The weather conditions at Boneo Park were picture perfect!

© Australian Amateur Owner Rider Dressage Championships Facebook page

By Equestrian Life
 
The third edition of the Australian Amateur Owner Rider Dressage Championships was held at Boneo Park on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula from the 13th to the 15th of September.
 
The spirit of the AAOR scheme is to support non-professional riders to compete on a level playing field against their peers; to support grass roots riders; and to improve participation at competitive events
 
Victorian dressage rider Kylie Calderwood was part of the volunteer committee and competed in the Novice Championship with Nungarra Furst Class. Here, she recounts her experience from the event:
 
“Riding at the 2019 Australian Amateur Owner Rider Dressage Championships was like riding at a festival. From day one, the atmosphere was vibrant with music playing softly from the loud speakers, the arenas perfectly manicured and adorned with coloured flower pots, spectators enjoying a coffee on the large timber decking (or a cheeky wine behind glass, in the restaurant) and riders smiling and wishing each other well, despite their hidden nerves. Boneo Park is known to be a venue of international quality and this weekend it lived it up to its reputation, with many riders commenting it was their first time competing at Boneo — but it wouldn’t be their last!”

Kylie Calderwood and Nungarra Furst Class in the Novice class.

© Kylie Calderwood

 
“It truly was a National event with riders coming from as far as Darwin, crossing the mountains from ACT, trekking across the Nullarbor from Western Australia and everywhere in between! Most classes had good numbers and it was a very full event schedule with three days of solid competition. It was wonderful to see so many smiling riders, enjoying the journey with the horses they had trained. There was a unique warmth amongst competitors and many new friendships formed, as well as old friendships revived. There were plenty of laughs to be had and many small wins or personal bests celebrated over the three days of competition.”
 
“The quality of the horses and ponies competing was terrific and many of these combinations would have been right at home and on the podium amongst the professional EA riders.”
 
“To top off the wonderful competition, there was camaraderie to be shared at the Welcome BBQ on Friday night and plenty of dancing to be done at the AOR Awards night at Boneo Park’s Arilla restaurant on Saturday night. A wonderful event and now that we have all recovered, we look forward to doing it all again next year when the event returns to Boneo Park!”

Kylie Calderwood was also a part of the Australian Amateur Owner Rider Dressage Champion Team, which consisted of herself, Judy Gronn and Erica Henderson. Well done to all the competitors and to the organisers for putting on such a fantastic event!
 

Congratulations to Kylie Calderwood, Judy Gronn and Erica Henderson on winning the 2019 Champion Team award!

© Kylie Calderwood
 

Click here to view the results!

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