Show Circuit Magazine - June/July 2018 by Show Circuit Magazine

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WELCOME FROM MY DESK

We’ve all heard the saying “It takes a village”, whether that applies to raising children, pursuing a dream or building a business. Show Circuit magazine is my ‘baby’, now that my children have flown the nest and begun their adult lives. It all started with my vision of providing a magazine that would give recognition to the successes and challenges that face our small equestrian community. As the magazine grew, many people joined me along the way. Some stopped only for a short time, while others have stayed on longer, but every staff member, contributor and photographer has had an impact on bringing this publication to its current form. I am forever grateful to those who have been part of my ‘village’ – everyone who has contributed to the magazine and those who have taken the time to offer help and guidance along the way. As part of our continual evolution, we’re excited about some changes you will see over the next few issues. I would also like to extend a warm welcome to our new Senior Writer Rebecca Harper. In this issue, we celebrate success across the disciplines, starting with Jonelle Price’s breathtaking Badminton Horse Trials victory. It was sensational on so many levels – another great New Zealand win, by a female Kiwi rider for the first time (and on a mare!), and a well-deserved first ever 4* title for Jonelle. We celebrate with her and her team on page 14. We also caught up with successful show jumpers Tom Tarver-Priebe, who won the prestigious Norwood Gold Cup at HOY, and Tegan Fitzsimon, whose talented team includes the seven-year-old superstar Windermere Cappuccino. The Cadwallader family (aka Team Caddy) has become synonymous with show ring success, and we uncovered their winning formula for combining children, ponies and showing on page 34. We also spoke with young up-and-comers Lucy Norton-Collins (p. 28), Morgan Beere (p. 32) and Grace Thomson (pg. 38) about their successful seasons. While the season is now over, many riders will continue training through the winter, so our training section is focused on your future champions. Bundy Philpott explains how to keep your training simple and focused for a young horse (pg. 62) and Vanessa Randell’s vast experience with youngstock will help you master those all-important early handling sessions (pg. 72). It’s been an action-packed autumn, and our fantastic photographers have been out covering events across the disciplines. As the winter weather closes in, now’s the time to put your feet up and enjoy a good read!

Sheryll Davies, Publisher

COVER IMAGE

Jonelle Price - Classic Moet

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ABOUT SHOWCIRCUIT

Our magazine is published bi-monthly. Articles reflect the personal opinion of the author and not necessarily the view of Waiata Publishing Ltd. This publication cannot be reproduced in whole or in part in any way without the publisher’s express written permission. All contributions are submitted at the sender’s risk. Waiata Publishing Ltd accepts no responsibility for loss or damage. © SHOWCIRCUIT Magazine 2018 All rights reserved.

SHOWCIRCUIT MAGAZINE

IN THIS ISSUE JUNE | JULY 2018

OUR PEOPLE

14 20 24 28 32 34 38 40 42 43 44 46 48 52

TRAINING 61 62 68 70 72 80

Skinnies | Cross-Country Skills Bundy Philpott | Keeping Focused Christine Weal | Effective Warm-ups Settling the Arena Spook Vanessa Randell | Handling Youngstock Get to Grip with Studs

EVENT COVERAGE

138

IN EACH ISSUE 12 56 128 138

Top Shot Insider's Shopping Guide New Products Subscribe

HEALTH 130 134 137

Clipping Advice Nicola Smith | Better Health Recipe

82 Festival of Future Stars 86 Show Horse Council of Australasia 90 Kikihihi International Horse Trials 96 Pony Club Eventing Championships 100 NRM National Three-Day Event Championships 106 Under 25 Dressage Championships 112 South Island One-Day Event 116 Auckland Royal Show 120 Eventing Central Districts 124 Badminton Horse Trials SHOWCIRCUIT MAGAZINE

TOP SHOT Sarah Young - LEO DEGAS during the Waipa Home of Champions CIC3*, Kihikihi International Horse Trial 2018 PHOTO Cornege Photography

COVER STORY

SHOWCIRCUIT MAGAZINE

Jonelle

Price WORDS Catherine Austen

Jonelle Price is the first woman from New Zealand to win the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials – the world’s most famous three-day event. Catherine Austen spoke to her about what it took to win it, and what she hopes to conquer next.

PHOTO Nico Morgan Photography

o how did Jonelle Price celebrate her incredible Badminton win? Her fellow Kiwis chucked her in the British event’s famous lake. “It was pretty smelly,” she admits. “We had a few drinks when we got home, and a bit of a party on Monday night, but I’m rather out of practice and woke up on Monday morning with a shaky head and seven horses to school, so that kept me in line. “Then we had to be at team training at 8am on Tuesday morning with eight horses between us [Jonelle and her husband Tim]. And we had 15 horses to compete at Aston-le-Walls [a national event in Northamptonshire] on Wednesday and Thursday.” It comes as no surprise that by the time we meet at Chatsworth, six days after that brilliant Badminton success, Jonelle says that it is still “a bit surreal. I don’t know whether the enormity of it has sunk in yet.” In fact, she’s barely had time to assimilate it. The travelling eventing circus doesn’t allow much time for contemplation. But it is a remarkable achievement – she is the first woman from New Zealand to win the world’s most famous three-day event, and she achieved it just eight months after having her first child, Otis. During the Badminton event, she said: “I was pregnant here last year and sitting on the sidelines, incredibly frustrated. It’s not that I wasn’t hungry before, but I’ve come back even hungrier.”

