Cobram-Barooga Equestrian Club hosted an Open Championship for dressage and show jumping, with many riders returning to the competition arena for the first time. Club president Stacey Ware said it was wonderful to see so many riders returning to competition and many old friendships rekindled.
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“HRCAV (Horse Riding Club Association of Victoria) competition is supposed to be a supportive environment and that was certainly on display this weekend as riders get used to gathering together again,” she said.“It is important to us to keep to scheduled times as we had competitors from as far away as Mildura, Narrandera, Mansfield and Tyaak, so we were conscious of getting them home in good time.”
The club was happy with the number of entries and the program.The championship has been dedicated to raising funds for the Breast Cancer Network Australia for the past four years and it is always a time when the club members remember past president Debra Kruz who lost her battle with breast cancer in 2018. Some competition rules are relaxed to allow for competitors to “pink up” their horses and riding uniforms and the club has a `Best in Pink’ award, which was won by Cooper Jenkins of Rich River EC on his pony Haddon Park Memphis, and, on the Sunday, Astid Vinycomb riding World View.Competitors have the opportunity to include a donation to the BCNA on their entry form and there is also a monster raffle. A record total of $1607.70 was raised.
“A fantastic effort and a huge thankyou to all who donated to such a worthy cause,” Ware said.The competition is normally held in early April but due to a large number of events coming back after the 2020 hiatus May was chosen to ensure there wasn’t a clash with another event close by. The weather was perfect during the day and the warm evening allowed those camping overnight to enjoy outdoor conversations well into the night.Many club members competed in dressage or show jumping with Sam Arthur piloting her new young star Adalie Park Perfect Addition to win the overall Level 4 Championship with three wins and a second place over the two days. Junior member Charlotte Ware and her pony Nilton Spileberg also competed well to take out he overall Level 5 Championship. Overall Dressage Championship winnersAdvanced - Michelle Philpotts riding Leawarra Flicker (Yackandandah)Level 1 - Hayley Graham riding Just Annabelle's Way (Benalla)Level 2 - Jenny Delbosco riding Dalmanor Arwyn (Yackandandah)Level 3 - Alice Wells Allenvale Park Mandela (Sugarloaf)Level 4 – Samantha Arthur Adalie Park Perfect Addition – (Cobram Barooga)Level 5 - Charlotte Ware Nilton Spielberg (Cobram Barooga)Overall show jumping championship winnersLevel 1 – Durani Hart Vanaheim Ice and Fire (Bulla)Level 2 – Hayley Graham Just Annabelle's Way (Benalla)Level 3 – Tim Hart Manspice (Wangaratta)Level 4 – Nikita Brian Choco (Rich River)Level 5 – Cooper Jenkins Haddon Park Memphis (Rich River)Baxter memorial trophy was won by Rebecca Keane riding Dream Time Lyrixx
