Some of the Australasia’s most promising riders descended on the Highlands on the weekend to contest the Young Riders Championships at the Berrima Horse Trials.
In a tense and engaging three-day battle, the New Zealand contingent came up trumps after tragedy struck the Australian side in the cross-country leg of the event.
After going through the dressage phase eight points ahead of the Kiwi team, the Australians had high hopes of claiming their first Young Riders title but two falls over the daunting cross country jumps cost the local team dearly.
After Rebecca Baitling and Louise Baston achieved a clear run for the Australians, Catherine Davies fell at the Flyer jump and after Ebony Tucker came to grief at the Irish Bank and was forced to retire, the local team was in strife.
Going into the final day’s showjumping at Highlands Equestrian Centre, the Australians trailed by a massive 35, which equates to seven rails down.
And despite putting in a brave performance over the jumps, the lead proved too large and in the end the New Zealand team of Katherine Van Tuyl, Jean Tomplay, Donna Smith and Jonelle Richards took the crown.
The three-day event pits the best young riders and horses from both Australia and New Zealand against one another in a gruelling event that tests the mettle of both rider and jockey.
It comprises of showjumping, endurance and dressage with the healthy crowd that attended on all three days testament to the visual appeal of the sport.
“The three day event was actually the most requested event at the 2000 Olympics,” Berrima Horse Trials vice-president Peter Gillis said.
This year was the first time that the Berrima Horse Trials have hosted an event of such magnitude and according to Gillis it speaks volumes for the organisers.
“The fact that we were chosen to host the Young Riders is basically saying that we are capable of running an international standard event,” he said.
“When we started it was a one-day event at a low level and to get to this standard makes all the hard work worthwhile.
“We have a core of about 6-8 people that do an enormous amount of work and Vince Roache is the real driving force behind it.”
The event holds such prestige that it attracts the elite of the many precocious young riders in Australasia.
“This is really the pinnacle of what a young rider can do in Australia,” Gillis said.
Australian rider Louise Baston was clearly upset after the event but remained circumspect.
“It’s a great equaliser this sport and things can so easily go wrong,” she said.
“I was happy with the way I rode but it’s just tough luck.”
The three-day event boasts an intriguing history with its origins actually tracing back to the military.
The dressage requirement was devised in order to display that the horse was obedient and well trained and knew the particular of battle movements.
The cross-country was supposed to show the horses endurance, jumping ability and boldness.
Finally the showjumping component was to show that after the rigours of battle the horse was still fit and ready.
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