For many of those attending Victoria Police Emergency Service Games events in Elmore this week it was a chance to catch up without the pressures of work.
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The games kicked off last Friday, with nearly 3000 participants leaping and splashing into action on volleyball courts, football fields and in the waters.
The equestrian events were taking place in Elmore over Wednesday and Thursday.
For police officer Dee Hart it was a chance to connect with fellow contestants, some of whom she was more likely to see during serious jobs.
“We were all standing in the showing line up before having a good laugh and a joke together. Normally when we see each other it’s not in great circumstances,” Senior Constable Hart said.
“This is the only time we all get to get together for something that’s not negative.”
Event coordinator Robyn Reed said the chance to relax and socialise while doing something they loved was something many emergency workers valued.
“A lot of us, because we work shift work, we don’t often take time out for ourselves, to have a bit of a go with our sport,” she said.
“Quite often we’ll talk to one another on the phone, but this puts a face to the name. That camaraderie between emergency services workers is developed and encouraged here.
“it’s a great way to network, meet new friends and, as emergency service workers, it makes you feel like you are not the only one out there.
“We’ve got riders from Victoria Police, the CFA, we have aviation firefighters, Ambulance Victoria, the SES and parks Victoria.”
For some the 2017 games were their first, with one woman only taking up horse riding last Christmas to keep fit after a bout of cancer.
Others were more experienced. Senior Constable Hart was a member of Victoria Police’s mounted division.
“Since I joined the mounted branch I’ve been coming to the games and this is my third year here,” she said.
Senior Constable Hart loved everything about horses.
“I’m with them at work, I’m with them at home.”
Wednesday morning saw competitors showing before an afternoon of dressage. Thursday would see show jumping events as well as what Sergeant Reed called an “unusual horsemanship challenge”.
“It’s just a bit of a fun event at the end of the competition where we set up a few challenges for riders like going over a bridge, over tarps and through different sorts of jumps,” she said.
“It challenges the horses to move about and do some different things they would not normally be used to doing.”