An Eventful Year - Looking Back on 2011

It was definitely An Eventful Year with .........

January

Dramatic floods in Queensland, eventers flock to George Morris clinics in Australia and the eventing wedding of the year when Shane Rose and Niki Chapman tied the knot in a beautiful ceremony overlooking one of Sydney’s beautiful bays. They are now expecting their first baby due in May 2012

February

I interview British dressage star Laura Bechtolsheimer who is visiting Australia and turns out to be an eventing fan. Prue Barrett takes over from Wayne Roycroft in the new role of National Performance Director for Eventing and Megan Jones starts to spend a lot of time in Melbourne!

March

Hundreds of riders compete at the very popular Tonimbuk Horse Trials in Victoria where the 3* was won by local rider Emily Anker. In Sydney the weekend and mid-week eventing at SIEC was also very popular with hundreds of riders competing during a full on week where Emma Mason and F1 Pharinelli took out the CNC 3*

April

In a great comeback, Mark Todd wins the Mitsubishi Badminton Horse Trials, 31 years after his first win and Australian Sam Griffiths took 4^th place on Happy Times. Shane Rose wins the inaugural Exhibition Eventing class at Sydney Royal, Sonja Johnson fractures her pelvis riding a young horse and Wendy Schaeffer is madly dashing about Europe competing in showjumping and eventing

May

Australian equestrian icon Bill Roycroft passed away at the age of 96 and Mary King and King’s Temptress win the 4* Rolex Kentucky 3DE. Tim Boland and GV Billy Elliot take out the CIC 3* at Eventing Equestriad - the up and coming event in Camden, NSW

June

The Melbourne International 3 Day Event moves up a notch with a new indoor Trade Village and half naked French men jumping on foot; Craig Barrett riding Wendela Jamie takes the CCI 3* title. A tragic fire at Boyd Martin's barn in the USA where six horses die but Boyd and his top horse, Neville Bardos come back to compete at Burghley later in the year.

July

Team GB showed they meant business with Piggy French taking 1^st and Pippa Funnell 2^nd place at the London test event in Greenwich. Clayton Fredericks and Bendigo just missed out on a medal in 4^th place.

August

Aussie riders were top 4 after dressage at the CIC-W 3* at Haras du Pin, France – Sam Griffiths 1st, Clayton Fredericks 2^nd & 3^rd and Chris Burton 4^th.  By the end of the event, there were still 4 Aussie placings but in slightly changed order with 1^st Clayton Fredericks & Dunge's Laurent Rose , 2^nd Chris Burton & Newsprint, 3^rd Chris Burton & Holstein Park Leilani, 4^th Clayton Fredericks & Be My Guest III. 

September

A great month as we attended Burghley in its 50^th anniversary year. Great place, great fun in the Press Room and even great weather as William Fox-Pitt took out the title for a record sixth time. This was followed by a weekend at Blenheim – also a wonderful event despite the fact that the Australian team failed to qualify for the Olympics.  Meanwhile in Sydney, it was pouring rain for the Sydney International 3 Day Event where the 3* was taken out by Christine Bates and Adelaide Hill

October

Chris Burton goes into the showjumping in the lead at Les Etoiles de Pau 4* in France riding Holstein Park Leilani but unfortunately has 3 rails down to drop to 8^th place and the very in form William Fox-Pitt takes the win while Mary King wins the HSBC FEI Classics Series.

November

  The last event of the year for us is usually the Australian International 3DE in lovely Adelaide. Here we chilled out and enjoyed the wineries, restaurants and our “home away from home” as well as watching all of the riders featured in An Eventful Life compete. Stuart Tinney won the 4 Star class on Panamera and Sonja Johnson, just recovered from her fractured pelvis, came 2^nd, young Emma Scott won the HSBC Bursary award and Shane Rose won the CCI 2*. Stuart followed up this event by winning the 3* at Lakes and Craters on Pluto Mio shortly after

December

The eventing season winds here and overseas but plans are afoot in all areas for a fantastic 2012. Mike Etherington-Smith will be designing the Sydney International 3 Day Event course, rumour has it that top riders from the UK may head to Adelaide for the Australian 3 Day Event, Melbourne International 3 Day Event is looking at bringing out lots more Frenchmen (that’s a hope on my part) and of course London 2012 is nearly upon us. It’s going to be great..................... stay tuned!