Australasia's top drivers head to Longwood for championships

ABOVE: Margaret Sperrin and her Welsh Mountain Pony Mosman Park Foxtrot put in a consistent performance across the three disciplines to win the novice pony 91cm and ne 124cm class. Picture: DIANE BOARDMAN

JUST under 50 competitors from across Australia and New Zealand gathered at Longwood in Victoria over Easter for the 2025 Australian Combined Driving Championships.

The event was hosted by the Longwood Carriage Driving Club on behalf of the Australian Carriage Driving Society and featured some of the best driving talent in the country.

For those unfamiliar with combined driving, it’s basically horse trials in harness, with teams tested in dressage, cross country and cones.

It is the main competition discipline of the Australian Carriage Driving Society, which was formed in 1971 after R.M. Williams invited a group of prominent harness exhibitors to discuss the formation of an organisation to promote harness activities.

Now 40 years on, the society consists of six state branches, approximately 50 clubs and more than 1200 members across Australia.

ABOVE: Jason Mullenger and Dominion Park Lawson surged ahead in the marathon and cones sections to win the novice horse over 149cm class. Picture: DIANE BOARDMAN

ABOVE: Ruby Lawrence with two in hand won the pairs over 149cm driving Carlyle Mozart and Westbury Harry. Picture: DIANE BOARDMAN

The first Victorian Combined Driving Event was held by Oaklands Hunt Club in 1976, with John Mullenger as one of the organisers.

His son Jason competed at Longwood this year winning the novice horse class with Dominion Park Lawson.

Other famous families who contributed to the establishment of the sport also had representatives competing.

Ruby Lawrence is Diana Lawrence's grand-daughter, Michelle Jones is Mike Thill's daughter and Matthew Marriott is Max Marriott's nephew.

ABOVE: Andrew Pollock and Merricks Stedinger Crusade looking a picture of elegance in the turnout class. Picture: DIANE BOARDMAN

ABOVE: Also turning heads in the Concours d'Elegance was Deb Hoffrichter driving Forge Farm Heathcliff and Tinker Hill Smokey Jack. Picture: DIANE BOARDMAN

Among the highlights of the championships was the Concours d'Elegance class, which always adds to the spectacle of a carriage event.

The class gets its name from the days of horse drawn carriages when the French aristocracy paraded them in the parks of Paris during summer weekends and holidays.

In the 17th century this pastime became known as the Concours d'Elegance, a “competition of elegance”.

The winners were Andrew Pollock and Merricks Stedinger Crusade in the singles event and Deb Hoffrichter driving Forge Farm Heathcliff and Tinker Hill Smokey Jack in the multiples.

In the action events, competitors showed some showed some impressive driving skills in all three disciplines over the three days.

The dressage (section A) was held on the Saturday, the marathon/obstacles (section B) on the Sunday and the competition finished up with cones/precision driving (section C) on the Monday.

Close scores after the first two days of competition made for an exciting last day, with some classes having only one or two penalties separating winners and placegetters.

ABOVE: Alice Austin and Avlon Adorabella placed third in a very strong novice pony 91cm and ne 124cm class. Picture: DIANE BOARDMAN

ABOVE: Sandy Hodgetts placed second in the pony tandem 91cm and ne 149cm class with Ripple Brook Elgin and Brosha Park Custer. Picture: DIANE BOARDMAN

ABOVE: Rachel Haslau and Cataraqui Evangeline placed third in the intermediate pony 91cm and not exceeding 124cm. Picture: DIANE BOARDMAN

ABOVE: After nearly a year since his last competition, Watermark Joe Joe topped the dressage and placed second in his class by the narrowest of margins for owner Mandy Lawrence. Picture: DIANE BOARDMAN

ABOVE: Skye Bannan and A Tribute To Horrace placed second in the intermediate horse over 149cm class. Picture: DIANE BOARDMAN

ABOVE: West Australian Jenny Brett, who placed fifth in her class, travelled from her home state with Sandra Elliot to compete in this event and others in Victoria and NSW. Picture: DIANE BOARDMAN

ABOVE: Jennifer Carew came from New Zealand to compete and placed third in the novice pony over 124cm and ne 149cm class. Picture: DIANE BOARDMAN

ABOVE: Elizabeth Porter and Skye Park Splash making a splash before placing fourth in the novice small pony class. Picture: DIANE BOARDMAN

ABOVE: Cheryl Sheddan and Little Plains Phillipa took home the blue ribbon for the class catering for the smallest of ponies competing in combined driving. Picture: DIANE BOARDMAN

ABOVE: Alison McDiarmid was a well-placed sixth in the dressage before an unfortunate elimination in the marathon. Picture: DIANE BOARDMAN

Final results

Novice Pony 91cm and ne 124cm

First: Margaret Sperrin - Mosman Park Foxtrot

Second: Julie Wilson - Gulwarra Park Vintage Rose

Novice Pony over 124cm and ne 149cm

First: Phil Marshall - Murrydale Park Murdoch

Second: Mandy Lawrence - Watermark Joe Joe

Novice Horse over 149cm

First: Jason Mullenger - Dominion Park Lawson

Second: Matthew Marriott - Makari Finley

Intermediate Pony 91cm and 124cm

First: Vicki Stevenson - Naringalook Squirt

Second: Nikki Flynn - Noah

Intermediate Pony over 124cm and ne 149cm

First: Lorraine Cairns - Carlyle Straw

Second: Sandra Elliott - Wingana James Bond

Intermediate Horse over 149cm

First: David Cockcroft - Eddy

Second: Skye Bannan - A Tribute to Horace

Open Pony 91cm and ne 124cm

First: Jessica Meredith - Carlyle Sunday Best

Open Pony 124cm and ne 149cm

First: Rodney Lane - Duckponds Lucy Van Pelt

Open Horse over 149cm

First: Andrew Pollock - Merricks Stedinger Crusade

Second: Kirsten Feddersen - Shepherds Hill Yowie

Pony Pair 91cm and ne 149cm

First: Nicole Kimlin - Gar Won Tucker and Gar Won Trizan

Second: Anna-Marie Vaudin - Kittle Waltz and Kittle Minuet

Horse Pair over 149cm

First: Ruby Lawrence - Carlyle Mozart and Westbury Harry

Second: Kim Branch - Shepherds Hill Sugar Glider and Shepherds Hill Wallace 11

Pony Tandem 91cm and ne 149cm

First: Deb Hoffrichter - Forge Farm Heathcliff and Tinker Hill Smokey Jack

Second: Sandy Hodgetts - Ripple Brook Elgin and Brosha Park Custer

Pony Team 91cm and ne 149cm

First: Wayne Armstrong - Cash/Smog and Smoken/Brodie

VSE under 91cm

First: Cheryl Sheddan - Little Plains Phillipa

Download full results

Results - 2025 Australian Combined Driving Championships.pdf

Download PDF • 353KB

View more of DIANE BOARDMAN’S images from this event

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