Elevate Your Game

Experience the thrill of working equitation with Darling Downs Working Equitation.

Darling Downs Working Equitation

Darling Downs Working Equitation is a small club established in January 2014 as Darling Downs Western Dressage.

In 2019 the club added working equitation competition through affiliation with the Australian National Working Equitation Ltd (ANWEL) and has since gone from strength to strength and is now our main discipline. DDWE is now one of the leading working equitation clubs in Queensland and our riders successfully compete against the best in the country.

DDWE aims to provide a friendly, low-stress atmosphere where riders can come and try the exciting discipline of working equitation.

Working Equitation

The discipline of working equitation was created to celebrate the partnership between horse and rider with a focus on versatility, agility, athleticism and training. Open to all breeds of horse and levels of rider, Australian National Working Equitation upholds the principles of classical dressage.

Working equitation was pioneered by fou

Working equitation was pioneered by four countries: Italy, Portugal, Spain, and France, with the first International competition being held in 1996. In 2004, the World Association for Working Equitation was established to govern the sport internationally. Since that time, the sport has continued to grow around the world.

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Rules and Tests

Working Equitation

Competition consists of four phases.

Dressage – encourages harmony between horse and rider. Tests are conducted in a 20m x 40m arena.
Ease of Handling (EOH) – horse and rider demonstrate how calmly, precisely and stylishly they deal with obstacles.
Speed – a test of speed, agility, athleticism using the same obstacles as the Ease of Handlin

Competition consists of four phases.

Dressage – encourages harmony between horse and rider. Tests are conducted in a 20m x 40m arena.
Ease of Handling (EOH) – horse and rider demonstrate how calmly, precisely and stylishly they deal with obstacles.
Speed – a test of speed, agility, athleticism using the same obstacles as the Ease of Handling phase.
Cattle – tests the ability of the horse and rider to work cattle individually and with teammates.

DDWE runs under the rules of ANWEL, with rules and tests being able to be found on their website.

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ANWE Ltd

Working Western Dressage

Western Working Dressage

Our Club believes that dressage training and competition should be open to any style and breed of horse ridden in any style of equipment and this is what our version is supportive of.

Riders are judged on the quality of their partnership with the horse, the lightness and harmony of the ridden movements of the test while keeping in mind the classical principals of dressage.

Rules and Tests

Western Working Dressage

DDWE conducts western working dressage tests which are the club's personal tests. These tests are ridden in a 20 x 40 metre arena.

The Club allows any equipment which is permitted in the rules by the Western Dressage Assoc of Aust, Australian National Working Equitation Ltd or Dressage Queensland (EA).