IN THE SADDLE JENNY SHEPPARD 4/6/2007

MELBOURNE’S INTERNATIONAL THREE DAY EVENT

With 2008 Beijing Olympic selection on the line, competition will be fierce as Australia’s top equestrian’s saddle up for the 2007 Horseland Melbourne International Three-Day Event starting this Friday and running throughout the long weekend with the final jumping test on Monday 11th June at the National Equestrian Centre Werribee Park.

Often described as the equine equivalent to a triathlon, the three day event tests the courage and endurance of the horse and rider over three days of competition, across three very different disciplines: dressage, cross country and jumping. Now in its 51st year, the Horseland Melbourne International Three Day Event is the oldest and most prestigious three day event in Australia.

The national eventing squad, including former Olympians Stuart Tinney of Maraylya (Sydney 2000), South Australian Wendy Schaeffer (Atlanta 1996), Olivia Bunn of Junee (Athens 2004), and Amanda Howell of Mornighton (Sydney 2000) will be competing at Werribee as they aspire to represent their country at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Local eventing star 29 year old Emily Anker of Wandin North will be out to secure a spot on the Olympic Squad following her super performance in New Zealand two weeks ago.

The Dressage phases for all classes will be held indoors on Friday and Saturday with the exciting cross-country phase running through the Werribee Manson grounds will run on Sunday and then the jumping phase will run indoors on Monday to find the winner of the International CCI Three Star event and the 2007 Melbourne Three Star World Cup qualifier. Victoria’s Ewan Kellet has designed the testing cross country course which is 5,800 meters in length with 40 jumping efforts to test our 2008 Olympic hopefuls.

This year the indoor trade village is bigger and better with an indoor catering and food court area. There is nearly 1,000 square metres of undercover shopping and hospitality, up to 50 exhibitors will be on site along with a variety of caterers including wood fired pizza, espresso coffee and dutch pancakes.

Day tickets start at just $10, for further information please call Michaela on 0419 113 633. See next weeks Weekly Times for all the results.

PORT PHILLIP WINTER SERIES

Victoria’s proactive Port Phillip Showjumping Club has now completed two of their annual Winter Series Jumping days for young horses and horses who have not won a jumping competition. Competitions start at 60cm in height and go up to one metre, placegetters from 1st to 6th are awarded points that are carried forward throughout the five jumping days held at Lang Lang.

Emily Hill of Nyora leads the series riding Marena Comet on 12 points, Steff White of Nyora is in second position riding Got Lucky and Annabel Parsons of Blackburn in third position riding Tobe Sure.

The next round of the series will be held on 24th June, also ridiers are reminded that entries close this week for the 2007 Melbourne Royal Young Horse Event please call linda Sproull for details on 03 5997 5428.

AUSTRALIAN’S COMPETING IN EUROPE

Victoria’s up and coming jumping star Matt Williams of Tonimbuk and Andrew Inglis of Wilberforce competed at the Wisbecq International Two Star jumping show in Belgium on the weekend. Matt riding two horses placed 6th in the 1.40m Two Phase riding Vice Versa de Septon and 22nd riding his lovely grey horse Contact. Riding Contact Williams placed 15th in Saturday’s 1.40m class and 35th in Sunday’s grand prix riding Vice Versa de Septon.

Andrew Inglis riding three horses placed 3rd in the 1.35m 7 year old final and 9th in the 1.35m Table A riding Melody and 15th in Sunday’s 1.35m Accumulator riding Robelli. Both riders will compete at the second of the Wisbecq International Shows this weekend.

2008 OLYMPIC VOLUNTEERS

Volunteerism is at the very heart of the Olympic Movement, and Hong Kong has responded to it warmly. Such warmth manifested itself in the applications from more than 12,000 people who wanted to become Volunteers at the 2008 Olympics Equestrian Events and the trials this August, the Chief Executive Officer of The Equestrian Company (EqCo), Mr Lam Woon-kwong, said “The number of applications were increasing by the day”, Mr Lam added while speaking at an Orientation Day for close to 900 Volunteers successfully selected from the second batch of applicants, Mr Lam said the staging of the Olympics Equestrian Events in Hong Kong was going to be a truly historic occasion.
“Hong Kong is working hand in hand with Beijing, under “One Country, Two Systems”, showcasing our culture, our spirit, or capabilities and the Nation’s new face,” Mr Lam said.
The Volunteers carry great responsibilities with them as they will be the front-line helpers, ambassadors, and the face of Hong Kong, he added. They would show visitors and participants the warm face of this truly humane city and its can-do spirit, as well as Hong Kong’s true colours, the Volunteers would help to make the Olympics a “people’s game”, a “green game” and a “high-tech game”. Almost 1,000 Australian’s will be part of the volunteer program for the 2008 Olympic Games.