THE SPEED QUEENS

Jonelle won her Badminton title in the way that Kiwi eventers have always made their mark on the sport – with an outstanding crosscountry performance. She and Trisha Rickards’s black mare, the mostly-Thoroughbred Classic Moet, posted the fastest round of the day, coming home just one second over the time allowed despite the sticky, holding ground. The next-fastest combination was a full 10 seconds slower, elevating Jonelle from 22nd after dressage all the way into the lead. “I knew she had a chance to get close,” says Jonelle. “I knew the conditions would favour her. She really is something else – I remember

SHOWCIRCUIT MAGAZINE

THE KIWI MENTALITY

Unlike New Zealand’s very first Badminton win, when Mark Todd burst onto the international stage in 1980 and caught everyone by

SHOWCIRCUIT MAGAZINE

PHOTO above David Davies/PA Images/Getty Images PHOTO left Simon West/Action Plus/Getty Images

saying when I first took her to an Advanced competition, ‘I think this horse is incredibly fast’, and she’s just got faster and faster as our relationship has grown. I know her so well, and it’s a pretty nice feeling when you get to the seven, eight-minute mark on a course and know you can cut loose now and she will really gallop to the line. At Normandy [at the 2014 World Equestrian Games], at Burghley and at Badminton, when no other horse was, she was still accelerating.” Why is this rather unprepossessing mare, who would never catch your eye on a yard of horses, so bold and so speedy? “I think where she is unique is that she can gallop on almost before she has landed,” explains Jonelle. “You’re in the air, and then suddenly you are three strides down the track. Most horses land and take a stride or two to get back up to speed.” She speaks with great affection and humour of ‘Molly’, who came to her five years ago as a 10-year-old two-star horse. “In the nicest way possible, she is so common! I often say that she is so unspecial that she is special. She’s an underdog and is very happy about that. She’s not at all affectionate, not into glitz or glam, she’s a tomboy, she’s dirty… There’s nothing remarkable about her. When she comes out of a dressage test and you let her stand naturally, she sticks her ears back and stretches the huge undermuscle she has beneath her neck. She’s very difficult to get a good photo of!” But the unprepossessing mare has now inscribed her name – and Jonelle’s – into the annals of the best of the best.

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Above: Winners are grinners! Jonelle with the prestigious Mitsubishi Motors Trophy. Top left: It was a nail-biting finish as Jonelle and Molly cleared the last fence to secure the win. Bottom left: Molly showing her unorthodox style over fence 7b. surprise (five months before Jonelle, now his friend and team-mate, was born!), this win has been slowly and surely built towards. Jonelle and Tim moved to Britain in 2005, and have been based at Tim and Melissa Brown’s Mere Farm, a few miles outside Marlborough in Wiltshire, ever since. It is a stunning property. The driveway is two miles long, and you pass the stables and indoor and outdoor arenas before eventually reaching the Prices’ house at the top of the hill, with views over acres and acres of paddocks and

and move so far away? “We were determined to pursue our careers, and knew that’s what it was going to take,” Jonelle explains. “I think that’s where the Kiwi mentality did us the world of good, because we never looked backwards. We always believed that things were moving forward and that we would get there in the end. We were clearly a bit naïve, but when there are two of you that share that goal, you just keep looking forwards and in time, the spoils have come. “It is harder for other people in some ways – we hardly ever see our families, for example, and won’t see their children grow up. I guess you give up a lot in those ways. Perhaps things like this – winning Badminton – make the sacrifices more worthwhile for them. The win was very special for me, of course, but also for those other people who have believed in us from the start. It was hugely emotional for them. Tim was funny – he said, ‘I didn’t think I could feel quite so emotional about someone else winning.’ He is as much a part of this success as I am.”

“I THINK THAT’S WHERE THE

KIWI MENTALITY DID US THE

WORLD OF GOOD, BECAUSE WE NEVER LOOKED BACKWARDS."

hacking. They have worked extremely hard on improving the facilities over the years, and their efforts have more than paid off. “I remember saying to Mum that it would take us three years [to get established in Britain],” recalls Jonelle. “She said, ‘No, five’, but really it took us seven years to get to a DOGGED DETERMINATION level we vaguely wanted to be at in terms As a couple, Tim and Jonelle work brilliantly, of income versus expenditure and having a yet as individuals, they are quite different. couple of decent horses to ride.” “Jonelle has dogged determination; she’s How hard was it for them to sell everything, unflappable and direct. She’s a very focused

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“I THINK WHERE SHE IS UNIQUE IS THAT SHE CAN GALLOP ON ALMOST BEFORE SHE HAS LANDED”

Classic Moet, with groom Megan Taylor, heading out to enjoy the spring sunshine. PHOTO Libby Law Photography

SHOWCIRCUIT MAGAZINE

girl,” says Tim. “But perhaps that is something I’ve lacked, and her focus has hopefully rubbed off on me a bit. I was just a cowboy mucking about on a farm breaking in horses, and was very natural about everything I did.” “There aren’t many horsemen as talented as Tim,” says Jonelle, “and he’s shown it time and time again. He’s possibly had to learn to be more of a competitor, but that’s an endearing quality, and he’s so personable – people love Tim. But that’s where we are balanced. He softens me a bit and I probably sharpen him a little.” Their upbringings were poles apart. Tim grew up on a farm with parents who bred horses. Jonelle’s family aren’t horsey – or sporty – at all. “My mum is terrified of animals full-stop, and there’s no competitiveness anywhere in the family,” she says. “I just had a weird obsession with horses and was determined to ride from a young age. Finally, Mum realised it wasn’t a passing thing and we leased a pony.” Jonelle found school very easy, and her mother was keen that she pursued an academic career. “She bribed me – if I went to university, she would keep supporting the horses.” She did the first year of a law degree, but the call of eventing was too strong to resist. The couple have now won a CCI4* apiece – Tim took Luhmühlen in Germany in 2014 – and some very prestigious 3* events. They have quality horses to ride, and good support from owners and sponsors, making the years of hard grind worthwhile.

Clockwise from left: Tim & Jonelle are always supporting each other; Jonelle and Classic Moet during the dressage test at Badminton Horse Trials; Classic Moet being led out at the picturesque Mere Farm. PHOTOS Libby Law Photography

BEING A WORKING MOTHER

Otis did throw a tiny – if very welcome – spoke in Jonelle’s smoothly oiled wheel, but she could not have proved her return to ‘match fitness’ in a more impressive way.“I genuinely don’t feel any different about competing,” she says. “When I was pregnant and had much more time on my hands than I was used to, I did wonder how everything would change, but it really hasn’t. It’s obviously very new territory, but we are lucky to have a real diamond in our nanny, Harriet Ashbridge, who has been a superstar in the short time we have had her. The only funny thing was that when I went to go cross-country at Badminton, I had Incy Wincy Spider from Otis’s nursery rhyme tape in my head the whole time!” The European eventing calendar is so jam-packed that if Otis and Harriet didn’t accompany Jonelle and Tim to some events, they wouldn’t see their son very much in the height of the season. But eventing has long been a family-friendly

sport, and as Otis grows up, there will be plenty of children at competitions for him to play with. Mark Todd, who is lounging in Jonelle’s truck at Chatsworth, waiting for it to be time to get on his horse and do his dressage test, chips in. “A lot of your friends are at the same stage and age and have kids too, and they get to play together.” Jonelle says, with a laugh, “The best part of it is that the children who I think will be his friends in years to come don’t have mothers who are competing, so I’m pretty confident Otis will be able to just pop on down to the Burtons’ truck!”

