A grassroots campaign is gaining momentum to prevent the closure of equestrian facilities at the very site that nurtured the rise of dressage in Australia and produced a stream of world class riders.

Dressage in New South Wales has grown from a very humble beginning when there was hardly an FEI dressage horse in Australia – and that’s only 50 years ago. It has become a huge part of Australian equestrianism. Australia has won Olympic gold medals in eventing, where one of the three disciplines is dressage, as well as Paralympic gold in para dressage; it is through passion and hard work that these medals are achieved.

Internationally, Australians are a force to reckon with in World Championships, Olympics and Paralympics in these sports and we have outstanding riders in the wings.

To achieve sporting prowess in any sport you need good facilities and training and competition venues, as this is where the hard work is done in preparing for any competitive sport. Funding for dressage is minimal on all levels, as is the money won from placing in the sport. Facilities are built through passionate people on the inside of the sport rallying together to advance the recognition of the sport by having welcoming and excellent grounds.

No one wants to be putting up sponsorship money when the facilities are not up to scratch, and so good arenas and infrastructure to support good and fair competition are essential at all levels. The culmination of over 35 years of work in making the Clarendon dressage facility a wonderfully safe and purposeful venue of high quality is proof of this.

BUT… it may all be coming to an untidy ending.

Back in the day, this humble sport used an area that was at Warwick Farm Racecourse. Back then no-one had Warmbloods, but all dealt with Thoroughbreds off the track – so for many back at the track, it was an exciting time! The surface was grass and the arena edges steel posts and rope! Then there were arenas at Castle Hill Showground, again grass, and then it was the Windsor Polo Fields and more grass arenas.

“In 2000, the selection
trials or the Sydney Olympics
were held at Clarendon.”

At the polo fields there used to be six competition arenas erected for the competition weekends, the major one with portable heavy-boarded surrounds – and even flower boxes with living flowers that were maintained by Rod Barker BVSC, a great supporter of dressage and the NSW Dressage Council!

By 1984 it was the NSW Dressage Council that needed a permanent base to run competitions, as the sport had grown enormously. Of course, there was much discussion over where these permanent grounds would be. It was John Geary, the president from 1983 to 1988, who perused and persisted with the Hawkesbury District Agricultural Association (HDAA); they were moving from the racetrack at Clarendon to new showgrounds and were looking for NSW sports bodies to help them build up the grounds as a major sport centre. In 1985 at the annual general meeting, an agreement on the leasing of the grounds was prepared. In 1986 the selection of the home base had not been finally resolved and there were two other alternatives to Clarendon: one at Glossodia and one at Warringah. The committee voted six in favour of Clarendon and five against.

FIRST HOME FOR DRESSAGE

In September of that year, a final motion allocating $18,000 was put to the committee and approved to build the sand arenas. Construction of the bases started for the three arenas of sand to be laid and the first competition at Clarendon took place in May 1987, with dressage finally having a home in NSW. In 2000, the selection trials for the Sydney Olympics were held at Clarendon.

“It’s quite an amazing
venue in the very beautiful
Hawkesbury area.”

Today the grounds at Clarendon also have two huge sand warm-up arenas and many good quality stables accommodating at least 80 horses, new surfaces on the arenas and new improved arena edges. Much earthmoving has been done and drainage systems put in place, including driveways within the truck and float parking areas. There is a horse wash and a measuring booth with specific designed flooring, permanent judges boxes, and a clubhouse facility with a big veranda as well as storage areas.

The entire competition area is fenced in for safety with a sturdy post-and-rail fence. There are lungeing facilities and much care has been taken producing landscaping with trees for extra shade. There are stands for the general public and viewers and competitors to be seated in.

It’s quite an amazing venue in the very beautiful Hawkesbury area with plenty of local hotels and accommodation for country competitors. It is used for not only competitions but training days and a venue for training judges. Para riders have trained and ridden there and compete there.

The venue caters for all levels from Preliminary through to the Grand Prix, including children’s classes, young rider classes, pony divisions and amateur owner classes. There is the Interschools that are privy to its uses and then so many other sporting clubs like show horse, working equitation, cowboy dressage, breed societies, protocol days, and coaches and judges clinics. It’s an essential facility right in the heart of the Hawkesbury that is close for many country areas with no need to go through Sydney to get there.

