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MACEDON RANGES DRESSAGE CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS - 21st April 2024

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Dear Members,

Sunday 21st April 2024, our Club ran our annual EA Dressage Jackpot held at Werribee Park. 

 

The event was a success for riders and our club.  During the day many riders took the time to pop in and thank everyone for providing a great competition with a calm and friendly environment.  Even our official steward ‘Ausra Larbey’ had lots of praise for the marshals who assisted with the flow of the arenas and competition.

These events rely heavily on the support from many.  We were fortunate to have the help of judges, officials, and volunteers to provide a great event for competitors. 

 

Thank you to everyone who helped, whether that be baking yummy cakes, slices and scrumptious rolls for judges and volunteers, gear checking, poo patrol, marshalling, scribing or presenting prizes.  These events cannot run by themselves.

 

There’s been a shift in recent years, and we’re not alone, in that clubs are finding it more and more difficult to engage members to help which has me (and the committee) think and worry about the future of the MRDC.

 

Our 2 events that we run each year (EA and HRCAV) are how we make money to;

• Have insurance

• Affiliate with both EA and HRCAV

• Purchase trophies to reward members

• Pay for rally venues

• Book dressage coaches

• Provide lunches at rallies (which anyone can join)

• Provide subsidised rally fees

 

It’s always been the club’s mission to give back to its members, which I believe we do well.  But it can’t be left to the same people doing it all the time, this is just not sustainable. 

 

Club History | mrdc (macedonrangesdc.com)

So please members, the next time you see a shout out for help, answer the call.

 

But I would like to make a special mention of thanks and congratulations to the following after the beautiful day yesterday;

 

• Joan O’Reilly, the Event Coordinator.  The hours and attention to detail that she has put towards this competition is massive.  The club is truly grateful for everything you do.

• Evelyn Fletcher for your help and support in the office all day, perfectly organising all the presentation sashes and prizes allowing us to seamlessly present in a timely manner.

• Annie Gray for the coordination of the catering and bringing her own coffee machine so that we could all enjoy some fancy (real) coffee – definitely a crowd pleaser.

• Penny Rees for your continuing help and support throughout the whole day. 

• Bryony Guisti who once again coordinated our volunteer team. This is a big role and done so smoothly and effectively by Bryony.

• Ric Howells who offered his day to be with us, which assisted when we had to trouble shoot a couple of grounds issues.

 

We welcomed a new major sponsor ‘The Goddess and Horse’ who provided each class and jackpot winner with a photo shoot voucher.  Leader Equine who provided prizes for all the reserve winners.  Sue Jeffers of Equine Images Vic donated a voucher, this year for the highest scoring Pony in the Medium 4.3 and Elementary 3.3.  Off the Track for sponsoring the winners and placegetters in the Preliminary, Novice and Elementary.  These are amazing and generous contributions to our event, we are so grateful for their kind donations.  If you have the opportunity, please thank these businesses for their support of our Club.

Congratulations to Skye Kennedy on winning the Club Patron’s Prize for the highest percentage for any test across the day. A wonderful result.

We hope that all our members who competed enjoyed their day and came away inspired to do it all again next year.
 

Until then, happy riding.

Fiona
President
MRDC