Tonimbuk Horse Trials

Description : Tonimbuk has become one of Victoria's most prestigious events with classes from Intro through to CIC*** attracting horses from interstate.

Boasting 2 indoor arenas, 2 outdoor arenas, stables and yards as well as some of the better prize money available, there are huge entries yearly. The event is hosted on the property of Ian and Pat Mouser who have developed this property over the last decade into a premiere facility.

More at www.tonimbuk.com

 
Getting there : From Melbourne, take the south eastern freeway (Monash freeway) following the Dandenong, Berwick and Pakenham bypasses until the Bunyip service station on the left. (Sign to Bunyip is to the right). Turn left here (this is Tonimbuk road) and follow this for approx 4km before turning left into Saunders Rd . The centre is 500m along this road. Mel Ref: 512 T6  

Facilities : Camping at Tooradin is very social with the large number that choose to stay over-night. There is ample room for camping and trucks and plenty of toilets and showers in the indoors and a good meal on Saturday night. Good food is available throughout the event.

Yards and stables are available including some in and near the indoor arenas. Putting up your own solid yards is also allowed although most of the water taps are down near the yards.

The dressage arenas are excellent with some classes on grass, some on sand and some in the indoor arena.

Tips : Getting a good place to camp with shade or on the flat means getting there early.

While showjumping indoors is excellent, horses that have not seen the glass wall often shy away from it during their rounds, causing difficulties. 		 

Courses

Intro and Prelim:

Good courses with a lot of logs, brushes, a water fence. It is a very nice and encouraging course with some jumps on the hill.

Pre-Novice:

The pre-novice jumps well but has a few ditches, an apex and a decent water fence.

One Star

To be rated.

Two and Three Star:

The courses all have a number of slopes with fences up and down these, a number of ditches and large water fences. The three star track is challenging with many accuracy questions especially the Woodcutters camp, the bank and a combination at the top of the hill. The water has been a bounce in. Horses need to be fit to make time here. These tracks are always challenging and are not places for horses to upgrade.

Warm up areas: The warm up areas are all excellent although there often isn't a cross country fence to practice over until you are sent up to the starting area where you have 3-4 minutes to use a couple of logs on a slope.

 

  

Helping: This is a private property, so please leave your space as you found it, removing all rubbish.

If you live in the area and can help out before the day or at the event itself; contact: Helen Reid - 0431 478 347

Entries: Usually only via nominate.com