A SCORE TO SETTLE

The current focus, however, is rather more short-term. Badminton is behind us, and it is just four months until the World Equestrian Games. Jonelle has Classic Moet and her Rio Olympics ride Faerie Dianimo to choose from, with Ascona M as a worthy back-up. Tim’s top trio for WEG are probably Cekatinka,

who he rode for Jonelle while she was pregnant – “I’ve had to extend his lease on her, but it is a short-term lease,” she laughs – Xavier Faer and Pat's Jester. As long as luck remains on their side, it would seem highly likely that both Prices will be in Tryon, North Carolina in the third week in September. “We Kiwis have a bit of a score to settle and some ghosts to lay,” admits Jonelle. New Zealand hasn’t won a medal of any sort since its team bronze at the London Olympics in 2012, and the last time the team won gold was at the 1998 World Equestrian Games. “We have had incredible results at the likes of Badminton and Burghley recently, but we need to do it at a championship,” she emphasises. “Winning is an unbelievable feeling, but winning alongside your husband and some of your best mates would have to be the ultimate goal. We live in hope, and we proved at Badminton that dreams can come true, so we’ll keep dreaming.” C

SHOWCIRCUIT MAGAZINE

INTERVIEW

TEGAN FITZSIMON

A Talented Team

WORDS Pip Hume MAIN PHOTO Dark Horse Photography

indermere Cappuccino, or Vollie, as he is known at home, came to Tegan as a four-year-old, to be jump schooled and sold on behalf for his breeders, the Parkes family of Windermere Warmbloods. His bloodlines are impressive, being by the imported Hanoverian Corofino II out of a Voltaire II mare, Vespa. “I loved Vollie right from the get-go. He was so athletic and light, and jumping just came so naturally to him,” Tegan recalls. “I took him out twice, and almost immediately had an American buyer interested in him, but I liked him so much that I approached the Parkes family about an ownership partnership and luckily, they agreed.” Tegan produced the classy gelding to take out the Five-Year-Old Horse of the Year, the National Five-Year-Old title, and the National Five-Year-Old series, following it up a year

SHOWCIRCUIT MAGAZINE

later with the National Six-Year-Old title and the National Six-Year-Old series – although he didn’t win the Horse of the Year title. As a seven-year-old it was again a clean sweep, winning the South Island Seven-Year-Old title, the Seven-Year-Old Horse of the Year title, the National Seven-Year-Old title and the National Seven-Year-Old series. Vollie also made the step up to Grand Prix at Glistening Waters this year, producing five double clear rounds from five starts and picking up either first or second place in each of his classes. He won the Grand Prix Grand Final and also finished third in the National Grand Prix series. “He feels really good around the Grand Prix tracks,” Tegan says. “They give him something to think about. He was finding the Seven-Year-Old tracks too easy and he can get a bit cheeky.” She adds that Vollie sometimes isn’t the easiest ride. “He’s very sharp and spooky.

PHOTO LEFT kampic.com

At the Glistening Waters Jumping Series Final Show for 2018, Tegan Fitzsimon and the seriously talented young gelding Windermere Cappuccino added the National Seven-Year-Old series title to their previous Six-Year-Old and Five-Year-Old series wins. And he’s not the only talent on Tegan’s team.

He feels really good around the Grand Prix tracks,” Tegan says. “They give him something to think about. He was finding the SevenYear-Old tracks too easy and he can get a bit cheeky. I’ve got to be 100% onto it or he’ll get the better of me. He’s a bit like a little pony!” she laughs. “I‘ve come off him a few times in the ring because he just drops his shoulder and spins!” However, despite his quirkiness, his natural talent has made Vollie an easy horse to bring up through the grades. Tegan says that he likes to jump clean and is very careful the majority of the time. The exception to that was a rail in each round at the Takapoto Estate Show Jumping show. “The travel just caught up with him. He’d had a full-on week, and it was very humid and warm. He felt a bit flat compared to his usual self. But a short break before HOY lifted his spirits and he came back well,” she says. “I had a major rider error in the Norwood Gold Cup which resulted in a fence down, but he hasn’t had a rail since that class. He felt great in the Seven-Year-Old later in the week and had the only double clear. He jumped amazingly all show.” Double J Monarch, now co-owned with Tinesha Carey, joined Tegan’s team when Tinesha went overseas to pursue her hockey career. A full sister to Katharine Van Tuyl’s well-known eventer Double J Sunshine, Tegan enjoys having the “good, handy mare” in her team. As a seven-year-old, Monarch won the South Island Seven-Year-Old title and was runner-up in the National Seven-Year-Old series. The following season, she was the National Leading Mare, the National Leading Eight-Year-Old and runnerup in the National Grand Prix series. From limited big starts last season, she finished eighth equal in the Olympic Cup, second in the Premier League Grand Final, third in the Lady Rider of the Year and fourth in the National Grand Prix Series. Monarch is currently on the market – if the right person comes along. Otherwise, Tegan will look to step her up to the World Cup series next season. Tegan also had a very nice six-yearold for the season, Cappuccino NZPH. “Cappy came to me to be sold on behalf for her owner Katie O’Neill, but after a couple of weeks we decided to hold off and compete her for the season. She’s been fantastic and I’ve really enjoyed riding her – she’s a lovely mare. However, she’s now back on the market.” Next season, Tegan has the ride on the Tapsley family’s five-year-old Campari, who, like Vollie, is by Corofino II, and is out of a Littorio mare. “I started jump schooling Campari as a four-year-old, then Florence Tapsley did the majority of the season producing him. I took over the ride for Nationals and Canterbury Champs, where he won the Five-Year-Old class. Tegan Fitzsimon - DOUBLE J MONARCH in the Grand He’s very classy and we all have high Prix at Glistening Waters 2018 hopes for him.”

