2016 Saddleworld Brisbane CDI – Novice Club Team Challenge

In 2015, a plan was hatched to have Qld dressage clubs take an active part in the Brisbane CDI, and with Saddleworld’s backing, the Novice Club Team Challenge was born. We are grateful to Saddleworld for their support and the Novice Club Team Challenge is returning at the 2016 Brisbane CDI.

The main concept is participation – of course there is a trophy for the winning club and club team members, and rosettes and prizemoney for the placegetters in each Novice class, but the main “prize” – a PDS Grande Dressage Saddle from the Carl Hester Collection, donated by Saddleworld, is drawn at random from those clubs participating on Saturday night, July 16.

Each club is represented by a team of two riders and the Novice tests are conducted at participant level. So, why include a competition like this into a CDI program which is typically all about the elite level of competitive dressage? No horse or rider starts their competitive dressage career at an elite level – we all start out at the lower levels and through hard work, determination and some luck, make our way up through the levels. And who holds these events to enable us to do this – the clubs.

The Challenge is conducted over two tests at Novice level – one on Saturday, July 16 and the other on Sunday, July 17. These tests will be held in the Outdoor Arenas (Barr Oval) at the Qld State Equestrian Centre. This year we have seven clubs participating:

• Caboolture Dressage Club
• Noosa and Eumundi District Dressage
• Northcoast Active Riders Group
• Park Ridge Active Riders Club
• Redlands and Southern Districts Equestrian Group
• South Burnett Equestrian Group
• Toowoomba Dressage Inc

Spectators are most welcome and spectator entry is free.

The Saddleworld Novice Club Team Challenge is a celebration of the dressage clubs in Qld, who without we would not have the incredible base of riders, horses, officials and volunteers that make everything great about dressage in Qld. Good luck to every rider and club participating in this year’s challenge – may you all have your best rides ever, and thank you for supporting the Brisbane CDI and joining in the celebration of dressage in Qld.