INSIGHT - The Australian Showjumping Championships

Anne-Marie Greenway (VIC) has recently officiated as a Steward at the 2016 Australian Showjumping Championships in Victoria. Here she tells us her story...

"With heaps of rain falling on Werribee in the week leading up the Australian Championships, it was touch and go as to what happened. The Thursday competition was cancelled at short notice, so those of us who were from Victoria waited another day before arriving, although I understand a very soggy trot-up went ahead and some sand arena jumping took place.

When jumping resumed on the grass on Friday morning, classes were still surprisingly full, and our Chief Steward, Simon Barrey, made the decision to rotate the stewards around the arenas at regular points during the day to give everyone some experience at all the tasks. Therefore we all took our turn at everything from gate marshalling to boot & bandage checks!

After the first day, it was decided to move the Speed Championships to the indoor arena on Saturday night – and what a success that was! Definitely an idea for future events held here at Werribee. Being from the UK myself, I’m used to indoor arena jumping that lasts until the early hours of the following morning, and it’s always very successful and brings an extra dimension for the audiences who can sit and eat, drink and enjoy the jumping.

Sunday was a very special day, with the arenas 2 and 3 concluding by lunchtime, and all of the stewards converging on the main arena for the bigger classes and for some last-minute rule quizzing from Simon – what a great idea, and something that should be done at all events where possible.

Again, we rotated around the various stewarding jobs, including new EA stewards who were ‘earning their stripes’ being able to observe and help at one of their first shows.

Huge thanks go to fellow stewards Simon Barry, Jan Golding, Yvonne Morrison, Adelyn Fallon, Lindsay Goodwin, Ann Jones and Kate Baxter, plus all the other officials and organising committee, for making this an enjoyable show despite the mud! Roll on next year...and new gumboots!!"

Anne-Marie Greenway 

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