The 2014 eventing year review – March

We take a look back at some of the highs and lows, best interviews, event highlights and top training tips of 2014 from the world of international eventing, month by month, in our series of articles. Click on any highlighted text to take you to any of the articles mentioned to read in full

By March the eventing action was starting to move up a notch with riders moving into competition mode and assessing their horse power. A new horse arriving from overseas is always an exciting prospect and we asked Karen Tinney to explain some of the areas they paid close attention to in bringing their new horses home to Sydney from Germany. For others who were still looking for the star of their stable, Hamish Cargill gave us his opinion on the addictive and difficult world of buying and selling horses including the valuable advice “Before you buy your next horse, picture standing outside on a windy day with that amount of cash in your hand. If you’re happy to throw it up in the air and watch it float away, then you’re ready to buy”

If this all sounds too difficult, maybe a horse that only moves on four wheels is the one for you. After months of organising, building, painting and creating costumes the riders who created the equestrian float, Hot to Trot at the Sydney Mardi Gras put a whole new light on the sport (and maybe the use of whips)

Features

As the competition season picked up we took a look at some of the essentials for a successful eventing season. We asked ‘When you come trotting down the centre line does the judge think wow or ahh …’ and ‘What do you need to take to an event and how can you make it easier to remember everything ...’ while Dom Schramm’s video hints for walking the cross country course provided a well timed brush up on ideas

At some of the events we spoke to the experts themselves. Alison Duthie found more about how riders could easily improve their marks from dressage judge Jodie Newall and Emily Penney revealed the secrets behind the ever successful German Eventing Team (and what a wheelbarrow has in common with riding) after a fascinating evening at Hartpury College, UK where Chris Bartle discussed 'Modern Eventing'

In two of our interviews we caught up with Charlotte Littlefield, a past British Eventing Young Rider about how a leggy OTTB has revived her love for the sport here in Australia while Louise Barnes inspired us. In 2012 Louise went through a very rough patch when she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, but a few years down the track Louise is in remission and she told us how her love for eventing helped her get through the tough times

This was also the month when we farewelled Bud Hyem. The Australian Olympian and breeder of two of Australia's most successful event horses, Olympic gold medallists Kibah Tic-Toc and Kibah Sandstone, Bridget ‘Bud’ (McIntyre) Hyem passed away at the age of 81

Events

And after what had seemed like ages, we started to report about what was going on where in eventing around the world. Overseas we took a look at what happened at Isleham, UK and in sunny Portugal at Barrocca d’Alva as well as Oasby, UK and Red Hills, USA. Both Chris Burton and Paul Tapner picking up wins at Gatcombe Park and we found out more about William Fox-Pitt's relaxing time there with his young horses and club members

In New Zealand Angela Lloyd and her thoroughbred mare Song took top honours in the Honda CNC3* class at the Puhinui Horse Trials in Auckland and Clarke Johnstone aboard Balmoral Sensation, a horse he only paired with six weeks previously took out the New Zealand Eventer of the Year at the NRM Horse of the Year Show

In Australia several riders who have not competed at Pakenham Horse Trials before agreed today that the best way to describe the cross country course there was ‘steep!’ but some of the pony clubbers made it look easy while Murray Lamperd was surprised but pleased with his win of the CIC3* at Wandin Park on the little black horse Don Skipcello that was having his first 3* start there

Scone and Canberra Horse Trials both had the standard classes but Wallaby Hill Farm came up with something a little different for the start of the season where we took a look at the Equestrian Team Triathlon

Have you ever had one of those dreams when you have the perfect eventing competition? You rode the dressage like Brett Parbery, show jumped like Dave Cameron and rode cross country like Shane Rose and your horse felt like they were designed for each phase. That’s how it felt watching this competition which was indeed won by the combination of Brett, Dave and Shane.

On the same day young show jumping top gun Tom McDermott took out the Eventers vs Showjumpers, the VIPs joined in the fun, there was the Alex and Hamish show and a ‘wise old owl’ won the Exhibition Eventing. No wonder we needed a Part 2 at Wallaby Hill

It was starting to become a busy year and we were still celebrating our ESMA Award!