We have to flag the XC course, and add greenery to jumps like this one. Ben and I will be at the park from 10am Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Please come along and help. RSVP to Kate so that enough food can be arranged.
Working bee this weekend
How can I help?
Have you been wondering what you can do to help NCHTA run the upcoming CCN event? I bet you have!
Well – we’ve made it easier for you to put your hand up – Kerrie has put together a sign-up online registration page for the various phases. Of course, many of you will need to see the timetable before you commit – but feel free to dob in a parent or family member or friend.
Select a phase using the buttons below.
Tests for the March event
EvA65 test A 2020 (juniors – your arena will measure 20x40m)
XC course open
We are pleased to be able to open the XC again for riders to use. The course has held up well, and having been closed for several months – all the take-offs and landings are in terrific condition. The only place that’s unsafe is around the water jump, and that’s been roped off. Please do the right thing and respect that we want to preserve the ground around the water jump for clinics and competitions.
The course is maintained by volunteers (mostly Ben Smith!) and all repairs and maintenance is funded by NCHTA. So events and clinics are how we are able to improve the course. XC user fees are charged to riders and coaches who use the course.
There is a XC levy of $10 per horse, on an honesty system – payable to:
NCHTA Canberra BSB: 801-009 A/C: 1040901
Ref: XC levy {your name}
Event cancellation
We regretfully made the call on Sunday to cancel the upcoming FEI event. With the ground already saturated, and more rain forecast, we decided it wasn’t feasible to continue with preparation for the big weekend. We made the call in time to be able to cancel all the international officials and their accommodation.
WIN TV came out to the park and spent nearly an hour learning all about the sport of eventing, and why we needed to cancel the event. They then put together this fantastic piece that aired on 21/9/22. Hopefully, they will return when we are able to run!
Congratulations
Well done to the following riders who entered so quickly. For those of us who love stats, a full summary will be available shortly.
AGM – President’s report
This year, like the previous, was interrupted by the uncertainty of COVID, with us having to cancel our FEI event in September 2021.
However, we still were able to host the March CCN event, two clear round days, and two clinics with Sam Lyle. Over 350 entries were received for our March event which is a record.
I am very grateful to Ben Smith for his continued neverending dedication to NCHTA, with course building and designing throughout the year. He’s made modifications to many jumps to bring them up to the latest requirements put in place by the FEI.
NCHTA continues to maintain the XC course at Equestrian Park for the greater community to access. I’d dearly love to see more of the riders who use the course over the year join in and help to maintain it, rather that in being the same few,
I thank the committee members of the club this year and hope they will continue their service to the club (in no particular order!)
Wayne Humphrys
Lauren (and therefore dragging along her amazing mother Jayne McIntosh)
Kerrie Tanner
Felicity Moran
Ali Petit
Helen Goddard
Ben Smith
Derek Pether
Ian Denman
Thank you.
Kate MacKenzie
NCHTA President
Life after racing
Winners of the fancy dress part of the competition was a pair of OTTTBs. Their story is what pushed them over the line in front of the Fire-peeps!
Gemma provided me with these details:
“The back story is that Trying (Stevie – my horse) and Le Cavalier (Louie – Dan’s horse) both raced for Norm Gardner racing here in Canberra. Between them they amassed 146 starts and over $400,000 in prize money. Both had long racing careers with Stevie retiring as an 8 year old and Louie as a 9 year old. They are testament to the versatility of the thoroughbred and proof old dogs can be taught new tricks 🙂 Their start in the pairs today was part of a wider reunion with lots of people coming to watch – Rachel (Dan’s wife) used to ride Stevie’s trackwork, Hayley (former stable foreman) and Lynne (who also worked for Gardner racing).Â
The outfits were drawn from the horses’ past – I was wearing the first colours Stevie raced in (a nod to the fact that today was his first competitive start in his new career) and Dan wore the stable colours for Gardner racing.
We had an awesome day today!”
Results for the pairs
Well done to our winners, mother and daughter pair, Alyson and Maddy Burgess!
Thank you to everyone who put in the effort to dress up! It was great to see everyone out there having fun with their equine and human friends!
Results for the fancy-dressed are:
1st – Gemma Burke and Daniel Walker – The racehorses
2nd – Aly and Maddy Burgess – Firemen
3rd – Georgia Maguire and Abby Mackenzie – Superheroes.
Updates to the draw
There have been a few changes to the draw, as there have been some scratchings, but your times have not changed. If you want a second round, please come and find Kate and she’ll work it out.
This is a video from 4 years ago – breaking up the ice in the water jump!
National Capital Horse Trials Association 