The Night Before The Start Of The Thinline 2013 Dressage With Altitude

By Roger Fitzhardinge

So its the night before the start of the Thinline 2013 Dressage With Altitude and it's all as to be expected at Bradgate Park, relaxed yet exciting, friendly yet seriously competitive, formal yet informal!

Bradgate Park is a three hour drive from Sydney East over the Blue Mountains. The country on the way looks simply beautiful with green feed as high as an elephant’s eye with all the stock watching you as you drive past with such a contented look. 

The scene is set as you drive up the road in to Bradgate Park, the view is wonderful and the temperature perfect for riding. This CDI is one special event and the whole atmosphere as soon as you drive through the gate is one that makes every competitor feel special. It's a venue that lends itself to friendliness and importance.

For spectators it's worth the drive for sure and the mezzanine floor that overlooks the only competition arena- the indoor arena, is the perfect spot to have a coffee and great food. You feel like you never miss any horse as there is only the one competition arena. It's great!

Today saw all the trucks move in with ease and the stabling was well organized. The indoor arena was open all day with regular rakes and the surface is simply wonderful.

There is an outdoor sand arena that is often attended to with regular watering and raking and a huge grass area to work on with the most spectacular view. Everyone is happy and the horses all looked so relaxed and on the job. The atmosphere was really projected through a great venue and a friendly, helpful and well informed committee that are so happy to welcome you.

Thursday sees the fitness inspection starting at 10.40am for all the small and big tour CDI horses with the advanced test to follow straight after.

The Inter II will be starting first thing at 9 am. After the Advanced is the Prix St George so a great day of competition to start with.

The sad news is that Rozzie Ryan is not starting G.V. Bullwinkle, Fishermans Friend and Tor Van Den Berg  are not starting and also 007 with David Shoobridge will not be fronting the judges so that leaves the Grand Prix wide open.

Talking of judges there will be a new international 5* judge Gustaf Svalling from Sweden visiting Australia for the first time. Anne Gribbons from the USA and Helen Hughes Keen from NZ will also be the international visiting judges.

Horses to watch, in the Inter II there will be 8 to meet the judges, no doubt Heath with the new Grand Prix horse Cardinal Utopian will be the one to watch but there will be plenty breathing down their neck.

The Advanced will be an interesting class to watch with Denise Rogan and Virtual I at their second Advanced start after Boneo. Then there is the in form Sonata Hit with Rodney Martin. There is Megan Bryant hitting the advanced ranks with Mr Jackson a horse that she bought 18 months ago by Jive Magic out of a Don Ramiro mare that was Prelim then so it's great to see this horse so well schooled and really improved in every way.

In the Prix St George it's going to be a hot class amongst the top group and first and foremost it will need to be a clean test to put them in the lead.

Aberhallo 29 (inner of the CDN PSG at Boneo Park in the CDN class there with a huge score) the imported stallion owned by the Farrell Family and now ridden by Brett Parbery will set the standard and then there is his other mount and winner from Boneo Park DP Weltmeisser.

There is Waitano with Mark Kiddle and Donnabella with Megan Bryant and Stylist with Rebecca Walshe. Not to forget Glenquarry with Camilla Palmer who was very impressive today in the warm up. There is Heath and Johnny Depp and Tor all the way from Queensland with Donna Bonita and also Immenhoff Landers Gem with Amanda Shoobridge and the chestnut Stallion Ferrero Rocher who can be good but sometimes gets distracted…he is a boy, but they looked very at ease and laid back today in the warm up.

It's all about to happen here. It is such a serious competition (with the best surface to compete on). It is a Boutique event with atmosphere and friendship that blends itself to confident and positive riding and a competition that draws riders, sponsors, judges, coaches and officials as well as the spectators together in to the family of dressage where everyone bounces off one another in a positive and constructive way.

Let the show begin and if you get the chance drive to the venue where the atmosphere and the competition are all great. 

Bradgate Park is a special venue and exudes something that you need to experience in person to understand. Though there is always live streaming here on EQ Life there is nothing is like the real thing