Tamworth International FEI Driving
Queensland Drivers from South Burnett Equestrian Group (SBEG) had great success at the 2018 Tamworth International FEI Driving held from 5 October - 7 October.
SBEG members took out 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the One Star Pony class, 1st in the Club Horse class, 2nd in the Club Pony class, both the horse and pony divisions of the Jump and Drive as well as many other ribbons and awards. Queenslanders took out more than half of all the places for the entire event.
A very well deserved win in the Pony FEI One Star class for Robbie and Nicole Kimlin (winning the dressage on the way, and second in the Cones), with Patches and Lisel Dingley (pictured below) close behind in second (winning the Cones, and third in the dressage). Blue Print and Corby Cunnington were third overall with a second in the dressage.
This performance also gave Robbie a win over the two One Star divisions (Horse and Pony) and the trophy for the best performed FEI Pony of the competition.
Patricia M Nolan and Jess were first in the dressage part of the FEI One Star class for Horses but unfortunately got eliminated in the Cones section.
In the Club Novice class for Horses, Hayley Frost and Minnie dominated their three phase event, winning both the Cones and the Marathon parts, finishing first overall in the biggest class of the weekend, and picking up the Standardbred award on the way.
In the Club Novice class for Ponies, Mitch and Corby Cunnington completed all three phases successfully to finish second overall. Tracie Borg and Spirit won the dressage phase of this class and came second in the Cones, but unfortunately were eliminated in the marathon phase.
In a separate marathon class for FEI ponies, Lisel Dingley and Patches were resoundingly first, Nicole Kimlin and Robbie second and Blue Print and Corby were close behind in third. Patricia and Jess also won their separate marathon class for horses.
Tracie Borg also won both the horse and pony divisions of the Jump and Drive on the Friday night in grand style.
Thank you to Tracie Borg for her kind generosity, loaning two horses for other drivers; her Connemara stallion in the FEI One Star Pony class, and the superstar Norman in the FEI TWO Star Horse event, where he did a terrific dressage test including canter work and leg yields for a driver he didn't know. Norman and his driver, Andrew Damsma, finished fifth in this very strong class, after completing all three phases in style. Look out for Tracie and Norman next year!
And to mention more Queenslanders receiving ribbons - David Rozinski and Woody finished fourth in that same tough Two Star Horse class (3rd in the dressage, second in the Cones), while Tor Van Den Berge entered the only two pairs in the elite Two Star class for pairs, successfully completing the three phases with both pairs (1st and 2nd in the dressage, cones and marathon, so 1st and 2nd overall). Angie Mchugh, in the Club Novice Horse, did a great marathon for second place, which gave her second overall in that class. Deanna Hibberd competed in the Club Novice Pony class, with the great results of 1st in the Cones and Marathon and 2nd in the Dressage, giving her first overall in that class. Catharina Matschurat (Team VDB) competed in the dressage and cones sections of the Club Novice Horse class, finishing a very close second in the Cones component.
This event gives David and Tor the qualifications they would need to be Three Star drivers, Coby Cunnington (pictured above) now has the qualifications to be a Two Star driver, and Nicole Kimlin (pictured below) and Lisel Dingley have one of their required two qualifications to become Two Star drivers.
Nicole and Tor (with the chestnut pair, pictured below) were also two of only three drivers of the whole event to score the magic less-than-sixty-penalties in the FEI dressage that all drivers strive for, with Tor on 56.9 and Nicole on 57.7. Super results!
Many drivers also had the opportunity to have lessons with Boyd Exell during the week, including Patricia, David, Tor, Angie and Nicole, and Corby, thanks to Bob Edwards, who loaned to Corby his Cleveland Bay pair, Showtime and Banjo, to have a first go at a marathon obstacle and cones course in competition conditions under Boyd's watchful eye. It's amazing how tight marathon obstacles are for two big horses at speed, after driving nippy ponies!
Thankyou to all all the wonderful organisers, sponsors, grooms, backsteppers, coaches, volunteers, judges and family connections, without whom nothing in this sport would be possible. See you all next year! South Burnett Equestrian Group
Photo Credit: Stephen Mowbray
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