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and good owners. I’m now extremely lucky to have an incredible support team behind me, including my long-time sponsors Alacazam MH (Sam) came Tegan’s way ten years ago. He’s now McMillans and Syncroflex, and more recently Future Feeds Chaff 19 years old and will always remain a family member. Tegan and Michelle Clarke Photography have come on board. readily acknowledges just how much she owes to the quirky “Over winter, I tend to load myself up with schooling and selling Anamour gelding. on behalf so I can concentrate on competing my team and my “After I finished with ponies, I was very lucky with my first hack, owners’ horses over the summer season. Party Time (Harry) who exceeded all expectations! I had my first “You’re lucky if the prize money covers the cost of entries,” she ever Grand Prix start on him at South Island Champs and also won adds. “I sold a really nice four-year-old the National Young Rider title. to fund last season’s seven-week trip to “Then, when I was looking for my next It can be a hard sport; you the North Island, and I’ve got another horse, we did a road trip around the win some, you lose some. You are winter project four-year-old that will North Island. We went to dinner with John Cottle, who suggested we look at eventually be sold to fund part of next relying not only on yourself, you Sam (Alacazam MH). Although he had are relying on your horse too and season’s North Island campaign. mainly just done dressage with a little “It can be a hard sport; you win some, it doesn’t always go your way. But you lose some. You are relying not only bit of jumping, he was the one!” Sam gave Tegan the opportunity to on yourself, but on your horse too, and the older you get the better you gain more experience at Grand Prix it doesn’t always go your way. But the get – you’re always learning and and Premier League level, including older you get the better you get – you’re being part of NZ Young Rider teams getting better. always learning and improving. from 2009 to 2012. The highlight of “I used to be quite nervous about those years was competing at the Youth Olympics in Sydney in results, but now I’m more like ‘what will be will be’. I’ve realised that 2009, where the New Zealand team (Tegan, Rachel Malcolm, I just have to go into the ring and do my job, and let the horses do Chloe Hansen and Tess Clark) won gold. Tegan also placed third theirs. I know that the horses I am sitting on are good enough and in the individual qualifier. obviously I want to do well, but they aren’t robots. I don’t ride 100% every show so I can’t expect them to be 100% at every show either!” PROSPECTS IN THE PADDOCK Working with horses also carries the risk of injury. “It can be a One of the major challenges faced by professional riders is making risky business. Last season I broke my collarbone at the third show sure that there are always quality horses coming through. With of the season while competing a fairly green horse. Luckily I healed an eye to the future, Tegan has some exciting youngsters in the quickly and was back in the ring after a couple of weeks. paddock at home. “Then recently, after the end of the season, a two-year-old at “We’ve got two rising three-year-olds – Stevenson ECPH (Kannan/ home got a fright and jumped on me, breaking my foot. I guess Ngahiwi Emillionaire), purchased as a yearling from his breeders that’s all part of it!” East Coast Performance Horses, and Luna SF (Centavos/River Rain), who we purchased from breeder Sara Fisher in South Canterbury. PLANS & POSSIBILITIES “Then there’s Memory MW (by Centavos from a Lindberg Des West Melton in Canterbury is definitely home for Tegan, but in order Hayettes mare) who is a rising two-year-old purchased from Matai to give her talented team exposure to bigger tracks and competitions, Warmbloods, and Diranda (Diarado/Cassini II/Calato) a weanling she plans to base herself in the North Island next season. filly who was pre-purchased before birth.” However, keeping in line with her philosophy of not competing her horses until she feels they are 100% capable (even if it might THE BUSINESS END take a little longer), she will take things as they come. Tegan says that while running a full-time equestrian business “How Vollie goes next season will give us more of an idea of alongside her show jumping career isn’t the easiest, she never had just how good he is going to be. If everything goes as expected, any other plan. Australia would be the next step to see how he copes. But it also “When I left school, I worked full-time at Canterbury Equestrian depends on whether we can get the financial backing, so we’ll for five years to fund my horses,” she explains. “When I started riding full-time it took a while to establish a good, solid client base have to wait and see.” C

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INTERVIEW

Double Delight

WORDS Rachael Sutton PHOTO Cornege Photography

BROOKE CAMPBELL

It was the first time I’d just allowed myself to be in the moment and enjoy it, and I really did.

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Two years ago, if you had told Brooke Campbell that she would go on to win not one, but two national titles, she would have laughed – but that’s exactly what she has done. We caught up with Brooke following her most recent win at Kihikihi.

PHOTO Eyewitness Photography

fter taking out the 2* National title in 2017, the 28-year-old from Coatesville says she never dreamed she could make it two in a row. “I kept saying that it would take a miracle to win it again!” But win it again she did, aboard Freddy Dash, a nine-year-old Thoroughbred by Shinko King, proving that sometimes miracles really can happen. The win was very much a family affair. Freddy was originally intended for a life as a racehorse, but ended up with the Campbells after he was too slow to even trial. Freddy was purchased “as cheap as chips” for Brooke’s mum Deidre to ride, and given his reputation for being lazy, no one ever expected him to amount to much. “We thought it was time Mum had her own horse, but nothing that was going to go out and beat the world. When I first saw him, he was a little fatty!”

KEEPING IT IN THE FAMILY

The horse gene runs strong in the Campbell family. Brooke’s sister Chanel is well-known in eventing circles, and Deidre has always been a keen rider. The family has lived in Coatesville, just north of Auckland, for nearly twenty years, and the girls came up through the ranks of Pony Club. Brooke says eventing was always her first passion, although she had a number of successful show jumping ponies. “In hindsight, I probably should have gone straight show jumping. But I tried to make them all into eventers!” Brooke’s first taste of top level eventing was on Sonic, a horse passed down to her from Chanel. “I had him for seven years, and he took me around so many two-stars, and even a three-star.” Sticking with the trend of keeping horses in the family, Sonic was then moved on to younger sister Sophie, before retiring to Chanel and her husband’s Taupo property. As Brooke has no plans to hand back the reins to Freddy any time soon, it’s fortunate that Deidre has Chanel’s old two-star horse, Kingston (also by Shinko King), to ride in the meantime. Brooke says the support she gets from her family is instrumental. “I literally couldn’t do this without them. Mum is amazing.” The bonus of having a mother who rides is that Deidre is always on hand to exercise Freddy if Brooke is away or busy with work.

