2011 Nathan Floats Qld State Dressage Championship
Jennifer Boyle Photography
Report,Coverage,Image Galleries and More!
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7th to 9th October 2011 EVENT COVERAGE
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RESULTS
IMAGE GALLERIES (Click Banners to link to Galleries) Outdoor Arenas by DOWN UNDER PHOTOGRAPHY/Local Horse Magazine
 Indoor Arena and Presentations by JMS Photography
 Please remember, it is an offence to use any image without purchase or permission from the photographer. Both photographers have put together special purchase packages for event competitors. |
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With much appreciation, we thank the sponsors of this event. Their generosity and their willingness to support the State Dressage Championships is to be congratulated and celebrated. It is without exception that each of our sponsors provided the opportunity for this event to become a reality and we ask each and every competitor to take the time to contact all sponsors with an expression of thanks, particularly the class winners and champions. In the midst of our competition mindset, it is very easy to forget who provided the prizes and the prizemoney we enjoy, so please, show your appreciation to the following amazing companies who were silently and proudly behind each and every rider who entered at 'A'. Each logo below is linked directly to the company email...just 'click' MAJOR EVENT FUNDING SPONSORS
MAJOR SUPPORTING SPONSORS Big Tour Sponsor Small Tour Sponsor
Pryde's Haygain
CHAMPIONSHIP SPONSORS
(inc. Freestyle and Pony)
Advanced, Equissage Medium, Finch Farm
Elementary, Allure Equine Novice, Ranvet Preliminary Para Equestrian
Saddleworld Rockhampton Disability Modifications
EVENT PARTNERS Dr Show...helping everyone look amazing! Providing product samples and providing prizes.
Holsteiners Queensland Inc...sponsoring the Master's Award and the Regional Rider Award
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 Jennifer Boyle Photo
What a difference a day makes! And what a weekend we all endured. Friday started off well with young horse qualifying competitions being held. Weather was kind to us and we were all looking forward to a great weekend. The young horses and riders had a great start and showed us what they were made of.
Saturday arrived with an early morning thunder storm to rock your socks off. Every organising committee’s nightmare. Competition was delayed while we sat out the storm. While the rain eased, lightening and thunder continued making it unsafe to start the event. Safety of horse and rider is paramount. The OC discussed a number of alternative strategies and with so much at stake the decision was made to cancel the outdoor competitions and compress all levels into Sunday. To enable this to happen only one test at each level (preliminary – advanced) was held. As with most decisions, the one that is finally made never pleases everyone. The decision made involved the OC, judges and riders with the majority agreeing.
This, at least, let us go ahead with the event so those sponsors, who were already in attendance, hadn’t wasted their time, money and effort. It also meant that riders hadn’t wasted their time, money and effort. This is an event that many riders work towards all year. Having made the decision, the OC jumped into action and redid the draw for Sunday. The volunteer schedule had to be reworked as well as the judges’ schedule. No small task by any means.
Sunday dawned clear, bright and sunny! What a difference! So with perfect weather, perfect riding surfaces, everyone jumped into the day’s competition. The new State Equestrian Centre (QSEC) facility enabled all the FEI classes to continue on both Saturday and Sunday in spite of the weather. It also enabled the FEI Freestyle evening to go ahead with over 100 people enjoying a VIP dinner over looking the arena. During the dinner break the audience was entertained with a display by the Kingfisher Vaulters, the German Shepherd All Stars Dog Obedience Team and Wayne Williams, a local Reining trainer on his fabulous Palomino reining horse. Three very different displays that captivated the audience.
I would like to thank the members of the OC for their hard work, many hours of it, and their support over the weekend. To all the volunteers thank you for all your efforts. As they say the show can’t go on without you. To the riders, thank you for coming, I know the conditions weren’t ideal on Saturday but we had no control over the weather. Thank you for your support and staying to compete on Sunday.
After Saturday’s difficult decision I feel that the 2011 Nathan Horse Floats Qld Dressage Championship was very successful and showcased our wonderful new QSEC. I have no doubt that this venue will help grow our sport and increase the spectator appeal. Dressage Qld look forward to our first International event (a CDI) 27th – 29th July 2012.
Karen Herald
Event Director
Nathan Horse Floats 2011 Qld Dressage Championships
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