Event Reviews
Dressage WA presents a Fresh New Concept:
A Celebration of Dressage and Music
Saturday 15 August 2009
The Equestrian Western Australia Dressage Judges Taskforce, supported by Heathway, held a Freestyle Workshop on Saturday 15 August 2009 at the State Equestrian Centre. The workshop was facilitated by Virginia Creed, who brought the worlds of equestrian and classical music together in a true celebration of the horse. Over 50 riders and judges attended the workshop.
Virginia Creed, one of Australia’s most accomplished equestrians with qualifications as a Level II Dressage Specialist coach, a Coach Educator and SSTA with the National Coaching Accreditation Scheme. She has ridden numerous horses to Grand Prix level. As an International Candidate Dressage Judge, she judges regularly throughout Australia, including state and national dressage championships.
In addition to Virginia’s equestrian pursuits she is an accomplished musician, more recently she was the Head of Music at Ivanhoe Grammar School before becoming their Equestrian Studies and PR Coordinator.
Ellen Alciaturi chats with Virginia Creed about the intricacies of Freestyle Dressage
For the Freestyle Workshop she bought together a classical quartet with horses at each level of competition and matched music with the horses’ movement. The classical quartet Ambrosia Ensembles, featuring the talents of Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts students, played up a storm while horses worked close by, matching musical masterpieces to the rhythm and tempo for the display horses.
The highlight of the program was watching each of the demonstration riders complete their regular freestyle arrangements and then discussing with them how they, with the benefit of working with the musicians in the
morning might adapt the way they would construct their freestyle tests into the future.
A big thank you to the demonstration riders;
Lesley Smit (Willow Tree Serendipity) - Inter I Freestyle,
Ellen Alciaturi (Blue Medallion) - Advanced and Inter 1 Freestyle,
Shona Nelson (Izar) - Medium Freestyle,
Dwight Pedlow (Mythical Jester) - Elementary Freestyle,
Kristy Jarvis (Don Philino) – Elementary,
Amy Morris (Grandmarnier) - Novice Freestyle; who provided the riders and judges on the sidelines with lots to think about on how freestyle tests may be put together.
A great day of activities from the Dressage Judges Taskforce in which everyone was enthused to give it a go in the future and left judges feeling less daunted about assessment criteria.
For further information or to discuss interview opportunities, please contact: Elaine Greene, Chair – Dressage Judges Taskforce, Mobile: 0409112545, Email: elaine_greene@westnet.com.au