2 January 2024
Annual ‘Battle of the Border’ Australia great success
The annual Battle of the Border event in Australia (which is located at the border of two Australian states) in December attracted big entry numbers with 77 entries of which 62 competed. Competitors came from Qld, SA, Vic & NSW and volunteers and Border Carriage Club members made the track over from WA to help out.There were several different combinations entered which included singles, pairs, tandems and both pony and horse teams.
With many competitors making this annual event apart of their own annual holidays many competitors started rocking up early in the week, giving them more time to relax and train their horse/ or ponies, this gives their equines time to familiarised to their surroundings before the event starts.
The weather was very kind to both horses and humans making it an ideal weekend for the competition. Apart from the BOTB marketplace & Mrs Berg’s food van this year we added “Kombi Keg” a combi van fitted out with both non alcoholic and alcoholic beverages. The tree lined driveway alongside of the marathon obstacles provided plenty of shade and the PA system which was installed the full length of the fence of the driveway allowed spectators and competitors to know first-hand thanks to our announce Michael Jones what was happening at all times.
The venue, dressage and cones area was decorated with flags and flowers and the 90 year old Elm trees gives it a very European vibe. The dressage arena with it judges boxes was decorated, the letters had big bunches of red & white flowers and white Christmas trees decorated in red baubles were used as the quarter makers giving it real Christmas atmosphere.
The marathon course was opened for competitors on Thursday afternoon following the approval from the ground jury & TD inspection of the course. Friday saw half of our competitors doing the first of the 3-phase event, their dressage followed by them doing the 2nd phase, cones. The other competitors had Friday to look & learn the marathon course.
Friday nights entertainment was the Carbery Carriage Christmas Street party. A stipulation of entering the street party was that people had to dress in something that looked Christmassy, well what an amazing evening it was!!
Photo: Linda Mace
Christmas style
Whilst the Christmas music played, and the lights and flags strung back and forth across the street, people turned out in droves looking the part in their amazing costumes. Tables of food lined the street which were supplied and decorated by various clubs, a truly incredible effort from all that participated and contributed to the atmosphere of the evening. After our elves arrived ranging in age and handing out candy canes, it snowed, yes it snowed. Snow fell from the roof or the coach room and the children and some adults couldn’t wait to get covered in it. Everyone was astounded and the looks on people’s faces was unbelievable, but it didn’t stop there, we were all entertained by Michael Jones singing several Christmas songs, with nearly all people joining in the singalong.
Saturday saw the second half the competitors doing their dressage and cones, unfortunately a couple of competitors did it in the rain as the sky oped up, lucky it was only a light shower and as fast as it came it disappeared. Secretly on the sidelines was someone who for the two days of dressage was judging the ladies and men’s Concore De ’Elegance classes. This person was an outsider who knew none of our competitors. Their job was to scrutinise the competitor’s overall impression, their outfits, the carriage and the horses/ponies turn out were all taken into consideration when they made their decision of the winners.
Dressage, Cones & Concore De ‘Elegance presentation of awards was held early Saturday evening followed by the competitors meeting. The BOTB competitors’ dinner catered for by Rafferty’s Wodonga commenced at 7pm in the large marquee where all the tables were decorated with beautiful Christmas centre pieces.
Photo: Linda Mace
Marathon
Sunday morning, a crisp fantastic start to the day for the marathon. Section A consisted of a 4.4km track through beautiful undulating paddocks, some competitors stopping to take photos of the scenery. Then the 800m transfer saw competitors come back into the dressage arena do a lap and then out onto the vet check area where they had to wait the compulsory 10-minute break following having the horses heart rates taken and recorded. Then it was onto section B, the marathon with it’s 6 obstacles in total.
The obstacles are laid out in row for the benefit of the spectators as is done in Europe. Competitors had to do 1km lap of a mowed track in the paddock immediately behind the obstacles, on completion of the 1km lap they would enter number 1 obstacle, where they had to navigate their way through the obstacle before commencing another lap and entering obstacle number 2 and so on. At times spectators didn’t know which way to look as they had the joy of seeing at least 4 competitors in 4 separate obstacles at one time, making it far more exciting for them. Once competitors had completed all 6 obstacles their marathon was over and they had 30 minutes to get unharnessed, wash their horses and present them to the vet area to have the horses/ponies heart rates checked again to make sure they were within the acceptable range.
Photo: Linda Mace
Results
Our expert scorer Greg McDonald with a little help from his own helpers had the overall scores completed within 30 mins of the event finishing, then it was up to the ground jury to complete their tasks before the overall presentation of awards for each class took place.
The very keenly contested Prince Phillip Memorial Trophy was won by Dawn Walter. The Top Teams Trophy was won by Naringalook Nannies (Dawn Walter, Vicki Stevenson and Jenny Demaio) and the Dominiak/Carbery Carriage Award was won by Glenda Marshal.
From all accounts the event was a success and the perfect way to end the 2023 CDE year and hopefully it will happen all again in 2024.
Photo: Linda Mace
