About us
Sydney Working Equitation (SWEQ) is a friendly and supportive club based in the Hawkesbury, that offers training and education in Working Equitation. SWEQ aims to develop and promote the sport of Working Equitation in a way that is both fun and progressive for horse and rider.
It is a fun way to train seriously!
Membership
Our Membership year runs from 1 July to 30th June the following year (follows the Financial Year).
Membership is open to everyone, including teenagers (min age 13) and non-riders. Family memberships are also available.
Single $65
Family $110 (up to 4 people)
Non riding - $25
Half Year Membership for 6 months $40 (Valid from 1 February 2024 to 30th June 2024)
Family Membership for 6 months $60 (Vaild from 1 Feb 2024 to 30th June 2024)
What is Working Equitation?
Working Equitation is an equestrian discipline originating in Spain, Portugal, Italy and France. It developed out of the different skills and expertise needed when working on farms and with livestock. It is now a worldwide sport, growing in Australia and suitable for all ages, breeds of horse and discipline of the rider.
Working Equitation comprises of four different phases:
- Dressage
- Obstacles - Ease of handling
- Obstacles at speed
- Cattle - not offered at our grounds.
Dressage
Dressage is on a 20m x 40 arena and the tests are specific to Working Equitation.
Obstacles - Ease of handling
The premise of the obstacle course is that obstacles are similar to those likely to appear on the farm or ranch, such as a bridge or gate. There can be up to 16 obstacles on a course which is designed to show the partnership between horse and rider.
Speed
Is similar to Ease of handling, but each obstacle is ridden as quickly as possible without penalty.
Cattle
In teams of four, rider and horse separate cattle from a herd which has been defined in advance. If possible, during the year we organsie cattle clinics for riders and horses to be safley inrtoduced to cattle. These clinics are held at a different venue.
In Working Equitaiton there are eight levels to work through:
- Introductory - walk / trot only
- Preparatory - some canter bewteen obstacles
- Preliminary - canter in dressage test
- Debutante W - lateral work
- Debutante F - flying changes
- Consagrados 2
- Consagrados 1
- Masters
How we operate
SWEQ Club Practice days are held every fourth Sunday of the month or if there is a fifth Sunday in a month, the club day will be on the fifth Sunday. Occosionally we have guest instructors to intensivley teach WEQ or dressage.
Gates open at 8:30am and we usually start set up at about 9am with pack up at about 2pm. We ask if you could help either set up or pack up as many hands make light work!
Timing
Gates open at 8:30am and we do in-hand (ground work) from 9:00am -10:00am. We then ride from 10:30am to about 1:00pm and typically, the days finish by 2.00pm after we have packed up.
Our grounds
We share our grounds with Woodlands Pony Club (both Clubs alternate their bookings). Address is 333 Sackville Rd, Wilberforce, NSW 2756. If you are coming from Windsor then the grounds are located on the left just past the intersection with Ironbark Drive & Sackville Rd. You will see our purple SWEQ banner on the fence and the Woodlands Pony Club sign at the gate nearest to Windsor.
Membership
Membership is open to everyone, including teenagers (min age 13) and non-riders. Family memberships are also available.
Single $65
Family $110 (up to 4 people)
Non riding - $25
Half Year Membership for 6 months $40