Another resounding success at our 17th Annual Horse Trials Championship
The 17th Annual Tintern Interschool Horse Trials was once again a great success. The event was held at the picturesque Wandin Park on Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 April. There were over 270 competitors from 46 schools across Victoria who participated in the competition. Tintern’s Interschool Horse Trials is a unique event on the Interschool Equestrian Calendar where competitors participate in three phases of competition over two days – dressage, show jumping and cross country. Dressage being the main event on Saturday and Cross Country and Showjumping on Sunday. In 2016 our event became a qualifying event for the Nationals, which is a notable achievement for an event run by a school.
The weather was kind to us for most of the weekend, aside from a little drizzle on Saturday morning. We were thrilled that Seumas Marwood, whose son Tyler was competing, agreed to walk the Cross Country course with some of our youngest riders. Seumas is a 4* rider who has been competing at National and International level for Australia for over 30 years, so we appreciated his generosity in providing some valuable tips to our Class 5 riders who are quite new to eventing.
Most competitors camp with their horses and team mates at Wandin Park over the course of the weekend. Many of the competitors, teachers and their families enjoyed the dinner and dancing which was organised on Saturday evening whilst others enjoyed staying warm by their camp fires.
The competition is scored individually and as a team event, at the time of writing, we are still awaiting final results from the Event Secretary.
Tintern Grammar had 11 riders in three teams and, whilst our teams didn’t place this year, there were some great individual results. Congratulations to all our riders from Tintern Grammar Equestrian Team. There were many personal bests achieved over the course of the weekend and all of our riders were outstanding ambassadors for Tintern Grammar.
Thank you to the parents from the Friends of Equestrian, who all worked together to organise the day with enthusiasm and professionalism. This event would not be possible without the many hundreds of hours also provided by the teams of volunteers who assist the committee during the weekend.
One of our Equestrian Captains, Eliza Harvey (Year 12), was representing Tintern at her 10th Tintern Horse Trials this year. Congratulations, Eliza, on your outstanding contribution to the Equestrian Team during your time at Tintern. We look forward to another successful event in 2018.
by Alison Bezaire, Equestrian Coordinator
Interschool Equestrian State Championships
During the school holidays, we had three riding and two strapping members of the Tintern Equestrian team spend a wet few days camping in Werribee for the Interschool Equestrian State Championships.
This is a very large state event that attracts hundreds of Victorian families from all over the state to compete in a variety of equestrian classes, all gaining points for themselves individually and also as a school team. We were fortunate enough to have three fantastic competitors form a Tintern Team: Lilly Trevorrow, Odette McCallum and Keeley Thomas. These girls along with their support crew of Ella Trevorrow and Darcee McCallum had excellent results. There were over 480 competitors representing 180 schools. The Tintern Team finished 30th with both Lilly and Keeley receiving ribbons for individual achievements.
Tintern Holiday Clinic
The Tintern Equestrian Team members enjoyed a lovely clinic at Wandin Park during the holidays. Every member had two very informative lessons with 4* professional eventers Will Enzinger and Emily Anker in the showjumping and cross country. The weather was perfect, as was the BBQ organised by the parents.
Thank you to the Friends of Equestrian Committee for organising the lessons, we all felt very prepared for the Horse Trials last weekend!
by Eliza Harvey, Equestrian Captain 2017
