HORSE lovers from across the world gathered for Equitana Sydney, the biggest equine spectacular in the southern hemisphere.
Equestrian Australia joined Equitana to develop a national annual Grand Final for dressage, jumping and express eventing, with qualifying events held all over Australia.
Olympian Heath Ryan from Newcastle took a gamble on Saturday when he used new music for the Dressage Grand Prix Freestyle in the Equestrian Dressage Grand Final.
The gamble paid off when he took out the inaugural title at the Sydney Showgrounds in front of a packed house.
Ryan, riding black stallion Regardez Moi, finished on 71.950 per cent, ahead of New Zealand's Louisa Hill and horse Bates Antonello (70.275).
Queenslander Chantal Wiggan and Ferero (69.475) were third.
Ryan moved up a place from Friday's Grand Prix where he placed second to Hill.
"I was biting my fingers nails when the last girls (Louisa Hill) went round," Ryan said.
"They were in great form and it was just one of those nights where things went well for me and they had the odd glitch so I sneaked in there, but I've got to keep going now.
"It was great for him as well (Regardez Moi). His owner passed away last week and I know she would have been really pleased and would be smiling down on us."
The win comes after an impressive result at the National Dressage Championships where the duo finished third.
Ryan said the dream run might well be the comeback he needed ahead of selection for the London Olympics.
"I don't know if the Olympic team was selected tomorrow I'd make it, but I think I'd be one of the final combinations they'd talk about," he said.
The showground's new Dome Arena has allowed athletes the rare chance to compete in a European-style atmosphere, which Ryan said was critical.
"This is one of the few occasions where we get a great arena and great atmosphere and in Australia we get very little exposure to that," he said.
"The guys in the northern hemisphere, however, are used to performing in an arena like that - we're desperate for this sort of exposure and this event has provided us with that."
David Dobson, from Western Australia, won Friday night's $20,000 Jumping Grand Prix Final riding AS Akon.
Dobson said he knew exactly what he had to do.
"I went into the second round thinking if the guys behind me go clear they'll go faster than me because they're on more experienced horses," he said.
"So I had to take into account the crowd, atmosphere and the jumps got fairly big towards the end. I was just proud he (AS Akson) was able to jump the clear round."
Queenslander Cathy Graham, on Da Vinci's Pride, was in the lead after the first round and was the only person to have a clear first round. But with two rails down in the second round, she was forced to settle for second.
Five-time national jumping champion Chris Chugg, on Alondra, placed third.
Olympic course designer John Vallance designed a testing course for the Jumping Grand Final field with just one clear round in the first round and two in the second.
Beijing Olympic silver medallist Shane Rose won the inaugural Exhibition Eventing Grand Final title.
Thousands cheered some of the country's best stars in action with plenty of excitement including a few spills, some near misses and overall red-hot competition.
The arena-based format known as exhibition eventing captures the elements of eventing including dressage, jumping and cross country with the key to secure the least amount of penalties in the fastest time.
Rose, from Werombi, riding Il Vici, won the $15,000 class ahead of Craig Barrett riding Sandhills Brillaire and Dominic Karina Ingvall, from Calga, riding Corambo.
While Rose admits that exhibition eventing will never replace the traditional three-day event, he said it had the potential to help grow the sport.
"By providing a taste of what the sport has to offer hopefully this will open the sport up to a new audience and excite them enough to come along to our major events," Rose said.
"It was really fun out there and the atmosphere was fantastic."
It was a star-studded field with UK-based Australian riders Clayton Fredericks (Beijing silver medallist), Paul Tapner (Badminton Four Star winner) and Sam Griffiths (World Games representative) all riding borrowed horses, which added an additional level of excitement to the night.
For Fredericks, his new partner tested his horsemanship skills with the "joker" fence becoming their undoing when he fell from the horse and was eliminated.
He wasn't the only one to succumb to the joker fence, with Tim Boland also eliminated due to a fall.
The Exhibition Eventing brought to a close the inaugural Equestrian Grand Final that was held as part of Equitana Sydney.
The event attracted some of the best riders from home and abroad, as tens of thousands packed both the arenas and stadium to catch equestrian at its best.
The masterclass with World Champion superstar Driver Boyd Exell, who hails from Bega, was popular.
Exell also won the Four in Hand Driving competition with a borrowed team of horses.
Equitana now starts preparing for next year in Melbourne.
