The Sydney International Equestrian Centre was bathed in warm afternoon sunshine as trucks rolled in, horses unloaded, riders greeted each other and the official activities kicked off.
The venue at Horsley Park, just outside of Sydney and built for the Sydney 2000 Olympics, looked great in the balmy autumn weather with green swathes of cross country and its purpose built facilities now looking as if they belong in their surroundings. Chatting with Mike Etherington-Smith today, he mentioned how the cross country course is really starting to bed down well now after so many years and the same could be said of the whole venue which now seems to blend into its environment.
Course designers Mike Etherington-Smith and Stuart Tinney
Mike E-S is the course designer for the CCI3* while Olympic rider and up and coming course designer Stuart Tinney is looking after the 1* and 2* which have been the focus of this year’s budget and upgrades.
“I’ve hogged the budget on the 3* course for the past few years” says Mike “This year the 2* course in particular has really benefitted”
We’ll hear more from Stuart and Mike soon (truth be known they gave me a great audio interview today but the IT gods just aren’t playing fair and my interview was eaten by gremlins – the joys of technology). In the meantime take a look at the new 1*/2* Sydney Opera House fence designed by Stuart located at the top of the hill leading to the very impressive water jump
The first horse inspection went to plan with all riders passed by the Ground Jury in the 1* and 2* classes but Katie Henderson’s Foolproof and Kate Rogers’ Papa’s Dream were both held and sadly Foolproof was not accepted in the Equestrian NSW CCI3* trot up, leaving 17 combinations to contest the top class. For Sonja Johnson, the only rider with two horses in the 3*, this means she will have to get a wriggle on with her horses top and tailing the class; Sonja had another exciting journey from Western Australia with two blown tyres on the truck on the way over but still arrived safely and her two horses looked in great shape as always despite the kilometres travelled
Another Western Australian visitor, Belinda Isbister’s Holy Bruce (above) was another horse that looked in fabulous form and Clarke Johnstone’s Balmoral Sensation (below) certainly looked none the worse for travelling across the Tasman
Victorian rider Tarryn Proctor (famous for her bright blue sunglasses) won our vote for the best presented female in the CCI3* and the judge, sponsor Caroline Wagner, agreed while Rob Palm won the best presented male. Murray Lamperd and Teegan Ashby took the smart honours in the 2* while Shaun Dillon and Karen Irwin were the hot to trot style gurus in the 1*
3* Best Presented winners Rob Palm (who obligingly hopped off his horse), Caro Wagner and Tarryn Proctor
Although it is the riders that get all the attention during the trot up, it is the grooms who make the horses gleam and glow and this was the first step of the judging in the Mike O’Callahan Grooms Award, judged by our very own Alison Duthie and Emma D’Arcy, both super grooms in a previous life. Mike O’Callahan, who passed away late last year, is dearly remembered and sadly missed as Stable Manager by all at events from Sydney to Adelaide and his widow Sandy, who is helping out here at this year’s event, is providing a special gift as well as the usual prizes for the winning groom. The Groom’s Award will be chosen on criteria including the horse’s turnout, attention to horse health, attention to the needs of the rider, punctuality, personal turnout, general organisation and that all important one – amiability, described as ‘the groom’s demeanour throughout the stressful situation of a Three Day Event’. Yes, that’s quite a biggie
With formalities and briefings over the event now swings into busy mode tomorrow with the dressage. But, as it is Shane Rose’s 41st birthday, the night is still young and there may be a few top hats that feel a bit uncomfortable in the morning
