By Emma Heath
2020 has been a tumultuous year so far – after the bushfires and the storms came Covid-19, which has made life pretty challenging for all of us! But after a quiet few months, Galston Equestrian Club has cautiously resumed our activities, and we’re re-shaping our calendar in response to the ever-changing situation.
Small group clinics and training days have been a huge hit, with many members keen to get out and about in some way, shape or form (even if we’re not competing!). Our Sandy Lucas showjumping clinics, held on the first Tuesday of every month, have been enthusiastically attended – and riders have also enjoyed tackling Poles & Grids with Tana Subotic. Our midweek Positive Partnership days, hosted by GEC President Pam Pike, have become one of our most popular activities, and Agility has also been back on the agenda, with Suzanne Bellette running well-attended Trail Preparation Clinics to help members build confidence and connection.
We’ve also managed to pull off successful Dressage training days with popular guest coaches Melinda Parbery, Lucas Hurps and Peter Turner – however our plans for a competition on 26 July were sadly foiled by the weather!
Throughout all this, our committee has been working hard to ensure members are safe while spending time at the club. Guided by Equestrian Australia, we have maintained physical distancing (not too hard when on a horse!) and kept sanitiser quite literally on hand at all times. We also remain optimistic about the future, and have plenty of events on the horizon – including more Agility and Positive Partnerships, showjumping clinics with Sandy and Keira Byrnes, and a Dressage Protocol day on 26th September.
We’d like to thank our members for their patience in bearing with us as we continually adjust our plans and path through 2020! We’ve also been happy to see new members continue to join our ranks, and our Half Yearly Membership option is now available for anyone keen to come on board for the remainder of the year.
To join GEC (or find out more about the Club) visit www.galstonequestrianclub.com.au
