DianaCross-Country at M3DE
June 8th 2008 08:41
Katie Henderson
Twas a beautiful sunshiny day at Werribee and the spectator crowd was out in full force:
swarms of pony-clubbers attended course-walks; dressed-up middle-aged adult riders clad in Tuk-Tuk strode arouund in chattering groups or lounged in the bar while interested grand-parents sat on their shooting sticks observing the goings-on around them.
Huge catering and restaurant-style tents were set up in three different spots for those with special Gold passes and observers lined the edges of all the interesting jumps and combinations.
We arrived early and wandered around taking in the whole event slowly.
First, the warm-up paddock: half-a-dozen strung -up horses charging around in different directions hurtling over the practice jumps. The new fashion: flourescent foamy gel plastered on the horses legs to ease the 'glide' through and over jumps and to minimize splinters!
Then the nerve-wracking starter 'box': in this case they were starting inside Arena One, galloping thru the next arena then around and out onto the open course. Quite an atmosphere in that arena, let me tell you!
Spectators clustered around as many famous riders controlled their semi-rearing and plunging mounts prior to countdown and take-off.
Out on the open course there was lots and lots of full-on galloping: I mean, there had to be if you had any intention of getting a place in this prestigious event.
You could see the horses, specially in the lower levels, visibly tiring in the middle of the course, many of them panting and dripping with sweat.
For the higher levels the horses seemed supremely capable and leapt over obstacles with plenty of scope and talent.
Stuart Tinney
The comments were that if so many completed without penalties maybe the course was too easy!
At the end of the course the horses are vet-checked and not let through until they pass (same as for Pony Club or any other Horse Trials). So as soon as horse and rider reached the end they rider would fall off into the arms of their waiting strappers, who would rapidly unsaddle and throw ice and water all over the heated mount to cool it down and lower the heart-rate.
Many of the younger riders looked truly exhausted, red-faced and trembling. I felt sorry for them.
Most of the horses soon recovered and would glance around as if eager to get back out there and give it another go!
As we left tonight, results for the 3 star and World Cup were still coming in, but it looked like many of the top riders had jumped clear, indicating the show-jumping tomorow might be a pretty close and tense affair!
Christopher Burton
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