Doctor to man mic at eventing at Morgan Park
EVENTING: Warwick Horse Trials Club announcer Cameron Osborne sees weekends at eventing as a great break from his midweek role as a doctor.
Many spectators who head to Morgan Park for the Inglewood Quarries CNC One Day event this weekend won't realise that the voice behind the microphone has just spent three days this week in his role as a GP at Greenslopes in Brisbane.
This weekend, he is a Warwick Horse Trials Club volunteer but his doctor's bag won't be too far away as a doctor, as well as paramedics, are required at each event.
The club doesn't have to arrange a GP, they already have one on site for all events.
Dr Osborne, wife Andrea and daughter Eleanor breed horses at Highborne Farm, Allora.
He spends three days a week in Brisbane, from Tuesday to Thursday, but on other days is more likely to be seen with a bridle or feed tin in hand.
"I was interested in breeding racehorses but, when Eleanor starting working with performance horses, I became interested in eventing,” he said.
"It is fun to be at an event or on the farm for a whole weekend with riders and performance horses.
"A horse race is over within five minutes.”
The family has owned Highborne Farm for 14 years, a property where Eleanor also does some instruction.
When events aren't coming up at Morgan Park, she instructs some riders on the cross country course at the Warwick Horse Trials facility.
Andrea is the club secretary but their son and youngest child Joseph isn't into horses, he is an accountant in Brisbane.
More than 240 riders from Queensland and New South Wales will compete in eight classes this weekend.
Dressage is Saturday, cross country on Sunday and show jumping on both days. Admission is free.