A very happy Mike Dagostino at the Australian International 3 Day Event 2019
WA Day is held on the 1st June every year and, although it is a day to celebrate all Western Australians, we thought we would highlight a few from our world of eventing ….
For those from outside of Australia, let’s just remind you how big Australia's largest state is, with a total land area of 2,529,875 square kilometres (976,790 square miles), and the second-largest country subdivision in the world, surpassed only by Russia's Sakha Republic. Most of the population live near the State’s capital of Perth and, as we have often mentioned in articles and interviews, Western Australian riders have to travel for several days to attend eventing competitions in other States. Eventing in WA is not for the faint-hearted!
However, out of adversity comes opportunity as Western Australia’s Olympic and WEG medallist Sonja Johnson recently told us while young rider Madi Gielen told us about her mad dash back to WA with her horses when the borders closed recently and the flamboyant Mike Dagostino, who knows how to hail a cab, was one who caught everyone’s heart in Adelaide last year at his first CCI5*
It isn’t just riders, but eventing owners and officials are strong in WA as well. Pollyann Huntington is a high level judge, technical delegate, dressage rider and trainer who is not only a busy official in WA and the rest of Australia but also in demand around the world. However, our favourite memory of Polly is at Swan River in 2017 when she single-handedly managed a traffic jam of horses at the water jump in the 45cm class saying :This class is all about having a go and it doesn’t matter if you need a bit of help!”
Nikki Brooks, owner of some great Australian eventing horses such as Parkiarrup Illicit Liaison, and the West family, owners of Sergeant Crisp and Mr Higgins, more recently ridden by Caroline Powell in the UK are just two of the many supportive owners from WA.
And then there are the many event organisers and volunteers, people such as Kate Ingham and many others who make events such as Wooroloo (the only event we know of held on a prison farm), Alcoa at Fairbridge, Swan River Horse Trials and Equestrian In The Park, which attracts big name riders from overseas, happen.
So to all of you and the many we haven’t mentioned by name, happy WA Day and we'll see you all over here (or over there) very soon!
Photos by Waylib Photos and Libby Law
