An Eventful Life filmed all competitors on cross country at
Western Port Horse Trials 2020 - order or view videos here
Like those of many equestrian clubs on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, Australia, the cross country track of the Western Port Horse Trials is blessed with sandy soil, making for pleasant ground conditions even at the end of a hot summer or when wet. On Sunday it was neither hot nor wet but perfect eventing weather for what turned out to be the last eventing competition in the area for possibly quite a while
Based at Crib Point, the Western Port Equestrian Club is located on 25 acres of flat land near Western Port, a large tidal bay in southern Victoria, Australia, providing a coastal feel, sandy soil and native bushland for the course to wind through. It also boasts a very well-constructed and inviting water complex (although a few of the horses on Sunday didn’t find it that inviting, resulting in their owners walking them home)
The Western Port Equestrian Club is part of the HRCAV (known as Adult Riding Club, which a strong membership in Victoria) and runs their annual Horse Trials in March, with the local Balnarring Pony Club usually following on two weeks after and taking advantage of the tracks already in place for their Pony Club Horse Trials; sadly, although Westernport got their trials in, Balnarring will miss out due to coronavirus restrictions which have caused the cancellation of the event
Only two riders tackled the Level 1 at Western Port last weekend with Leanne Le Claire taking the win on Bewitched while Durani Hart won the Level 2 on board Vanaheim Ice and Fire
Durani Hart riding Vanaheim Ice and Fire
Levels 3 and 4 had bigger contingents of riders with Genevieve Savini and Napoleon winning on a score of 43.20 ahead of the pretty palomino BaileysN’ice ridden by Linda Harvey and Tamara Caspersz riding Laika in third
Genevieve Savini and Napoleon
The palomino BaileysN’ice ridden by Linda Harvey
We normally give cross country videos as class prizes but the event organisers decided to raffle them on this occasion and one was won by Walter Berger, who were second after the dressage but finished in 11th after his horse Feldale Griffin (is this horse related to Bella English’s little grey superstar, Feldale Mouse, we wonder?) took a moment to think about jumping into the water, incurring 20 penalties.
Otherwise, it was a lovely ride by Walter, who really should buy a Lotto ticket, after winning this raffle and also our January Subscriber competition, he is on a roll!
Chelsea Thompson and VBA Flash finished second in the Level 4
In the Level 4 Tara Lawrey continuing her winning streak on the ex-racehorse who has now come to eventing after a dressage career, Simmering. Tara and Simmering won the Open Grade 4 at Gisborne Pony Club Horse Trials recently when she told us more about Simmering, who won his first ever horse trials there and has followed it up with a win, finishing on his dressage score, at Western Port
Tara was another raffle winner, meaning that she now has two videos of Simmering’s wins!
Mandy Johnson and Noble Silver Lining won the Level 5, whose riders finished the day and our event coverage for a little while. Just as the season was really about to take off around the world, coronavirus has brought everything to a standstill
Do not despair however, we will have some great articles, special features, interviews and LOTS of cross country video footage coming up to keep you entertained for as long as it takes ......
Mandy Johnson and Noble Silver Lining
Our final raffle winner was Kris Bowles and Siebe, who finished sixth in the Level 5. They may have taken the cross country at a steady pace but we have fallen in love with this gorgeous Friesian horse!
