28 NORTHERN TERRITORY Equestrian Northern Territory (ENT) has continued to provide grass roots development and competition opportunities to its members. ENT were successful in gaining a two year ’Grow Your Sport’ grant from the Sport and Recreation group within the NT Department of Tourism and Culture. This has enabled them to run several show jumping and dressage clinics in their two main regional centres (1500kms apart) of Darwin and Alice Springs. In the 2017/18 financial year, in Darwin, four dressage clinics were run with Daniella Dierks and four show jumping clinics were held with David Finch. In Alice Springs two dressage clinics were held with Jodie Dunstan and two show jumping clinics with Clive Reed. Due to the grant, ENT was able to offer the clinics at subsidised rates which did attract new members. Child minding was also offered as this was identified as one of the things which prevented some riders from attending clinics. Members had fantastic feedback on the clinics and are keen to continue to participate in them in the 2018/19 financial year. Without continued grants, ENT would not be able to continue to subsidise these clinics and members would have to pay the full rate for lessons, which has to incorporate the cost of travel to the NT. If members cannot meet the cost of lessons, ENT will not be able to offer clinics in future years. With limited higher-level local coaches, this would limit the development of the members in NT. Several of our younger members who had the benefit of coaching from David and Daniella, competed at Toowoomba at the 2017 Marcus Oldham Australian Interschool Championships, where they took away the Team Spirit award. The tyranny of distance continues to present challenges to the NT, as the logistics of taking horses interstate is difficult and costly. ENT sponsored their affiliate clubs to run their State Dressage and Show Jumping Championships, which were well attended and included a Small Tour Champion at the Dressage Championships. The ENT Show Horse committee successfully ran the NT HOTY and successful members from this event competed at the National Championships. Regional travel subsidies have continued to be offered to our members from Kununurra, Alice, Katherine and Douglas Daly, as this is seen as the best way to support them to be able to compete in ENT regional centres, participate in the state championships and in other competitions. The coaching scholarships were continued in 2017/18, resulting in another two members gaining coaching qualifications at intro and level 1. ENT appreciate the support of coach educators who travel to Darwin and enable more members to become accredited. There is now a healthy pool of coaches in both Show jumping and Dressage. ENT will work towards members gaining SSTA or CE status locally to help this development process. Through other coaching and officiating grants, ENT have supported members in gaining higher accreditation in Dressage and Show Jump judging. This reduces the need to fly interstate judges up for every competition and enables clubs to allocate funds to other areas, or simply remain financially sustainable. ENT continue to survey their members to ensure expectations are being met and continue to offer opportunities to members to compete and ride in their chosen discipline. Anne-Marie Cruickshank Chair, Equestrian NT