Precision and stamina essential for carriage driving
It may have driving in the name, but carriage driving has nothing to do with cars.
The Central Districts Driving Association is holding its annual combined drive on January 26-27, at Pukemarama Farm on Tangimoana Rd.
Carriage driving involves a person driving one, a pair, or four horses and ponies while they ride in a carriage. There are three phases of the competition over the two days – driven dressage and a cone course on the Saturday and a marathon event on Sunday.
The competition is the equine equivalent of a triathlon and the sport was invented by Prince Phillip.
Organiser Isabel Cochran said about 40 drivers had entered the competition so far. The entrants are divided into classes based on the size of their horse or pony, as well as the driver’s experience.
Throughout the events, competitors will receive penalty points if they make errors and the driver who accumulates the least points over both days is crowned the winner.
Cochran said the marathon was the most exciting of the three parts. The ‘‘fast-paced and demanding’’ event involves the driver having to navigate a series of obstacles, which can include water, hills and sharp corners.
Driven dressage tests the harmony between the horse and driver, as they perform a series of scored movements in an arena.
The cones event is technical, as the driver must negotiate a course of cones without knocking off tennis balls placed on top of the cones.
Events will start at 9am on both days and spectators are welcome.