Pleasure Driving
Pleasure drives are just that. A group of like-minded ACDS club members get together, plan and partake in a social drive along quiet country roads enjoying their equines at a leisurely pace.
Driving large horses or small ponies or sometimes donkeys and mules, members can be found travelling the countryside at club outings or often at larger pleasure drives combined with a mini enduro event. Pleasure drivers take the less challenging tracks ending back at a base camp enjoying camp fires, camp cooking and good times over one, two or three days.
Mini Enduro Driving
A mini enduro event involves three classes of equine: horses over 149cm and ponies over and under 124 cm. Equines need to be reasonably fit to travel the 100km course and 70 km pony courses. Horses complete approximately 33kms & ponies 24kms a day respectively over the three days of the event. Pairs and teams drivers often compete as well as ACDS junior drivers.
Horse welfare is paramount and strict guidelines are enforced by event officials. Drivers set off at two-minute intervals with the fastest time in each class over the course being the winner for that day (section).
The heart rate of the equine must be below 60 BPM within 30 minutes of completing the course on each day to avoid elimination.
Most horse class competitors drive “off the track” Standardbreds which are very popular, readily available and already going in harness.
Enduro drivers like to call their ACDS discipline – “Pleasure driving with a competitive edge”.
In Victoria each discipline is overseen by a Convenor and a panel of members particularly interested in that discipline. Convenors and panels give guidance to clubs on their events, programs and the rules pertaining to that discipline.
Pleasure & Endurance Convenor: Cath Bateman – mscbateman@gmail.com
Pleasure and Endurance Panel: David Cockcroft, Jason Mullenger, Pam Ingram
