Yesterday The Age ran Olympic eventing trials back on track and interviewed local rider Shane Rose about his thoughts on the coming Olympic team selection for Eventing. The final Olympic team is to be chosen on July 4th.

Australian Eventing riders have taken out Gold in four out of five of the last Olympics (having missed out in Athens) and are keen for the world to know that they are back with force after the time out last year due to EI.

This year Australia has qualified a team in all three Olympic events - eventing, show jumping and dressage.

Shane has said “I think we will have one of our strongest teams at these Games that we’ve had for many, many years.”

Starting today eventing riders will perform Dressage in the Horseland CCI*** class at SIEC.

Our favorite eventing coach Sharmayne Spencer has given us all a few much needed Three Day Event Tips so just incase your not sure of the best way to approach 4 days of full on competitive riding we thought we would summarise.

Did you know…

• You need your EFA papers for the vet check?
• You can meet the ground jury and get all those questions answered at your Briefing
• You have to look good (shake it!) at the vet check
• Horses get bored being in a stable all event so make sure you let yours out for grass as often as possible
• You must have a bridle number for dressage
• Getting around a cross country course is HARD - make sure you know where your going!
• Get your pit crew prepped (mum? dad?) so by the time you come of the XC course they are ready with water and sweat scraper so you can get that fighting fit filly back down to an acceptable temperature
• Gear should be all clean and horses well rested by the final day so you and your steed can jump a clear round of showjumping fences

Sharmayne wishes all riders the best of luck and offers her support as do we!

The spectator timetable is up and you can find out all about it.

If you want to know the highlights then let me give you a heads up:

Thursday

• Showjumping will be running on each of the four days in the main arena
• Catch the Fairfield City Council CCN PreNovice doing Dressage which kicks off in Arena 9 from 8.30am
• The EFA NSW CCI** class will be flaunting its stuff in Arena 4
• Don’t miss the Cocktail Party (invitation only) from 7pm that night

Friday

• The Dressage will continue thanks to our great sponsors Mitavite the CCI* will be underway from early morning
• Horseland are also getting on the band wagon by supporting the CCI*** which will run in Arena 4 concurrently
• You can grab a ticket for a cross country walk and learn a bit about what the riders are facing on their way round the course and see for yourself just how big those CC fences really are. Tours leave at 10.15am and 2pm.
• Showjumping is again to be run in the main arena with class 6 through 9 to be held throughout the day, don’t miss the ISS Senior Australian Championship.

Saturday

• Cross Country day has arrived! Thanks to the folks over at the Fairfield City Council the CCN PreNovice will get things started, followed by the Mitavite CCI*, and the EFA NSW
  CCI** finally don’t miss the Horseland CCI*** which is sure to be action packed!
• If you didn’t get to walk the course yesterday you can make your way around it today, but if walking is not your style hop a Buggy Tour (grab a ticket first!) at 10.45am, 12.15pm or 1.45pm from the Start gate of the XC course
• After the riders have made it round in one piece (hopefully) and horses have been tucked up in their stables you can bet everyone will be enjoying a nice cool beverage at the XC Riders Party in the Mess Hall from 7pm

Sunday

• Pull your hangover out of bed for the Final Horse Inspections, getting underway from 7am (ouch!)
• Riders will now get horses back into action and limbered up ready for the Showjumping rounds to begin at 8.30am in the main arena. This is a great chance to catch some jumping as the day will mix up the ISS Showjumping Grand Prix and the Eventing Jumping Classes