Peter Horobin Dressage Championships

Courage Under Fire.
14th November.

“We can’t just sit by and do nothing and there is not reason why we cannot have competition in Victoria. We do not have EI here and we will continue to make an effort to keep competition going”, commented Annie Lever, event director of the Peter Horobin Dressage Championships and co proprietor of Treehaven Equestrian Centre at Somerville on the Mornington Peninsular.. “We have adhered to every requirement the DPI asked for and sent out Horse Event Participation Forms, which if not presented at the check point, no one is allowed to enter the property”. The system worked very well at the attractive and purpose built show facility. There was only one way in and the check point was manned all day. The horse’s registration was checked to ensure it was the horse entered, the declaration collected and names and addresses of all entering were taken with questions concerning their proximity to horses for the previous 48 hours and for the following 48 hours. Horses that were not entered were not permitted on the ground. Registration upon entry is necessary for all dressage competition; in this situation it was done prior to entering the showground. If the paper work was not up to scratch, the vehicle would have been turned away. This is common practice in Europe and may well be from now on in Australia. The process went smoothly and rather more quickly than one would imagine. This may seem a somewhat like a police state, but responsibility and accountability must become endemic to avoid EI becoming so.

It was a case of “speak up and ride” with all competitors grateful to Annie for “having the courage to conduct the day”. Well-known dressage rider and trainer, Caroline Coleby (pictured left) commented, “people need to get their nerve back, and this has gone on for so long with nothing happening. If EI comes here we will have to deal with it; I would vaccinate, although there are issues with it”. Virtual Tack Shop proprietor Kathryn Eke won the Medium Championship and in her acceptance speech thanked Annie “for having the courage to run the competition and the competitors for being brave enough to come”. FEI Steward, Candidate FEI Technical Delegate and very well known horsewoman, Yvonne Morrison (pictured right), is not a person given to rash irresponsible behaviour. “If we had EI in Victoria, we would not be here, but whilst we do not (and it is to be hoped will not) we should all support responsibly run competition”. Successful amateur rider Debbie Higgs (pictured left) added to the support of the Treehaven competition. “It is good to be able to get back to competition and I was happy to come to Treehaven. I am a regular competitor here, as are all the others here today. I knew this would be a small competition, that I would know everyone and that the organisers would be responsible. Had I not had that degree of confidence, I doubt I would have come”

The Championships were oriented towards the competitors, with spectators discouraged unless they had a direct connection with the riders. Floats and trucks came and went all day, as competitors would come, ride and leave. Presentations for all grades were made immediately following the tests to facilitate a reasonably quick turnaround. Predictably there were far fewer competitors that usually attend the annual Peter Horobin Dressage Championships. Despite that and the fact the Peter’s business has dropped considerably, he was, as always in attendance to make the presentations and as always promote Peter Horobin Saddlery. “I am lucky, as I am not just retail and we have three to four months of orders to produce. But if the situation does not pick up it will be very concerning then. The phone is not ringing as it usually does. I have 13 staff and have cut them down to a four day week. It is not just about me, I am responsible for the staff and cannot afford to loose them. It is the same with the sponsorship here, you have to stick with people through good times and bad and hope they will too. You have to think positively and try to keep things rolling. I have just come back from Europe where amongst other work commitments, I was promoting my Liberty dressage saddle, where it was received well. At the moment I am really concentrating on Australasia and doing quite a lot of saddle fitting”.

Another person making the most of the situation is Para Olympic hopeful, Kate Doughty (pictured left). Pre EI, Kate had expected to be at the National Riding for the Disabled Championships at Werribee Park this weekend. The Championships also incorporated the last international qualifier for the Para Olympics, and included riders from Canada New Zealand, Singapore and Hong Kong. The qualifier has been postponed to January 2008. “The postponement suits me really as I have another three months to work on HP Al Capone. He is going really well, but the horses have to be at a very high standard”. Certainly, ‘it is an ill wind that blows no good’

At this point in time there is no reason not to conduct competition in Victoria, providing all bio-security requirements are met. There are further competitions scheduled at Treehaven, which has taken the lead demonstrating courage and common sense at a time when both are a ‘little thin on the ground’.