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