Many keen businesses have put money into helping produce the grounds. Clarendon has become synonymous not only with dressage in NSW but nationally as well. There have been state and national championships staged there, and the number of riders who have started or competed there include many international competitors and Olympians.

LONG LIST OF GREATS

The names of those who have ridden at Clarendon include the likes of Judy Dierks who competed for Australia at a Word Championship; Caroline Lieutenant, who competed internationally and was shortlisted for a Word Championship on the thoroughbred Temuchin; Judy McKay, who all those years ago took the Australian stockhorse Debonair to compete successfully in Great Britain and was the first woman to be invited to ride at the Spanish Riding School in Vienna. Matthew Dowsley competed at a World Championship; Lyndal Oatley competed at several Olympics and Word Championships; and Vicky Brydon competed at national level, and as a highly skilled rider and coach and judge went on to become an international eventing judge.

“Clarendon has always
been the place to meet
with the top riders.”

Others include Olympic eventing medallists Shane Rose and Stuart Tinney; Jayden Brown, who more recently represented Australia at the 2022 FEI World Championships and 2024 Paris Olympics; Alycia Targa and Megan Bryant, who both rode in Germany at the Young Rider World Cup Dressage Final; and Maurice Bruce, who represented Australia at World Cup Finals.

Doug Greene was an all-time great coach and rider of one of Australia’s first Grand Prix horses; John Geary’s wife, Jan, trained with Doug Greene and competed was one of the first to compete at FEI level here. Rachael Downs competed for Australia in a World Cup Final, three World Championships, and an Olympics; and Di Jenkyn was shortlisted for Olympics at the Clarendon grounds.

Libby Sauer, a respected Grand Prix rider, vet, and stud manager of Australian Performance Horses in Lambs Valley, competed often at the grounds; she imported several stallions and started the Aussies down the Warmblood trail. Rozzie and Heath Ryan need no introduction and have both represented Australia at international championship level; they often travel from the Newcastle area to make the most of the good facilities at Clarendon. The list of revered names who have graced the arenas at Clarendon goes on and on!

A PLACE TO MEET

Clarendon has always been the place to meet with the top riders and the best competition. It is an iconic venue and has all the facilities with wonderful grassy areas around the arenas and plenty of parking and warm-up arenas. It is a beautiful venue to host any dressage competition or training day. Above all, it’s simple, accessible and it works! It’s been years in the making, had many hundreds of thousands of equestrian members, sponsors and public money spent on developing it, and it’s a facility that is so used and needed in NSW.

It is beyond imagination, and it defies logic that it could be mowed into the ground to never be used again. There is a huge battle on to save the grounds from extinction. It’s unimaginable that any committee, especially the HDAA, would even contemplate such a ludicrous outcome. It’s in top working order and specifically designed to cater for the international and Olympic sport. How could it be possible that this could happen?

It’s obvious that all stops are out to make sure it doesn’t become defunct! There are already around 2500 signatures on a petition to take to the council, and the number of top equestrian personalities and top competitors that have spoken out and posted on social media shows the depth and breadth of concern. It’s real. It’s sad.

PETITION GAINS WIDE SUPPORT

The battle to save the grounds has been taken up by a small group of equestrians who are committed to the future of our sport. They have come together and created the “Save Clarendon” campaign. They are registering community support through their change.org petition and are running a publicity campaign through social media.

Their immediate objective is to put a stop to the scheduled demolition and afford time to work with government and the stakeholders to achieve a positive outcome for all invested parties. Their ambition is to see Clarendon retained and continue to be a key part of our equestrian sports infrastructure for both the greater Sydney region and regional NSW.

They are working with the wider equestrian community to develop a business model to demonstrate that Clarendon can be a self-funding and successful venue.

Historically Clarendon has been for the exclusive use of DNSW. The Save Clarendon Group sees enormous potential for use of the grounds by the wider equestrian community and they would like to see that potential realised and Clarendon become a destination for all equestrian sports and activities needing arenas and the surrounding infrastructure.

For sure the equestrian fraternity are all behind the work being done to see logic to retain this wonderful venue for the good and growth of the sport.

Sign the petition to save Clarendon here. EQ