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Weather no obstacle as Geelong club holds it first 3PE event

Writer: Fran ClelandFran Cleland

ABOVE: Sue French and Averdon Othello set against an ominous sky. Picture: LISA GREEN of MANE MEMORIES

AFTER years of practising with obstacles at rallies, Working Equitation Geelong held its very first three-phase equitation competition on Sunday.


Because the planning from the committee was intense – and the excitement from the competitors’ electric – the event was going ahead come rain, hail or shine.


As the group was new to organising a 3PE competition, they hoped they had thought of everything and that the day would exceed all expectations.


Sunday arrived and the coffee was on, the canteen was cooking up a storm and competitors started to come up the driveway, apprehensive about where to park since the grounds had received so much rain in the preceding weeks.


The first phase, dressage, was underway by 8.30am and although they had some periods of rain and some threatening dark clouds, for most of the day the sun was shining and so were the riders.

ABOVE: Vicci Crowley-Clough and her Friesian Galilee. Picture: MANE MEMORIES

Want to try three-phase equitation? Well you aren’t the only one if you do. A lot of people are taking up a sport that any rider and horse can manage. At the top level, things can get competitive, but for those starting out, there’s others doing the same thing, having a go with a lot of laughing and encouragement from the sidelines.


Three-phase equitation competitions (3PE) consist of three phases aimed at testing the partnership of horse and rider. It is an opportunity to display the skill and ability of the working horse within the confines of a competition arena while demonstrating harmony, relaxation and confidence.


The three phases are dressage, obstacles (style) and obstacles (speed and accuracy).


It is closely aligned to the also very popular working equitation, which was pioneered by Italy, Spain, Portugal and France and demonstrated at this year’s Equitana in Melbourne.


At the HRCAV adult rider level it is a sport that is gaining popularity and in September 2020 became an official discipline.


Many clubs are now hosting 3PE competitions, which are proving to be a fun day out with an undercurrent of fierce competition.


The Working Equitation Geelong Club has been incorporating obstacles into every rally since 2012, and for the last 10 years has been based at 775 Reservoir Road, Mount Moriac, Victoria.


Obstacle courses can be simple or elaborate, from purpose-built obstacles to cones, poles and bollards but no matter the design, they can be guaranteed to prick the ears of the horse and broaden the smile on riders’ faces.


GALLERY

(Click any image to expand)



Results

Level 1 –Dressage

1st Sarah Hughes riding Jaramlee Don Giovanni

2nd Sue French riding Averdon Otherllo

Level 1 – Obstacles: Style

1st Sue French riding Averdon Otherllo

2nd Margaret Anderson riding Animado Azul

Level 1 – Obstacles: Speed and Accuracy

1st Margaret Anderson riding Animado Azul

2nd Sue French riding Averdon Otherllo

Level 1 – 3PE – Overall Placing

Champion Sue French riding Averdon Otherllo

Res Champion Margaret Anderson riding Animado Azul

Level 3 –Dressage

1st Deborah Lovett riding Captain Marshall

2nd Michelle Kreusel riding Roseglen Playboy

Level 3 – Obstacles: Style

1st Erin Field riding Lockington Rex

2nd Suzanne Mowatt riding Megga Hit

Level 3 – Obstacles: Speed and Accuracy

1st Suzanne Mowatt riding Megga Hit

2nd Erin Field riding Lockington Rex

Level 3 – 3PE – Overall Placing

Champion Erin Field riding Lockington Rex

Res Champion Suzanne Mowatt riding Megga Hit

Level 4 –Dressage

1st Trish Owen riding Miss Macy

2nd Vicci Crowley-Clough riding Galilee

3rd Simone Webb riding Bailey

4th Samantha Collins riding Takoda Luck

5th Kathy Ball riding Pilgrim and Kate Bentley riding Ellie May Rose

Level 4 – Obstacles: Style

1st Carola Sahler riding Shepherds Hill Claudia

2nd Trish Owen riding Miss Macy

3rd Kathy Ball riding Pilgrim

4th Simone Webb riding Bailey

5th Sam Collins riding Takoda Luck

Level 4 – Obstacles: Speed and Accuracy

1st Emily Courtot riding Gweneverre

2nd Dianne Richards riding Pablo

3rd Kathy Ball riding Pilgrim

4 h Simone Webb riding Bailey

5th Kate Bentley riding Ellie May Rose

Level 4 – 3PE – Overall Placing

Champion Simone Webb riding Bailey

Res Champion Kathy Ball riding Pilgrim

3rd Trish Owen riding Miss Macy

4th Carola Sahler riding Shepherds Hill Claudia

5th Sam Collins riding Takoda Luck

Level 5 –Dressage

1st Katherine Davis riding Woodview Park Hector

Level 5 – Obstacles: Style

1st Katherine Davis riding Woodview Park Hector

Level 5 – Obstacles: Speed and Accuracy

1st Katherine Davis riding Woodview Park Hector

Level 5 – 3PE – Overall Placing

Champion Katherine Davis riding Woodview Park Hector

Fastest rider on course was in Level 4, Emily Courtot riding Gweneverre with a time of 129 seconds.

Rider with the highest points in the style phase was in Level 4, Carola Sahler riding Shepherds Hill Claudia on 84.4 per cent.

Rider with the highest points in Dressage was Level 5 rider, Katherine Davis on 78.6 per cent.



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