THERE will be twice the action at Tamworth’s Australian Equine and Livestock Events Centre (AELEC) this weekend as two different horse sports combine for an action-packed weekend of equine talent.
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For the first time ever, carriage driving will be on display as a main show with five-time world champion Boyd Exell holding masterclasses throughout the weekend and also competing in the marathon event.
The carriage drivers will share the space with the International Showjumping Championships.
Australia’s best showjumpers will be going all out as over 300 horses will be put through or over their paces.
While the showjumping can build to an exciting finish, the carriage driving promises to get the blood racing as men and women get on supercharged carriages with up to four horses attached and go screaming through both indoor and outdoor tracks trying to keep their wheels on the ground.
The carriage drivers also do a dressage type show and describe themselves as eventing with a carriage.
Yesterday and today, international carriage driving course designer Dr Wolfgang Asendorf is taking the Australian sport to a higher level with a two-day clinic.
A dozen Australian course designers signed up for the clinic.
Asendorf is one of four instructors the international body, the FEI, has chosen to spread the word globally.
“We want to bring the course designers and sport up to world standards,” Asendorf said.
“It is a growing sport that is more popular in Europe but is spreading.”
Probably the most exciting event would be the four-in-hand driver team.
This event sees one driver, one carriage and four horses.
The driver has one strap in his hand from each horse and has to get through a track as fast and precisely as possible.
Unlike eventing, the horses can’t jump with a carriage so instead they use obstacles on the shorter indoor courses.
On Sunday, the carriage marathon will get underway with drivers flying around a 13km course.
Again, instead of jumps, the course designers use mazes that the drivers have to navigate correctly.
Event co-ordinator Judy Meredith said it was going to be a great weekend, with both events combining.
Tomorrow night the two disciplines will alternate their main events in the AELEC indoor arena.
Entry is free for all spectators all weekend.
Exell will run a carriage driving masterclass in the AELEC tomorrow night.
A dinner will be held at the same time on the viewing platforms of the AELEC with 150 seats already booked.
“I have created a very challenging course along with Peter Harkin,” Asendorf said.
“The facilities are just
perfect.”