THE LITTLE HORSE WITH A BIG HEART

Brooke says the amount of time it took her to climb back to 2* after moving off Sonic shows how hard it is to get back up through the levels in eventing. “After Sonic, it was eight years before I was back at twostar. That’s a long time!” Before Freddy, Brooke had always gone for the “flashy” horses with extravagant jumps, but she discovered that didn’t necessarily mean they had the right brain for the job. The arrival of the 15.3hh gelding to the Campbells came

at just the right time – Brooke had tragically lost two horses in a row, and her other horse was out with injury. “I was literally on the cusp of ‘Do I even want to do this anymore?’” she recalls. “I think Mum and Chanel could see that, and they wanted me to keep going.” Deidre had completed a couple of Training starts on Freddy, and Brooke jokes that her family basically forced her to start riding him. “He doesn’t move fancy, but it just goes to show what a good brain does, because he went up the levels so quickly.” Brooke took over the ride when Freddy was six, but says the gutsy gelding never felt like a young horse. “To be honest, he felt ready for two-star as a seven-year-old, but I wanted to wait, and we didn’t want to push him. He’s just got a great brain.” In saying that, Brooke admits the little Thoroughbred can be extremely quirky. “He’s a funny little character. He can be super grumpy, and we’ve had to be really careful and fine tune what we feed him.” She says he can’t live without Hygain Smoochies. “I like my horses cuddly, and those treats are the only thing that make him that way, otherwise he’s not interested! I always have to have those on hand, and it makes him so happy.” The Campbells also use equine sports therapist, Claire McGowan, to help keep Freddy in top shape. “I think that’s been a huge part of getting him to where he is,” Brooke says. “He used to get really tight in his back, and when he’s tight he’s really grumpy. He’s definitely got a lot stronger in the last year.”

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DASHING DOUBLE

When the pair took out the 2* title in 2017, Brooke had placed third in the class behind Clarke Johnstone and Amanda Pottinger, but neither was eligible to win the title. “It was cool to win it. I didn’t even realise at the time, and it was pretty mind-blowing as Freddy had never won anything that big before.” While he may not be a large horse, one of Freddy’s strengths is his ability to turn quickly, which Brooke says really contributed to both of her wins at Kihikihi. In 2017, she and Clarke were the only riders to come in under time. “I’ve always been a bit of a nana, but Freddy is so nippy. I can walk tight lines and keep coming in a nice rhythm.” At this year’s event, the combination got off to a great start, with Freddy pulling off what Brooke describes as one of his best-ever dressage tests, to have them sitting in fifth before cross-country. Brooke says the test was testament to many hours training with dressage coach Tracy Smith. “He did a really cute, genuine test, so I was absolutely stoked.” After walking the cross-country with jumping coach Donna Smith, and again with Chanel, Brooke admits to feeling some pressure to make the time for a second year. “I actually wore my watch this year, which I hardly ever do, and we managed to make it with time to spare.” Her quick approach paid off, with Brooke being the only one to make the time. “It was the first time I’d just allowed myself to be in the moment and enjoy it, and I really did.” Going into the show jumping in the lead, Brooke had a rail in

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hand, which it turned out she would need. “Before I went in, I was trying not to think about the possibility of winning, as show jumping is not Freddy’s strongest phase. I still can’t quite believe that he won it again!”

LIVING A BALANCED LIFE

Brooke balances her eventing career alongside her job in Digital Marketing & Design for Beef and Lamb New Zealand. She says their support in allowing her to be flexible around riding and competing has been invaluable. “I think that’s a huge part of being able to be successful, when your employer works with you.” While she doesn’t class herself as a professional, she says the team she works alongside are very understanding that highlevel sport takes time and commitment, and they even put on a celebratory party after her win at Kihikihi. Also newly engaged, Brooke and fiancé Mark have recently purchased their first home, not far from the family farm, in Hobsonville Point. “I definitely like the balance – I enjoy working and just having one horse.” And while Brooke and Freddy are headed towards 3* now, she says her ultimate aim is always the happiness of her horse. “Keeping my horse happy and jumping well is my focus, especially when you get to those upper levels. A lot of that comes down to the support and the team you have behind you. Freddy is definitely very well cared for!” C

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“It just goes to show what a good brain does, because he went up the levels so quickly.”

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INTERVIEW

LUCY NORTON-COLLINS

Team work makes the dream work

For a young pony, KS Honey Boo Boo is no stranger to success in the show ring, but Waimauku’s Lucy Norton-Collins never expected to pick up the Supreme Novice Show Pony title at the Royal Easter Show in her first proper competition with the pony. WORDS Rebecca Harper PHOTOS Show Circuit

“I WOULD LIKE TO WIN THE HOY LARGE SHOW PONY TITLE, THAT’S MY DREAM. IF I WORK HARD AND PUT A LOT OF EFFORT IN, I THINK IT CAN HAPPEN.”

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ucy Norton-Collins and KS Honey Boo Boo are a relatively new team but Lucy hopes this pony may be the one to help her achieve her dream of winning the Large Show Pony of the Year title at Horse of the Year. The Waimauku teenager has been riding since she was very young and has enjoyed success in the show ring with a number of ponies over the years. Her highlight so far is winning the New Zealand Riding Society Pony 138cm-148cm title at HOY this year with Chelton Light Endeavour. Lucy, 13, attends St Dominic’s Catholic College and with four ponies, life is never dull. There are four girls and nine ponies between the Norton-Collins family and riding is a family affair, with weekends spent roadtripping to shows from as far north as Whangarei to as far south as Feilding. Mum Sue says horses have been an epic journey for the family, and the girls are all expected to pull their weight. “They all work really well as a team, and they’ve absolutely had to. There are a lot of stables to muck out in the morning! “This is their sport at the end of the day, it’s what they want to do, so they need to get on with it. They’ve been very lucky to have some pretty talented, influential people help them out and that’s been the key to their success.”

going to these A&P shows. We had no idea! It was Joy who started Lucy off and took her to her first three HOY shows. “We just wanted to get cool outfits and now we’ve ended up with nine ponies…I’m not quite sure how that happened!” For the last season, Lucy has come under the tutelage of Amanda Berridge at Roulette Equine in Cambridge. “In the school holidays I go and stay with them, take the ponies and get lessons – just ride and have fun,” Lucy says. “She has helped me improve my riding a lot and when I had a bit of trouble with one of my ponies she helped fix it. We are friends and it’s easy to talk to her about situations when I’m riding. She gets me and knows if I’m struggling with something, and how to fix it.”

