10/05/2026
Happy to report that a much more fun day was had at the Gippsland Working Equitation competition yesterday. Due to a very wet week, the committee made the 11th hour decision to set up both the dressage arena and the working equitation course on the grass as the arena was too soggy. Amazingly, the grass area had drained well and was lovely to ride on.
Loaded Paris onto the float up here in the rain (Friday), she travelled beautifully, and by the time we got to Denison, it was clearer but windy as heck.
The next day dawned fine and turned out to be clear and sunny, with little wind! Yay!
I was really happy with the way Paris went- a huge step up from our experience at Boneo where I gained some new gray hairs.
First on the schedule was the EOH1 (obstacle course) with some excellent and horror obstacles! Scored 1 for the side pass pole (lucky to escape disqualification for feet not being either side of the pole at the halt- actually there wasnt a halt-it was more a scoot sideways ;-/) and a couple of 8s for obstacles that required a solid halt (bell corridor and Gate)- go figure! We slayed the bull with the full length garrocha! Most importantly the judge commented on a nice rider/horse connection. Loved that. 3rd place.
Dressage- we saw a huge improvement from last time under the same judge with a 67.25%, up from 58.5% down at Boneo. Paris was so much more relaxed and we even managed straight centre lines and a “nearly square halt”! Comments included “kindly” and relaxed” - which is my aim.
It was me who let the team down by not using the whole arena. Lots of judge feedback on that! Equal first in the dressage.
EOH3 saw some obstacles we had never done before including the “oilskin pick up, circle barrel and drop off” Although I had trained it at home, the bigger energy a the comp bought us undone for a refusal. Second time around I snatched that sucker and kept right on going, not giving Paris a chance to overthink LOL. Happy with excellent scores on some of the obstacles that gave us grief at Boneo. Swings and roundabouts! Outright first. GWE 67.14% and 72.14% (Boneo 71.07% and 75.7%)
So overall, we came second by ONE POINT, learned a lot and had a lot of fun. I’m going to keep going.
Thanks to the hard working committee, helpful and kind judges, and generous sponsors. Top day.
