Horse in sport and competition : a prize-winning horsewoman at Mount Gambier

The winner of the 'Ladies Hack' event at a horse show held at Mount Gambier, South Australia.

While horses are now used much less for working purposes around the world, the use of horses in sport, competition and recreation has grown. However, even in the days when horses formed the basis of much of our transport and agriculture, the competitve spirit was still in evidence, as seen in this photograph of the prize-winning horsewoman at Mount Gambier in 1913 and also the breeder with his prize-winning draught horse at Jubilee Oval in 1914, the formally dressed boy riding a pony at the same oval in 1911.

One of the most exciting spectator sports in riding competitions is showjumping and eventing, the latter comprising the phases dressage, cross-country and show jumping. These types of competitions are held at all levels in both country and city locations. These sports are also part of the Olympic Games where South Australia has been well-represented by competitors such as Gillian Rolton, Megan Jones and Wendy Schaeffer. One of the longest-running competiitons in South Australia, The Gawler Three Day Event was held annually in Gawler, north of Adelaide from 1954, and sponsored at various times by companies such as the West End Brewery. A very successful competition, it was selected in 1986 to host the Sixth World Three Day Event Championships.

In 1997 the Adelaide International Horse Trials event was created to replace the Gawler Three Day Event and has since become an extremely successful competition. Staged in the east parkands of Adelaide city the event is held over three days every November. Now named the Australian International Three Day Event, the competition has been given a four star rating by the Federation Equestre Internationale and is only of only six in the world with this rating, which is recognised by the Olympic Games Committee.

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