Melbourne International Three Day the 'Southern Hemisphere Badminton'

Melbourne International Three-Day Event (MI3DE), 7th-10th June, is the closest thing you get to Badminton, Burghley or Blenheim Horse Trials in the Southern Hemisphere.

There's a castle (Werribee Mansion!), a cross country course in the park (bring gumboots and a picnic), fabulous shopping, hospitality and a rich history of the country's best horses and riders.

Plus it's a public holiday in Victoria. So unless you are a mad footy fan or want to hit the slopes for the start of the ski season, there's no better way to spend the long weekend than at Werribee Park National Equestrian Centre for fun times with friends and family.

We have received a great number of entries, with 29 riders in the Pryde’s EasiFeed CCI4L and the return of the team competition for the Off The Track CCI2L Junior event. There have also been record entry numbers for the IRT Young Event Horse Challenge, capped at 18 combinations per class.

We are looking forward to an exciting event celebrating great sport, horsemanship, friendships and camaraderie.

A couple of crowd favourites make a return in 2019 - the Ornamental Lake and the Rose Garden always make for great spectator viewing.

The course designer shares, "While the course starts in identical fashion to 2018, the track very quickly changes after the Avalon Airport Hangers at fence 3.

The long gallop around the lush green polo fields has gone this year, with competitors instead making their way straight to the massively expanded Bates Billabong at fence 4AB.

The Billabong has almost doubled in size, providing much more space in the water for lots of thrills and hopefully not too many spills to keep the crowd on their toes.

Athletes will want to ensure their horses are properly warmed up and switched on with the water providing an additional early challenge in the course.

Following a quick sprint down the side of the polo field to the massive Trakehner at fence 5, the course then returns to the Bates Billabong, this time with a large drop into water followed soon after by a very narrow..."

Find out what comes next and be there on Sunday for cross country day!

The winner of the Pryde's EasiFeed CCI4*L will take home a striking yearling colt, generously donated by Shane & Mattea Davidson of Davidson Equestrian.

'Rasta D' is purpose-bred for eventing, combining the correct percentage of Thoroughbred and Warmblood. His grand-dam Herka is a full sister to World No.1 eventing sire Heraldik. Sire Royaldik embodies elite German dressage breeding including Royal Diamond and the legendary Rubinstein I.

We can't wait for this little gun to compete around Melbourne one day.

Davidson Equestrian breed and produce horses for jumping and eventing, including former MI3DE CCI2* winner Fairbanks Cargo, Jumping Grand Prix winner Fairbanks Lulu and Grand Prix competitor Idol D.

Tickets are available online or at the gate. Group discounts available too. Friday is free entry.

Can't make it down to the Furphy Media MI3DE but want to follow all performances up to the minute? Head to our live scoring link for all start times, scores and results for each class. Click here for Live Scoring

Supplied by MI3DE

Article courtesy of Equestrian Australia