Bits: Help needed to replace kids' jumps, Royal stabling chaos, overseas news ...
SYDNEY equestrienne Ginger Kennett, 19, has just completed her very first FEI World Championships at Herning in Denmark.
Ginger vaulted aboard the stunning grey gelding Corazon Gran (lunged by Maurits De Vries) with the team scoring 6.926 in the freestyle test, where athletes can express their creativity within their routine.
“My freestyle was set to Spanish music,” Ginger said. “I fell in love with the song. It is about love and it gets me into the zone of acting to the music. It brings the emotion out.”
Ginger's talent with horses also extends beyond the vaulting circle, as she also competes at CCN2* level. “I also do two-star eventing. The vaulting definitely helps in my eventing. Especially on cross-country, it really helps with the balance.”
The Australian vaulting squad performed their challenging freestyle routine aboard the chestnut Gozer, lunged by Christine Ender.
Eloise Tate, Lydia George, Poppy Loveland, Sabine Osmotherly, Willow Vitu and Zoe Caddis were all making their FEI World Championships debut. They scored 6.541 and finished with a combined score of 5.910. The theme for the routine was Mother Nature and how nature connects us all.
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ANYONE with a modern TV can keep up-to-date with how the riders at the World Championships are going at Herning by watching Channel Seven Plus, but there is some late-night viewing involved. (There are a lot of very tired but happy faces around.)
Timetable: Dressage, Jumping, Para-Equestrian and Vaulting
Wednesday, August 10:
Jumping 11:00 (CET) 19:00 (AEST), Team and Individual Qualifier, Dressage 20:00 (CET) 04:00 (AEST) Grand Prix Freestyle, Vaulting 13:00 (CET) 21:00 (AEST), Vaulting Squad Freestyle, Para-Dressage 08:30 (CET) 16:30 (AEST), Grade IV Individual Test
Thursday, August 11:
Jumping 13:00 (CET) 21:00 (AEST), Jumping Team and Individual Qualifier continued, Para-Dressage 14:00 (CET) 22:00 (AEST), Grade III Individual Test 17:30 (CET) 01:30 (AEST) Grade V Individual Test
Friday, August 12:
Jumping 21:00 (CET) 05:00 (AEST), Jumping Team Final Para-Dressage 11:00 (CET) 19:00 (AEST), Grade IV Team Test
Saturday, August 13:
Para-Dressage 11:00 (CET) 19:00 (AEST), Grade III Team Test 14:20 (CET) 22:20 (AEST), Grade IV Team Test
Sunday, August 14:
Jumping 14:00 (CEST) 22:00 (AEST), Individual Final Para-Dressage 09:00 (CET) 17:00 (AEST), Grade IV Freestyle 14:15 (CET) 22:15 (AEST) Grade III and Grade V Freestyle.
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A GOFUNDME campaign has been started to help the Griffith Pony Club raise money to replace showjumping equipment that was stolen from its grounds in late July.
The club runs an annual event in October each year that will not be able to proceed if the jump wings are not replaced.
Unlike most of the club’s equipment, the wings were brand new, with the children and families from the club working all year to raise the money for them through sausage sizzles at their local Bunnings.
“The children of our club are devastated,” club secretary Angela Nancarrow said.
“Our club was formed in 1938 and it's an amazing accomplishment to still be active. The majority of our equipment is old and due to our limited finances we are unable to update it, which makes this theft even harder for our kids as the wings stolen were only 12 months old.
“If you could donate big or small our club will greatly appreciate it.”
Any sightings of jump wings that can’t be accounted for can be reported to Griffith Police station or supplied anonymously through NSW Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000.
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THERE is huge confusion over acceptances and stabling for the horse classes at Royal Melbourne Show. The Horses in Action committee has advised that the show is short of stables and some competitors with multiple horses entered have only been allocated one stable between them.
They have been told that they will have to “swap horses between days”.
Others have been placed on a “provisional wait list” for acceptances if stabling becomes available.
One that is on the provisional acceptance list is a dual champion pony from last year’s Royal Melbourne Show. Other royal show winners from other states and those with the required 10 wins to qualify have also been knocked back.
There are reports that an entrant has been allocated a stable from 19-26 September but only has classes on 21st, while another said they had been told by the show committee that they must depart the grounds at 4pm the same day they have a class scheduled at 4.45pm.
The situation draws attention yet again to the much-criticised showground redevelopment and whether horses are really wanted at the show at all.
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VALE – Ricky Kilburn, 1942-2022.
Ricky would be well known to many Victorians. He hunted and played polo with Melbourne Hunt Club, was a top auctioneer and true horseman. He was assistant ring master at the Royal Melbourne Show for 23 years. Our sympathy to his wife of 46 years, Karna.
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EQUESTRIAN Australia has announced the Team for the CCIO4* Nations Cup competition at Le Pin au Haras, France, from August 11-14.
Tokyo 2020 Olympic medallists Andrew Hoy on Vassily de Lassos and Kevin McNab on Willunga have elected to step aside to provide valuable team experience to riders who have not competed at an FEI Nations Cup.
The senior riders agree that it is important that this opportunity be given to riders who have made the effort to travel from Australia and those up-and-coming combinations in the UK.
Australia has six combinations competing at the event: Lissa Green and Billy Bandit, owned by Katherine Coleman and The Bandit Syndicate; Sam Lyle and BF Valour, owned by Charlotte Mavris; Jessica Rae and Fifth Avenue, owned by the rider; and Hazel Shannon and WillingPark Clifford, owned by Terrence and Ginette Snow.
EA high performance pathways manager Will Enzinger said sending a team to the CCIO4* Nations Cup in France would provide the athletes with an opportunity to compete in a team environment as they focus on their FEI World Championships campaigns.
“Each of the Australian combinations selected for the Nations Cup at Le Pin au Haras are vying for potential team selection for the FEI World Championships at Pratoni next month. A run for all four combinations in a Nations Cup event will provide them with valuable experience as we approach the final selection phase."
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THE Equestrian Victoria 2022 awards will be held at the Holiday Inn, Werribee, on Saturday August 27. The night honours the young riders of the year, coach of the year and senior riders of the year, as well as inducting new members of the Hall of Fame.
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VOLUNTEERS are still being sought to help at the Victorian Endurance State Championship at Bunyip on September 9 to 11. The event will be based at the Tonimbuk Equestrain Centre and the competitors will be riding through the Bunyip State Park, which is only 60 minutes from the Melbourne CBD.
People are needed to help at checkpoints, as float drivers, water carters, parking/traffic directors, vet-ring pencillers and at timing gates. First aid officers are also needed. If you are available, please make contact through either the Victorian Endurance State Championships Facebook page or phone Simon on 0407 847 601.
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