A LOVE OF SHOWING

Lucy began riding as a tiny tot at the age of just two, starting off at home then attending Pony Club before progressing to ribbon days and, eventually, A&P shows. She does a little bit of winter dressage and show jumping, but showing is what she really loves. “I like getting dressed up and looking very pretty on our horses. Show jumping can be scary over big jumps, but showing is on the flat and I like how all the ponies are turned out and working.” During the week, Lucy usually rides one pony each day and Sue will lunge a couple, alternating between the ponies. At the weekends Lucy rides two each day and admits it is a big time commitment. “It takes up a lot of my free time. I’m always riding and don’t get a lot of time with my friends. But I love it, it’s really fun. I’ve been doing it my whole life. I couldn’t stop – it’s part of me, you know?” It was a chance meeting with Joy Ramsay of AJSA Showing Jackets that really kick-started the showing bug for the family and led to the purchase of Lucy’s first good pony, Eastdale Cabaret. “When the girls were doing well at ribbon days we thought we’d get them some cool outfits. We went to see Joy, as she was ‘the’ person to go to. Lucy, in particular, has been incredibly fortunate that Joy took her under her wing,” Sue says. “Lucy was about seven at the time. I didn’t know Joy from Adam, but she took a shine to Lucy and she sort of browbeat me into

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Lucy riding Chelton Light Endeavour to win the New Zealand Riding Society Pony 138cm-148cm title at Horse of the Year

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“I THOUGHT SHE WOULD DO WELL, BUT I DIDN’T KNOW SHE WOULD WIN SUPREME FIRST TIME. I WAS QUITE SURPRISED AND TEARING UP A LITTLE BIT. SHE IS A BEAUTIFUL PONY AND EASY TO RIDE." Lucy riding KS Honey Boo Boo to win Supreme Novice Pony at the Auckland Royal Easter Show in April 2018

FINDING BOO

The opportunity to buy KS Honey Boo Boo, or Boo as she is known at home, as a young pony for Lucy came up through Ben Thomson, of TC Equestrian. “If it wasn’t for Ben, we wouldn’t have got Boo. We were very fortunate,” Sue says. Bred by KS Show Horses, five-year-old Boo is by Kolbeach Rembrandt out of Malibu Park Obsession. Owned by Sheridan Swift at the time, Boo was with Ben to be broken in and started under saddle. The pony has an extensive list of successes on her resume, both in the led showing and novice ridden classes, with Ben on board. She is one-tenth Arab and has also won many wide ribbons in the Arab ring. “Boo has won an awful lot, she’s probably been one of the most successful KS progeny so far,” Sue says. “Ben has always had a special spot in his heart for Boo and we were very lucky, as he thought she might come on the market and teed it up for us to buy her.” The pony finally came to live with the family in January this year, and only did two competitions this season. The first was the Show Horse Council show in November, under the TC Equestrian umbrella, though Lucy did hop on for two classes. “She had a pretty big first season so this second season we just did two shows, to take the pressure off and let her grow and mature. She has that presence about her, she’s just a very nicenatured mare and has that ‘look at me’ quality about her,” Sue says. The Royal Easter Show was the first show they attended where

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Lucy prepped and rode the pony by herself. Although they knew the pony was top class, the result surprised them all. “I thought she would do well, but I didn’t know she would win Supreme first time out. I was quite surprised and tearing up a little bit. She is a beautiful pony and easy to ride,” Lucy says. “We have bonded quite quickly – but she does get very angry when it’s dinner time if she doesn’t get fed first. She’s a bit grumpy when it comes to dinner, but other than that she’s a very easy pony to handle. “I would like to win the HOY Large Show Pony title, that’s my dream. If I work hard and put a lot of effort in, I think it can happen.”

BIGGEST SUCCESS

Lucy rates the highlight of her riding career so far as taking out the New Zealand Riding Pony 138cm-148cm title at HOY this year with Chelton Light Endeavour. “I had put a lot of time and effort into him. I started crying when I won it, I was so proud of him. It’s our biggest achievement together.” She got 10-year-old Ernie, as he’s known, at HOY last year. The 148cm pony is by Kirkwood Blacklight out of Phoenician Eloquence, and Lucy says he can be quite quirky. “He’s always doing something, he won’t stand still. When you’re getting ready to ride he’s licking you or playing with you. We have toys in the stable for him.” She has two other ponies, saddle hunter pony Dragonwyck Captivation and KL Born to Rhythm, who she does some jumping on. While Lucy doesn’t plan to make horses her career, she thinks she will always enjoy riding and has no plans to stop any time soon. C

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INTERVIEW

Quiet Achiever WORDS Pip Hume PHOTOS Dark Horse Photography

After growing too tall for her well-performed but very feisty pony Wembleybrook Sergio, this season 16-yearold Morgan Beere has been out in the competition arena with her homebred pony Sambuca Soda, and her young hack Redwood Furst Affair, both of which she has broken-in and produced herself.

s far as the 2017/18 season goes, Morgan explains that competing two youngsters means it hasn’t been her best in terms of titles and accolades. However, the improvements she has seen in her young horses have been hugely rewarding. She’s particularly proud of winning the Four-Year-Old Future Star Pony and the overall Pony title in the Elite Equine Young Dressage Pony with her homebred Sambuca Soda (Soda). “The Young Horse and Pony competitions are very cool. In dressage classes it can be hard for a young pony to go out against the more experienced, older, stronger ponies, so I tend to just compete against myself and take each show as it comes. It’s a shame there weren’t more Young Dressage Pony entries,” she comments. Soda is out of the pony mare Bombay Pop, or Poppy, who joined the Beere family when Morgan was seven years old. “To ride, Poppy was a very arrogant little pony and a brutal teacher! I had to learn to sit very still and correct, and not bang about on her because she would buck me off! I was that kid at Pony Club who always got bucked off, and I always wore a back protector every day. She’s very beautiful though!”

