Retired race horses can have many fates, but only one can lead them to a path of Olympic glory. There is no Olympic gold for the Melbourne Cup or even the Snake Gully Cup, but a racehorse can bring home Olympic gold in Eventing.
So what is Eventing, where does it happen and why do people get involved in the sport described as the Equestrian triathlon?
One rider, one horse, three disciplines.
Dressage, some describe this as dancing on horseback. If you have ever asked a riding school pony to go left and it went right, imagine a partnership with a horse where you could get the horse to walk, trot and canter, exactly when and where you ask, go backward and even spin on the spot. Eventing dressage is also pretty basic compared to top level dressage where the horses really do look like they are dancing to music.
Cross Country, this is the one thing that gets every single “Eventer” hooked – galloping around a course of up to 40 solid obstacles over as much as 7km. There is no adrenaline rush I have felt quite like sitting on the back of 1/2 a tonne of thoroughbred and galloping at a big solid fence and then sailing through the air over it.
I know the Motocross (MX) boys will be saying that they can fly too, don’t have to pick up horse poo or feed their bike on an icy cold morning. No they don’t, but to have a partnership of trust with a horse where you hold each others life in your hands is pretty special and in my mind MX doesn’t come close.
Finally, Showjumping, riding the same horse who yesterday jumped 40 obstacles over seven kilometres around a showjumping track of 13 fences that can drop if you breathe the wrong way on them is tough and technical. It is the three disciplines together that make Eventing exciting, a rush and heartbreaking.
In Australia we have a tight-knit community of Eventers from all walks of life, all ages from 11 to 75, man and women, yes Equestrian sports including Eventing are one of the few where men and women compete on equal footing.
There is another unique thing about Eventing and Equestrian sport in general. If you are an average club swimmer, you will never have the chance to compete against Olympic champions like Ian Thorpe or Libby Trickett, not unless you happen to make it through to some championships.
In Eventing, most weekends of the year, you can compete against Olympians, like gold medalist Stuart Tinney or silver medalist Shane Rose. Horses are great leveler’s, every rider, no matter how good needs to build the experience of a young horse.
So yes, at your local event in country Quirindi or anywhere across the Aussie eventing scene, there is a very good chance you will be competing against an Olympian or World Champs competitor. Sometimes you will beat them too, it is a great feeling.
Anyone can have a crack at Eventing, all you need to find is a half decent OTTB (off the track thoroughbred) which you can pick up for anything from free to $1000, or much more. A saddle or two, some other tack.
Time and effort to build a relationship with your horse, most horses being trained well will be ridden at least five times a week and finally an essential, is a good coach. A coach that can help build the skills of both you and your horse. Guide you to the path of your first event.
The first time I was ever in the start box at the beginning of Cross Country (XC), I thought I was going to spew. I was excited and terrified all at once. XC was exhilarating, but my OTTB didn’t like being overtaken as we slowly made it round the course. Finally after I let a horse pass us, Kingston’s race horse blood kicked in and I spent the rest of my time trying not to race round the course as if it was the home straight at Rose Hill.
The best way to learn about Eventing and get hooked is to watch an event, see the best in our country compete and you can do that in a few weeks at the Sydney International Eventing Weekend of World Cups at SIEC, Horsley Park. Check out the action Friday 6 May to Sunday 8 May.
Yours in Eventing.
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