With just under three weeks to go before the start of the 2025 FEI eventing season in Australia, event entries are open and organisers getting ready for business.
Hanson Tonimbuk International Horse Trials
The Hanson Tonimbuk International Horse Trials is the first cab off the ranks, taking place from 7th – 9th March at Tonimbuk Equestrian Centre, approximately an hour south-east of Melbourne with entries open for the FEI CCI2*-S to CCI4*-S classes as well as National classes at EA80, EA90 and CCN1*.
As always, entries are quickly filling across the classes and organisers are now looking at adding additional classes at the lower levels (watch 2024 EA80 winner Paige Cogger in the video above), in view of the cancellation of this year’s Wandin Horse Trials, a neighbouring event.
Some dressage (80cm and 90cm classes) will take place on Friday, with all remaining dressage and showjumping for the EA80, EA95, CCI4*, CCI3* on Saturday and showjumping for the CCI2* and CCN1* on Sunday, along with the cross country for all classes. Ewan Kellett will be designing the 4* cross country course with Mick Pineo in charge of the 3*, 2* and 1* courses and Will Foulkes the 95cm and 80cm courses. Entries now open here
REC Equine Specialists Sydney Eventing Autumn Classic
The same weekend (8th & 9th March) but several hours and many kilometres north at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre, the REC Equine Specialists Sydney Eventing Summer Classic will also be underway.
While not an FEI event, this very popular event held at the Sydney Olympic venue, really marks the start of the season in NSW. Many riders at both Tonimbuk and Sydney will be aiming for Adelaide in April and are raring to go after the winter break (after all, there’s only so much dressage and showjumping you can do without hankering for cross country!)
With classes from EvA65 to CCN4*, there’s something for everyone and entries are open here
Tamworth International Eventing CCI
Taking place at the impressive purpose-built Australian Equine and Livestock Event Centre in Tamworth, TIE’s first event of the year gets underway on 22nd and 23rd March.
The feature FEI classes will be held at CCI2*-S, CCI3*-S and CCI4*-S levels but there are also National classes from EvA50 to CCN1*. There is even an EvA50 Amateur Senior Class for riders over 50 years old (1 50 for over 50!), that we absolutely love.
Entries are now open until 13th March here
Queensland and Western Australia
Queensland also gets underway with its first FEI (CCI2*-CCI4*) event of the season at Tamborine Equestrian Group at Kelecyn on 15th & 16th March and Western Australia has Capel (CCI2*-4*) on the same weekend and Brigadoon (CCI2*-4*) on 29th & 30th March.
We’ll be filming all riders on cross country at Hanson Tonimbuk International, REC Equine Specialists Sydney Eventing Classic and Tamworth International Eventing CCI. We’ll see you there, plus check back for full reports here afterwards and snippets on our socials!
Find out more about what's coming up in our 2025 Australian Eventing Preview here