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Morgan says that unlike Poppy, Soda is very well-behaved and completely trusting. “Even in a big show environment like the Under 25 Champs, you just put your leg on and he goes forward, and his canter is so good to ride! He’s got an amazing jump too. We’ve done hardly any jumping, but he jumps as though he has been doing it his whole life and seems to get the striding naturally. I did Show Hunter on Poppy, and she was great. If she wasn’t in a bucking mood you could just sit there and she would do everything for you. “Soda’s totally kind and trust-worthy. I’ve been trying to train up my eight-year-old sister Rowan to be my groom and she catches him for me and cools him down while I ride Bella.” Now that the season has come to a close, Soda will be put on the market. Morgan is philosophical about this. “He was always a project pony. I could ride him for another year until I turn 17, but because I’m tall he’s a bit small for me. We’ve also got a two-year-old from Poppy in the paddock by Lingh II. He’s a bit bigger, with beautiful movement and a lovely, cruisy nature, so I will break him in and then he will go on the market too.” Morgan’s other ride is Redwood Furst Affair, or Bella, imported

from Redwood Stud in Australia as a two-yearold. Morgan broke her in as a three-year-old, but because she was a big, weak young horse Bella was only ridden in the school holidays at first, and had no pressure put on her. This season, Bella missed Dressage Nationals and Horse of the Year after a paddock injury, but Morgan was able to bring her back to compete in the Elite Equine FiveYear-Old Future Star classes. “Bella scored well for her trot and canter, but I feel that I let us both down in the walk, which at the moment is her biggest challenge. She isn’t very strong yet so she can get a bit lateral, and I’m still learning to ride it. But hopefully I’ll have another go when she is a six-year-old. My dad always says you are only an idiot if you make the same mistake twice! “Bella’s very clever and easy to teach and she never gets rattled or stressed.”

She’ll say to me, ‘Stop riding like a pony rider – you’re riding a horse now!

GETTING IT RIGHT

Morgan has regular lessons with her coach Christine Weal, who makes sure that everything is on track with the young horses. “I love Christine’s teaching. even though she growls! She makes sure I keep my legs on all of the time; they aren’t allowed to flap around. She’ll say to me, ‘Stop riding like a pony rider – you’re riding a horse now!’ “Sergio was so forward that I didn’t have to do much, and Soda is nice and forward too so he’s not hard, but I have to ride Bella and work hard to keep her going.”

THE FAVOURITE

Morgan has a bond with each of her horses, but it’s Sergio who holds first place in her heart. By all accounts, he was always very hot and unpredictable, but Morgan loved him, and if anything bad was said about him, she would fire up. He was supposed to be a jumping pony, but he really didn’t enjoy jumping and apparently, it wasn’t fun for a mother to watch! “At the start, he was very horse shy,” remembers Morgan. “We took him out showing to try and desensitise him, and it did work, but showing wasn’t really for us. So because he found jumping stressful, we decided to do dressage because it was easier on him. “He was always feisty to ride. We got a lot of 1’s and 2’s, and also a lot of 9’s! We would get those low marks and high marks all in the

same test. “A few highlights with him include winning National Pony Champion at the Under 25 Dressage Champs in 2017 and winning the World Dressage Challenge twice. We were also selected into the Dressage NZ Pony Squad in 2016/17 in Sergio’s last season competing in New Zealand. “I just loved riding him so much but I got way too big for him. My feet started hitting the letters in the arena! He has gone to the most amazing home in Australia with a small adult rider where he is very pampered. He’s ideal for her because he’s like a little horse to ride.” C

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INTERVIEW

“

Once the kids

started to show

”

a bit of interest we were all in!

PORTR A I T OF A

SHOWING FAMILY WORDS Rebecca Harper PHOTOS Show Circuit

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With 24 Horse of the Year showing titles between three children, the Cadwallader family, known as ‘Team Caddy’, have proven they have the winning formula when it comes to children, ponies and showing.

or Trey, Brooke and Mia Cadwallader, from Coatesville, showing is a way of life. The children have an incredibly dedicated team behind them – mum Nannette, dad Logan, ‘aunty’ Fiona Honeyman and close family friend Chantelle Banbury – who all play a huge role in coaching the children and helping to produce the ponies. Fiona is able to jump on the ponies if needed and help solve any problems. “To have a well-schooled and educated pony, you need a team that can help the child achieve – it’s a lot of work,” Nannette says.

SHOWING AN INTEREST

Nannette competed in saddle hunters before having children and has always loved showing, so it seems her children were destined for the show ring. “Once the kids started to show a little bit of interest, we were all in!” Nanteos Autumn Guardsman, or Tommy as he’s known at home, was the pony that got them going. “Tommy trotted past my vehicle at Cambridge A&P and I knew I wanted

him. He was the one that started it all, and he’s responsible for all the kids’ successes. He taught them everything. He’s an absolute little schoolmaster and a legend in his own right.” Tommy was purchased from the Porteous family as a lead-rein pony for Trey to start out on, and is still in the family. “He will never be sold, he’s like our family pet,” Nannette says.

Club, where the kids and ponies enjoy hacking out and popping over some small fences.”

A COMMUNITY SPIRIT

Horses are a huge commitment and a large chunk of their summer holidays are spent at shows. “But we love going away to them, it’s our way of seeing the country and the kids catch up with their friends,” Nannette says. “In the ENJOYMENT & SUCCESS heat of summer we even packed an To be successful in showing, she says, inflatable pool! We have become part you need to be 100% committed. But of the showing community. It’s what even at this level, the key to success is we do, it’s exciting and the kids love it.” having fun. “I think with children you have to be careful, because when it To be successful in becomes a chore, a child will showing, she says, become less interested,” she explains. “When they do have you need to be 100% success it is also hard, because committed. But even that brings its own pressures.” at this level, the key to Variety is also important. “I went out the other day and success is having fun. found Brooke and Mia riding Diva and Tommy bareback, They are grateful to have laughing and giggling. It’s really nice to enjoy that, or take the ponies to the sponsorship from Hygain NZ and beach. We often road ride up to Pony Snuggy Hoods Australia.

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[

MIA

[

The thing she most enjoys about riding? “It’s fun.”

