The 2024 Plantation Treated Timber Mount Gambier Horse Trials were held last month at the Mount Gambier and Districts Pony Club.
Participants were required to enter the three phases of the competition which included dressage, show jumping and cross country with competitors enjoying the recently redeveloped cross country course built by Mick Pineo and Jarryd Stanley.
Event organisers were pleased to receive 141 entries this year across the eight classes.
This was a significant increase on the 90 entries the competition received last November and entries are heading back towards the numbers the event received before COVID put a halt to competition.
Riders attended from across South Australia and into western Victoria including 34 local riders from within the Limestone Coast and competitors from as far as Kangaroo Island, Clare, the Adelaide Hills and the Mornington Peninsula.
The 2024 Plantation Treated Timber Mount Gambier Horse Trials event director Jodi Widdison said riders appreciated the sandy loam soils of the Pony Club and the fantastic going it provides on cross country.
“We are very fortunate that we have a surface that it does not matter the weather. If it rains a lot we are fine and competitors know that,” she said.
“It is because of this, riders continue to support our event and it is also one of the reasons it is considered to be one of the best in South Australia.”
Connie Miller and Delicato won the Grant District Council CCN3 ½ Star while the Pure Steed CCN3 Star was taken out by Rachelle Verma on Sandhills Crystella.
Christina Grear and Dalis won the Equestrian SA Eventing Squad CCN2 Star while Amelie Morelli and ESB Irish Illusion won The Produce Store CCN1 Star.
Ella Beissel and Fiction were crowned the champions of the Walker and Gray Earthworks EvA95 and Rebecca Fidge won the Flexible Fit Equestrian SAEEM80 on Jag Fonzarelli.
Imogen Carmichael and Little Black Suzi reigned victorious in the City of Mount Gambier SAEEM65 and Bre-anna Wright and Quarta Cuppa Coco won the Barastoc SAEEM50.
Mrs Widdison said that this year the event ran from the grassroots level of 50cm right up to the three star and a three and a half star classes.
“Support from ThoroughCare SA also meant there were cash prizes on offer to the best performed Off The Track horse in each class which is a wonderful initiative to support a life after racing for the thoroughbred horse,” she said.
“This year we reintroduced the three star competition onto our schedule after last running this class in 2019.
“The class only attracted one entry but interest for next year is already growing and we are looking forward to having many more three star entries in 2025.
“Having not run this standard for a few years, competitors were not sure what our course would be like and if they should risk running.
“Those that came with horses in lower levels regretted not bringing their three star horses when they got here.
“The course impressed everyone who saw it and people have it marked on their calendars now.
“The horse trials are the culmination of months of work and is only possible with the support of so many key stakeholders, our sponsors, local equestrian groups, the pony club families and competitors.
“We sincerely appreciate this support and look forward to developing this event even more in 2025.”
