Category: Latest News

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Dr Tash’s Hot Tips for keeping horses cool when eventing

  1. Ensure adequate water intake in the days before and during competition – a resting 500kg
    horse needs to consume ~25 litres over 24 hours, but this can double to 50 Litres with
    increased temperatures and exercise. To increase water intake, provide electrolytes and salt, wet down feed and soak hay, and provide fresh, cool water at all times. Keeping your horse hydrated is also useful to avoid colic!
  2. Keep warm-ups to a minimum.
  3. After each phase, walk the horse for a few minutes to cool down and then commence
    active cooling with high volumes of cold water, (including iced water if available), and
    ensure to scrape off thoroughly. Also, apply ice boots. Key areas to cool are the jugular veins
    (underside of the neck), the femoral arteries (between hind legs) and the lower abdomen.
    Aggressive cooling measures should continue until the water is no longer heating up on the
    horse or until the horse’s temperature is 38°C or less.
  4. House your horse in the shade between phases. If your yard is in direct sunlight, ensure to
    keep the horse in the shade for at least 30 to 60 minutes after active cooling. Use a light
    weight and light-coloured cotton rug to reflect heat. If your horse is stabled, ensure
    adequate airflow or remove the horse from the box into the shade.
  5. Consider your individual horse’s fitness level and the conditions you have been training
    under. If your horse is not quite as fit as they could be and you have been training in cooler
    conditions, please take it especially easy.
    Please find Tash for a chat or call 0424 959 115 if you have any questions about managing
    your horse in the heat over the weekend.
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Event timetable

ClassDressage Dressage TestSJ DayXC Day
Horseland Canberra CCN 2*PM CCN2* testSunSun
Bucas Australia CCN 1* PM CCN1* ASunSun
Assistance Dogs Australia EvA95PMEv95 Test ASatSun
Riverview Farm EvA95PMEv95 Test ASatSun
R&J Equestrian Supplies EvA95 JuniorPMEv95 Test ASunSun
Cammy Gray Farrier Services EvA80AMTest A (80)SatSat
Completely Equine EvA80AMTest A (80)SatSat
Parlanti Australia EvA80AMTest A (80)SatSat
Sandford Park Equestrian EvA80 JuniorAMTest A (80)SatSat
Lady Godiva EvA 65PMEv40/60 Test ASatSun
Webb Equine Veterinary Services EvA 65PMEv40/60 Test ASatSun
Funky Brew Ev65 Junior A AM Ev40/60 Test A*SatSun
Right Lead Equestrian Ev65 Junior BAM Ev40/60 Test A*SatSun
JUNIOR EV65 RIDERS – remember your arena is smaller! 40x20m and is in the Canberra Lakes Pony Club grounds

A map of the grounds showing where the arenas are will be posted shortly.

Horseland Canberra – Sponsors of the 2* class
Serving coffee to eventers for over 15 years!
We welcome Tash and Charlie back on the team!
Riverview Farm is a high quality horse agistment property just 15 minutes from Canberra’s CBD.
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Working bee this weekend

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.

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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

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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). 

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!”

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teQ teams

After a very successful debut at SIEC last weekend, Jeanan Yassen from teQ approached NCHTA to offer the opportunity to run the teams competition at our event. Naturally – we lept at the chance!
The concept is simple – create a team of five riders from the grassroots of the sport – EvA60 to 1* riders all compete together – you could be all in the 60, or a mix of all 5 grades. The best three scores of the team makes your team score, and the lowest scoring team wins! Prizes provided by teQ

Click this link to enter! (and to book a yard if you need one!)

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Hunter trial FAQs

A few riders have asked similar questions regarding the Hunter Trial….

Pairs attire can be fancy dress.

The Hunter Trial is a competition – with prizes and money – so competition attire for the SJ phase.

When riding XC you need to have a back protector, with a back number holder on you.

Your horse needs a number on it – on your bridle, or saddle. This is incase you part company and we can reunite you – even though you probably don’t want to see you horse until you have calmed down! In fact, while at the venue – if you put the bridle number on your halter it will help if it pulls back from the float and goes for a wander. (Yes this has happened to me).

The XC course will be open for walking on Saturday afternoon – if you want to, feel free to help us as we set up for the competition!

Your helmet needs a safety check tag. We have a steward on the venue who can assist with that.

On XC you are eliminated if you have 4 refusals in total, or 3 at one jump. So you could have a stop at number 4,7 and 8 and keep going, but if your horse says no at number 11 you need to walk back to your float.

If you fall off while at the competition, even when not on course, you need to be cleared by our medical team.

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Upcoming Hunter Trial

Not long to go until our Hunter Trial!

Volunteers are VIPs – and we can’t run this competition without them.

If you are handy with a whipper snipper we have many many jumps that need tidying up – a working bee this Saturday so please come if you can.

We will be flagging the XC course and setting up the SJ on Saturdy (12th) so we welcome your assistance with that.

If you can help on the 13th with either the SJ or XC jump judge – please send an email to Kate on canberraode@gmail.com