overnight and abandoned him. Lyn Gamble from the Hinno Hoots told me that visiting from more remote parts had its advantages; while their ‘country’ horses didn’t particularly like the planes circling overhead (Greenvale is very close the Melbourne’s main airport at Tullamarine), they were completely unfazed by the kangaroos hopping by through the Park the evening before while the ‘townie’ horses had taken great exception to the kangaroos. As there is a team competing called Killer Kangaroos, I wonder if this actually could have been a competitive tactic on their part.
Lyn Gamble and Barbara from Hinnomunjie Riding Club
Lyn competed at Level 3 on her horse Romany Beau but was chatting to me while her daughter Stevie, also a team member, was warming up for the Level 2 dressage. Close by another rider had lost their saddle blanket number; the previous competitor cheerfully offered to loan theirs as they came out of the arena. All of the riders, whether happy with their dressage test or not, seemed remarkably cheerful and to be enjoying themselves, their horses and the company of their team mates.
It was growing dark as the presentations for Grade 4 were happening, coloured lights were being strung up for the evening meal and, although some competitors were heading home, others were preparing for an evening at the Bulla Riding Club.
I have no doubt there will be lots more stories tomorrow.............
Results available
Level 4A Winner
Brooke Wheeler and Parklands Tiger Lily (Shadmoor EC)
Level 4B Winner
Flora Crosby and Finite (Bullengarook)
Level 4C Winner
Brodie Harrison and Doc (Kangaroo Ground)
Level 4D Winner
Kate Sutherland and KP Irish Shenanigans (Merricks SC)
Level 4E Winner
April Robinson and Bobby (Wyena ARC)
Full results to come. For photos of the Level 4&5 cross country, visit the PHOTO GALLERY
