THE country\u2019s best carriage drivers and their horses were in Teesdale during the long weekend competing at the Victorian Combined Driving Championships.<\/p>\n
It was Geelong & District Carriage Drivers\u2019 turn to run the event at Leighdale Equestrian Centre, last hosting in 2015, and Batesford\u2019s own Rodney Lane was named the overall winner for 2022.<\/p>\n
GDCD president Nicole Linic said the champs included dressage action, a marathon and obstacles, and a cone course.<\/p>\n
\u201cSaturday was our dressage phase. We had four judges and 51 entries who were being assessed on how the horses could perform a test, their elegance, accuracy, if they could perform a range of trot and canter paces,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSunday was the marathon phase which is where speed comes into it, and it\u2019s the most exciting. Horses drove six kilometres on roads, and through the Don Wallace Reserve bushland to time, before returning to the grounds for eight marathon obstacles.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe cone course, which is the most like show jumping, was on Monday, and the drivers had to go through 20 cones without knocking any of them over, and if they knocked any, they were penalised.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Linic said many competitors, from what is a reasonably small sporting community, were happy to reunite after two years apart due to the pandemic.<\/p>\n
Interest in carriage driving isn\u2019t necessarily increasing but is consistent.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople look at it as an old-person\u2019s sport, but our club has one of the youngest working groups in Victoria,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
GDCD took the opportunity to partner with local businesses in delivering the event, including major sponsor Hann\u2019s Horse Transport. Food was supplied by Shirebased caterers including Lethbridge\u2019s Fed by Jed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THE country\u2019s best carriage drivers and their horses were in Teesdale during the long weekend competing at the Victorian Combined Driving Championships. It was Geelong & District Carriage Drivers\u2019 turn to run the event at Leighdale Equestrian Centre, last hosting in 2015, and Batesford\u2019s own Rodney Lane was named the overall winner for 2022. GDCD […]<\/p>\n