Behind every great rider (or pony club kid) is a groom
Behind every rider, from the smallest pony club member to the elite competitor at the Olympics, is a person following with a box full of grooming equipment ... the annual FEI Best Groom Award has paid tribute to the heroes behind the scenes ... last year’s winner, Emma Olsson ... works for six-time world driving champion Boyd Exell.
Horse trials ‘biggest and best yet’
The REA Wagga Wagga Horse Trials held their biggest event to date in Narrandera last weekend. The competition boasted 268 starters on the day from all over Australia including Albany (WA), Mornington Peninsula (Vic), the Central Coast, Sydney and locals from throughout the region.
Victorian takes Winton to Longreach trophy in 17 hours
One of the longest – and some say toughest – endurance rides in the country was revived this year as a one-off event to mark 100 years of Queensland's Country Women's Association and raise money for charity. The Winton to Longreach Endurance Ride, which was held from 1980 to 1988, covered 220km along the original Cobb and Co route between the two Queensland towns.
Exciting times ahead at Bracknell Lodge
After more than two and a half years since it was first applied for, Wyreema’s Bracknell Lodge can now become home to a horse equestrian arena after Toowoomba Regional Council gave its approval last week. Councillors had the final say at a special meeting held last Wednesday and gave their unanimous support for the development application.
Inaugural carriage event coming to Allora
Mark this date on your calendar - Sunday 20th August at 9am when the Allora Showgrounds will be filling up with some beautiful horses and ponies in carriages as the Show Society holds its first ever Allora Carriage Driving Gymkhana! ... At the end of the day there will be the much anticipated Queensland Precision Driving Off the Track feature event where the carriage must move through an obstacle course of cones in the fastest time.
Hunt clubs like Barwon in their element when winter bites
Deep in winter is when the hunt clubs gather socially to show off their horses as saddle mounts, working hunters and in hunters’ plates. Barwon Hunt Club held its show last weekend, with some quality horses put forward for Mariece Paine to judge. The show was an opportunity to pay respects to hunting identity Kathleen Cust, who died recently at the age of 78.
Carriage driving international ‘ashes’ a first for the sport
Australian carriage drivers are preparing to take on Great Britain in a world-first “stay-at-home international” ... The teams will be led by two equestrian legends; the British team by multiple European and World Champion and Olympian David Broome and Australia by multiple World Champion and World Cup Champion Boyd Exell.
Sarah’s Field of Dreams
Peter Hibberd. To be inducted into Racing Victoria’s jockey program is a dream for many aspiring jockeys. To win at your first race ride and join a very elite club, that is something else. Last Friday at the Donald racing centre all these dreams were realised when 25-year-old apprentice jockey Sarah Field won her first race at her first ride on the aptly-named Field Of Flutes.
Dan the Man
Jessica Rea. Cambooya’s Dan O’Leary and his pony Nelkie were two of the stars of the Cooke O’Leary Cup, a polo competition hosted by the Downs Polo Club in Clifton last weekend.The champion off the track pony prize, sponsored by Edwards Saddleworld Toowoomba, was awarded to Nelkie, owned and played by O’Leary.
Inspiring group of riders finding their place in the sun
It’s been a long road for people with disabilities to gain recognition as riders. At the turn of this century, England recognised riding for the disabled as a beneficial form of therapy and offered riding therapy for wounded soldiers at the Oxford Hospital during WWI ... Now, para competitions are a part of almost every senior dressage competition world-wide and there is a strong focus on the riders and horses.
Learning opportunities the top priority at development event
The Show Horse Council of Australasia’s NSW/ACT Youth Development and Championship Showcase was a brilliant idea, executed perfectly. Held at the Hawkesbury Showgrounds and designed be a youth development program as well as a qualifying event for the Grand National Show, it offered something for every young rider.
Good times in the saddle
From Nobby to Westbrook and everywhere in between, locals ventured out west last Saturday for the first ever Pittsworth Pro Rodeo. The rodeo was a raging success, with more than 3,500 people through the gates and top class action as well as local juniors delighting an all-ages crowd.
Northern Territory show season in full dry season swing
When the show scene goes into hibernation over winter in the southern states, the Northern Territory springs into action. The NT has an active show horse community and several top-class shows are run during the dry season, including the Darwin Show Horse Club's State Show Horse and Riding Championships that has just been held at the Darwin Showgrounds.
A horse walks into a bar ”¦
Carl and Marcy Agnew have been publicans at the Dog n Bull Hotel in Bonalbo for almost a year ... No one told him about the Bonalbo Bonanza Campdraft tradition. The one where the horses come into the pub.
Australian riders go global in experience of a lifetime
The dreams of four young Australian riders came true when they lined up to compete in the Global Amateur Tour held at Quintas Equestrian Centre near Puebla in Mexico ... It is a two-star FEI event that includes international riders on borrowed mounts and local riders on their own horses.
Weather gods throw it all at Milang Horse Trials
The Milang Horse Trials in South Australia provided competitors with a great weekend, even though the weather gods threw everything at them ... Horse trial classes were run from EA 95, where the winner in the senior section was Jayden Coates and Deltoi rising from fourth after dressage.
Sand dancers of a different kind show off their moves
Watching the Let’s Rein Jackpot Show held at Elmore Equestrian Park recently I began to understand why one of the most decorated dressage riders of all time took up the discipline ... In reining, each pattern includes small slow circles, large fast circles, flying lead changes, roll backs over the hocks and 360 degree spins – all much the same movements as dressage, just with different names.
New Zealand farmer makes quick work of Quilty Gold Cup
A farmer from New Zealand has won Australia’s most famous endurance ride, the Tom Quilty Gold Cup, completing the 160km course in the third fastest time in the event’s history. Ashley Cole, riding the nine-year-old Arabian stallion Tonki Dee Boo Novak, crossed the finish line at Stirling's Crossing, Imbil, Queensland, at the eight hour, 44 minute-mark, just a minute ahead of Catherine Bailey and Razorback Targaryen in second place.
Bidgee Big Bash Jackpot returns to Narrandera
The Bidgee Big Bash Jackpot was held for the second time recently, running at the Narrandera Rodeo Grounds. The event is run by the Team Roping Association and attracted competitors from all over NSW as well as South Australia and Victoria.
Clydie-cross story triggers an outpouring of love
When we wrote about how crosses with the magnificent heavy horse breed the Clydesdale were the quiet achievers in the horse world last week, we were very quickly shown just how popular and much loved they are.
Nothing better than a book to ride out the winter break
The last of the foal shows are done for the year, the royal show horses have a few more weeks rest before the earnest work begins and it’s the quietest time of the year for most horse people. It’s an opportunity to catch up on some reading by the fire while the wind blows cold, or while seated on a 12-hour plane flight – do we revisit some old favorites or go and find something new to read?
Fire and feathers: Clydesdale crosses the perfect sport horse
The Clydesdale horse is so often referred to in Australia as the “horse that built a nation” and it’s true. Australians have a great affection for the great horses of Scotland and the breed has graced the paddocks and show rings of Australia for more than 100 years ... They have crossed very well with other breeds and are very much the quiet achievers in the sport world.
