Melanie Riley
THE 2024 Mount Gambier Horse Trials are back for another year, with the year’s event promising to be one to watch.
The long-running event is hosted by the Mount Gambier and Districts Pony Club and is back for its second year after a break over Covid.
The trials showcases the sport of eventing, which has recently been highlighted at the 2024 Olympics with Australian rider Christopher Burton winning silver in individual eventing.
This year, the event will see a total of 141 competitors on show on the weekend, with not only local competitors, but from all over the state and Victoria.
Riders are eligible for local status if they reside within a 125 kilometre radius of Mount Gambier/Berrin across South Australia and Victoria, and this year’s event will include 34 local riders including Mount Gambier/Berrin locals Chelsea Whicker and Mackenzie Richards-Fennell competing at the higher level.
Event director Jodi Widdison said there was a lot to be excited about for this year’s event and it was not one to be missed.
“We are the only pony club in South Australia that runs a national level Equestrian Australia event, which is really impressive,” she said.
“We have just been really fortunate that before us, the people that built it and put in the infrastructure had the foresight to dream big and build this.
“We have been able to continue it on, so we are really appreciative of that.”
Ms Widdison praised the work of the members of the Mount Gambier and Districts Pony Club in producing the grounds to the high standard they are.
“The members have worked incredibly hard and they should be incredibly proud,” she said.
“Putting it in place was huge and every year we spend a lot of money improving the course and rebuilding and replacing what is rotten because we build out of timber,” she said.
“But without the people at the start, we would not have known where to start, so it’s really awesome of them.”
Ms Widdison said everyone was welcome and encouraged spectators to come along and check out the competition, even if it’s not their usual interest.
“Even if they’re not into the field of equestrian, there is still something for them,” Ms Widdison said.
“There’s Sinkhole Gin, there’s the entertainment of the sport, and there’s just getting out into the community.”
She said while the event is held annually, the Mount Gambier and Districts Pony Club holds regular pony club rallies and encouraged anybody wishing to get involved with the club to come along to see what it is all about.
“If there are people out there that are into horses or if they have got kids or young riders, there is somewhere for them to go,” she said.
“And they can come and look and meet and have a chat this weekend.”
The event has also managed to secure the services of two highly regarded Australian cross country course designers this year, Mick Pineo and Jarryd Stanley.
With close to 60 sponsors on board to support the event including both the City of Mount Gambier and the District Council of Grant and a number of small local businesses, Ms Widdison was overwhelmed by the support this year.
“The support of the event from the community has just been amazing,” she said.
“We have had incredible support locally, but also from a lot of businesses outside of our area so it just goes to show how well regarded this event is.”
Ms Widdison said both days of the event were promised to have something for everyone.
“Saturday afternoon’s show jumping with Sinkhole Gin has a really nice festive vibe to it – people sit on the hill and bring picnic rugs – it has a really nice family vibe to it,” she said.
“Sunday being the Cross Country is the exciting day for everybody – it is really the action packed day.
“If you’re looking for something to do on the weekend, perhaps something you have never experienced before, this is right in our backyard.”
The 2024 Mount Gambier Horse Trials will be held over this weekend, August 10-11 at Mount Gambier and Districts Pony Club, starting from 8am on Saturday.
