By JO HARRISON
ARMIDALE Riding Club’s Horseland Club Championship was recently held with more than 50 riders competing.
Conditions were ideal for dressage with two arenas utilised and competition fierce.
Armidale Riding Club publicity officer Francesca Andreoni said that this year’s competition was a little different with Champion and Reserve Champion in a variety of age groups awarded for the first time.
“We had a range of competitors from really young kids on tiny ponies through to the over fifties on large experienced horses,” she said.
“It was really nice to see and in some cases we had three generations of the one family competing.”
Dressage is a sport that combines horse and rider on an arena to perform from memory a series of predetermined movements.
“It’s about accuracy, gymnastic ability and precision, almost like a combination of gymnastics and dance,” Ms Andreoni said.
“At the very basic level it is a walk, trot and canter and being able to move from left to right. Then as you advance you get to the point of being able to do pirouettes, piaffes, trotting on the spot and all the movements you see in dressage at the Olympics.”
The next major event for the Armidale Riding Club is the biggest event on the calendar, the October Dressage Festival on the weekend of 19-20 October. Hundreds of riders from across the region and as far as Queensland compete in the official competition.
Results:
Under 15: Overall Champion- Ebony Lewis and Frosty; Overall Reserve Champion – Amber Lewis and Another Royal; Highest Percentage Champion – Emma Selby and Tucker; Highest Percentage Reserve Champion – Rebecca Marquardt and Mr Darcy.
Age Group 15-25: Overall Champion – Sally Middleton and Shu Mich An; Overall Reserve Champion – Amy Andrews and Bobby; Highest Percentage Champion – Amy Andrews and Bobby; Highest Percentage Reserve Champion – Sally Middleton and Shu Mich An.
Age Group 25-50: Overall Champion – Skye Berry and Murphy; Overall Reserve Champion- Cassie Crosby and I Ronin; Highest Percentage Champion – Georgina Kaveney and Rudolph; Highest Percentage Reserve Champion – Francesca Andreoni and Suncrest Marengo.
Age Group Over 50: Overall Champion – Carleen McPhie and Curio; Overall Reserve Champion – Cathy Kimmorley and Verde; Highest Percentage Champion – Cathy Kimmorley and Verde; Highest Percentage Reserve Champion – Kerry Crees and Argentile Illyssa.
