As the sun came out the hard working committee of Tonimbuk Horse Trials must have been sighing with relief at the thought that for the first time in a few years their event was going to be blessed with good weather. In recent years the weather gods have not been so generous with lashing rain and hailstones doing their best to disrupt the weekends proceedings. But this strong, determined committee is made of stern stuff and nothing is going to put them off producing a good quality event as they have done for the past 13 years.
Steve Weir, President of Tonimbuk Horse Trials, was out on course with drill in hand numbering the cross country course while others were putting the finishing touches on the cross country course. “We’re a small committee,” said Steve “but we all have our jobs to do and just get on with producing the best event we can.”
Over 350 riders will converge on Tonimbuk tomorrow, although a few arrived today to give their horses time to recover from the journey and be as well prepared as possible for this popular event. Catherine Davies, although only an hour and a half from Tonimbuk, was one rider who arrived today. Her horses looked suitably impressed with the surroundings as they came out of the truck before being settled into their stables. “It was great to enter Tonimbuk and feel like the season has really got going,” said Catherine. “I just got a couple of baby horses this weekend in the preliminary class so I’m looking forward to a good weekend.”
The Tonimbuk Equestrian Centre boasts not one, but two huge indoor schools, which will provide the dressage and show jumping arenas for the CIC classes. With the two schools being connected by the same roof the middle spectator area will be the place to catch all the action of the higher level classes, while the pre novice, preliminary and introductory dressage and show jumping will take place on the outdoor sand arena and the flat grass area.
A stroll around the Wayne Copping cross country course was good fitness test for the walker with a couple of good hills giving walker and horses on Sunday a good blow out. The course begins by taking riders into some bush land where they will make their way over several variations of log fences before coming out into the sunlight and running down hill to selection of gate fences. Although the riders wont have time to admire the view as they go cross country those who walk the course will get a great view of the whole Equestrian Centre looking over towards the Alpine National Park. After running up short steep hill riders make their way back onto the flat ground jumping a fence over the creek before heading for the bank complex. Then it’s back into the bush for some more fences in the shade with the 3* riders jumping though a keyhole fence out of the bush before making their way to the water complex. One more pull up the hill after the water sees riders heading for the finish.
The 3* course is ideal for the first CIC of the season. Nothing is too big but there are enough questions to blow away any cobwebs and head riders in the right direction for the rest of the year. The weather looks set for the weekend so it should be smiles all round from happy competitors and committee members.
