Crazy Weather Can't Dampen Eventing Spirits at OTTO Wallaby Hill 3-Day

After a trying test of weather extremes, the OTTO Sport Three Day Event held at Wallaby Hill, NSW proved to be a great wrap-up to the 2018 eventing season.

With a crazy nearly 200 mm of rain on the Wednesday, the ground team worked tirelessly to get the grounds as ready as possible, so the show could go on. As a bit of perspective, the rain in Sydney that day was the most to have fallen in one day since 1984, or there abouts, so you get the idea, it was wet.

Dressage arenas were under water and back-up arenas had to be used, to save the grass ones from turning to bog.

Cross country fences were taken out of the course and ‘mountains’ were moved to ensure each class had the best footing possible. OTTO Sport arena mats were placed under the grass on all the permanent cross county jumps and grass which made for safer, more secure and more confident jumping.

Cross country day proved muddy, but hot, 30 degree hot.

“I don’t think I’ve ever done a XC course in both hot weather and mud?!” exclaimed Amanda Ross on her social media feed.

On show jumping day, the weather switched to windy, to the point where it was blowing jumps down.

But all in all, the competitors had a great time and sung nothing but songs of praise for the organisers and officials of the event.

“A massive thanks must be given to the team at Wallaby Hill – they put so much work into this beautiful venue and their happy, easy-going attitudes, even after all the rain this week were second to none” said a spokesperson from Shane Rose Eventing.

Top three results for each of the star classes were:

OTTO Sport CCI3* 1. SHANE ROSE (ULTIMATE VELOCITY) 2. CALLUM BUCZAK (MATAVIA CHEVAL) 3. ANNABEL ARMSTRONG (QUAPRICE)

Geelong Pools & Spas CCI2* 1. GRACE KAY (CELERITY PARK FABERGE) 2. SAM WOODS (CAGE FIGHTER) 3. SHENAE LOWINGS (LUSHIOUS LEXIE)

Lalak Family & Coney Hatch Horses CCI1* 1. MATTHEW GASKE (BELLHAVEN CUMBRIA) 2. SHENAE LOWINGS (BOLD VENTURE) 3. SHANE ROSE (STAKKINO)

For full results click HERE

Article courtesy of Equestrian Australia