The Bendigo Agricultural Show is back.
The two-day event was held for the first time in four years on Friday and Saturday after several cancellations due to Covid and then last year, the grounds being used to house evacuees from floods.
The horse program featured sections for saddle horses (with open, breed and pony club rings), showjumping and novelties.
In the saddle horse section, competitors ranged from well-known local faces like David Warde and Lisa Glascott, who both took home sashes, to the tiniest riders like the Jeanes sister from Huntly, who would have been experiencing their local show for the first time and delighted in ponies with necks full of ribbons.
Baylee Lampard from Goornong had the show of her life (to date) picking up her first ribbon ever in showjumping on Friday in the open 50cm class riding Sarven Park Matilda.
The pair rounded off the two days winning the Kristy Grinton Memorial Award for supreme pony club rider on Saturday.
Another combination to star was Jemma Singles and Top Model who went home with no less than four championship sashes for ridden Palomino, show hunter, Arabian Derivative and any other breed.
Charlee Dowler debuted her new mount Nawarrah Park True Grit, winning a collection of ribbons before being named champion local rider.
The supreme led open exhibit of the show on Friday was the Part Welsh and Riding Pony yearling filly Whitmere Champagne, owned by Annie Williams and shown by Mitch Fox.
In the open saddle classes on Friday, run as a three-ring circus, Fox Equestrian also took home a champion large show hunter galloway sash for DP Touché.
Winners included Future Farms/the Dertell family with Volbeat selected as a champion hack and Yondella Davinci champion show hunter.
Bendigo Show has a huge breeds program and these societies really need to make sure they support the event to ensure it continues.
Champion Welsh Mountain pony was Jan Beckwith and Chloe Walls’ Jarickni Fleur and they also took the sash for champion B, C and D Buckskin dilutes with Woranora Nyree.
Stacey Kirkpatrick showed the supreme champion led Shetland Lilac Lodge Royal King and the champion miniature Tara Park Ace of Spades.
Donna Nicholas showed Habib to win champion Arabian with Kelley McMaster’s Nazali the reserve.
In the Clydesdales, the supreme led winner Narioka Carlyle was in the capable hands of next generation exhibitor Lily Taylor, 13, who also won the junior handler class.
Lily’s father Josh then took over to win champion in the Clydesdale driven in long reins section.
The Taylor’s other horse, Narioka Monitor, was shown by Amy Scott, also 13, who had only met the horse that day. The pair went reserve champion led Clydesdale and Clydesdale driven in long reins. Amy also won the junior driver class.
The supreme part-bred Clydesdale was exhibited by Matt Porter and the champion ridden Clydesdale was won by Tony Blanchard and Jessie.
Harness was also part of the program, with Hilary Billet having a successful show winning championships in the turnout and delivery sections.
Desiree Stewart was the champion driver of the show and she exhibited the champion driven horse.
Showjumping was held on Friday and Saturday.
Emi Scurrah and Stormi took out the 50cm open on both days and the under 15 50cm class on Saturday. She completed a top show being named the best performed pony club rider and, in a close finish separated by one point, the best overall performed combination.
The winner of the 50cm class for under 16s on Friday was Ella Parker, with Emi in second place.
Tony Blanchard won three classes – the Friday 60cm and both 70cm classes – and Greg Way the 80cm on Friday. The Saturday 60cm was won by Kellie Barnett.
The 80cm (two phase) on Saturday was won by Tony’s daughter Amalie riding Pieman, the 90cm Table C by Nonie Eve and the 1.04m by Baylee Eve.
Awards were presented to the best performed Standardbred (Victoria Talbot on Better Answer That) and best performed Thoroughbred (Cynthia Grant on Princess Mossman).
Novelties were also held across both days of the show.
Kelly Murray of Sporting Horse Australia, which ran the section, said it was great to have Bendigo back on the calendar after four years.
“It was an amazing turnout with many talented riders and horses showing their skill speed and stamina,” she said.
Sarah Nowland and Rinaldi’s Girl had a great show on the first day, winning a number of events and taking out champion novice pony, with Tayla Pulford and Dun It Again the reserve.
The under 15 champion was Ella Parker on Frankie (reserve champion Let Her Rip Emily Melville), the under 18 champion was Stephanie Greig and Little Ripper (reserve champion Queen of Hearts Emily Pritchard) and the open champion was Kylee Paull and Whiskey Business (reserve champion Sky’s the Limit Jill Tunkin).
The program was repeated Saturday with Tayla Pulford and Dun it Again this time taking the novice championship, with Bridget Zaitev and Princess the reserve.
Clara Greenwood on Africa was under 15 champion, with Ella Parker and Frankie reserve and Emily Melville and Let Her Rip was under 18 champion, with Addison Draper and Spinning on Gold Reserve.
In the open Jill Tunkin and Kylee Paull swapped places with Jill this time taking the championship.
See the whole gallery by Dale Webster at The Regional.
This article appeared on The Regional on 1 November 2023.
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