Youngest sibling Mia, 9, won both the First Ridden Pony Rider of the Year and First Ridden Pony of the Year with Eastdale Diva at this year’s HOY. She also picked up the Welsh First Year Ridden title aboard Tommy. “He’s my favourite to ride because I love him.” Nannette agrees. “It’s love to the point of craziness – she won’t let anyone else do anything with him.” Mia says Diva was the perfect pony to ride in the First Year Ridden section. “She’s not too lazy or too fast, and she really looked after me out there.” “She is the most well-named animal I’ve ever had in my life,” adds Nannette. “She is a total diva, a spoilt princess, and she knows it. It’s a fine balance to find a

Brooke says her secret is to try your best in the ring and work hard at home.

Carmel College student Brooke, 11, enjoys showing and the social side of seeing all her friends at shows. She and Tommy (Nanteos Autumn Guardsman), who she has ridden since she was two, won the HOY title for Saddle Hunter Pony of the Year not exceeding 128cm. “He is very safe,” Brooke says of Tommy. “I felt really happy to win the title in my first year of riding him in the Open ring.” Brooke then partnered up with Eastdale Diva and successfully defended the Show Pony of the Year not exceeding 128cm title – the second time she has won it on the pony, and the sixth consecutive year that the pony

]

pony that can be quiet enough for Lead Rein, yet still have the sparkle to stand out in the Open ring.” She admits that truly good three phase ponies are rare, but Diva is definitely one out of the box. “She is quite an upbeat mare and she’s got a bit of spunk. When she’s in that ring she knows she’s on show.” Mia also practices a lot at home and enjoys riding with her friends, as well as playing netball in winter. She says the siblings all help each other out with their ponies. “Fiona teaches us and gives us lessons and when she’s not there, Mum teaches us before or after school.” The thing she most enjoys about riding? “It’s fun.”

BR O O K E

has taken home the title. The family describes the super-consistent Diva as the pony of a lifetime, and she has also won In-hand, Lead Rein and First Ridden titles at HOY. Brooke also won the Junior Rider 11 Years & Under on the flamboyant palomino pony Leeara Park First Edition, who was also ridden by Trey to take Reserve Medium Show Pony. Brooke says they all help out with the ponies at home. “We help feed them every night and change their rugs, stable them and muck out.” With nine HOY titles to her name now, Brooke says her secret is to try your best in the ring and work hard at home. She also plays netball in winter, when she’s not riding.

TREY

[

I knew she could do it, but I didn’t expect to win the Open title,” Trey says.

Riding four-year-old Rosehill Park Sapphire (Saffy) in the pony’s first season under saddle, 13-year-old Trey was thrilled to take out the Saddle Hunter Pony of the Year over 138cm and not exceeding 148cm. Given how young and still relatively green Saffy is, they’d aimed for the Rising Star title – which the pony also won, piloted by Fiona Honeyman. “I knew she could do it, but I didn’t expect to win the Open title,” Trey says. He says Saffy has good conformation, but the thing he really likes about her is her personality. “She’s funny and she tries really hard.” The family got Saffy in October last year. She was bred by Jo-Ann Kloosterman and is by Burren-dah The Wizard out of

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the exceptionally well-performed mare Lorken Park Applause, who was imported from Australia by Claire Simpson. “She was only green when we purchased her. Ben Thomson started her and did a beautiful job. We took her very slowly and Fiona has educated her and brought her on for Trey,” Nannette says. “To have a young pony carry a 13-year-old around like she did really shows her incredible nature. What attracted me to Saffy the most was her conformation and presence.” Rosmini College student Trey enjoys a bit of jumping at home, but says showing is the family sport, and he enjoys catching up with his friends at shows. As well as riding, he also plays cricket and rugby, and admits rugby is his favourite. C

INTERVIEW

He’s naturally show ring perfect and very uphill in the way he goes

GRACE THOMSON

The Perfect Beginning WORDS Rebecca Harper PHOTOS Show Circuit

When Grace Thomson first spotted Trevalda Mountain Storm in the paddock as a foal, she earmarked him as a horse she wanted to ride. Now, at just four-years old, and having only competed at his first show in November last year, the horse is impressing in both the showing and dressage arenas.

hen Tracy Crossan started her breeding operation at Trevalda Irish Sport Horses with one aim in mind – to breed Horse of the Year Show quality saddle hunters. Trevalda Mountain Storm, known at home as Zak, was bred and broken-in by Tracy, who still owns him, and the stunning grey gelding certainly looks like one to watch for the future. At the 2018 Horse of the Year Show, Grace and Zak picked up the Rising Star Saddle Hunter Horse title and were runner-up in the Open Saddle Hunter title class. They also placed third in the FEI four-yearold dressage test, and Grace was runner-up in the Rider of the Year 17-21 years. Grace, 17, lives in West Melton, although she based herself and two horses at JHT Equine, in Waikato, between Horse of the Year and the U25 New Zealand Dressage Championships in late April, rather than travelling home.

STARTING YOUNG

Grace describes her parents as totally non-horsey in the beginning, but her passion has converted them over the years, and the family now runs an agistment business from their West Melton property in Canterbury. “Horses were always fascinating to me. Mum always says that no matter how big the horses were, she just couldn’t keep me away from them! I started riding at about age five, in lessons at the local riding school in Wanaka.” It wasn’t long before one lesson a week turned into twice-weekly lessons and, eventually, the riding school couldn’t get rid of Grace, who

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spent most afternoons there helping out and riding naughty ponies. Her first pony was leased from the riding school. “He really taught me how to ride! He was quite naughty but I learned to stick on anything.” When Grace was 11 the family purchased her first pony, Rostroon Shimmering Jack, from the Silcock family in Nelson. “He was an established dressage and show pony and had jumped quite a bit too. He was a speedy wee thing and I wasn’t that confident jumping him, so my coach, Pip Thompson, encouraged me to do dressage and show him. Luckily he knew everything and taught me the ropes.” Dressage and showing became her main disciplines. “I’m a bit of an OCD perfectionist, and I like everything in order, organised and ready to go. At first, I had no idea what I was doing in the show ring, but the pony was amazing and took me around. “Unfortunately, when I was in my last season on him, he got colic and had to be put down. Mum had decided she wanted to start riding and we came across an older horse who was an ex-Grand Prix dressage horse, so I started riding him,” Grace recalls. “He was seventeen hands, and I had no idea what I was doing. But my pony had just died and I had all these competitions entered, so I just rode him instead. My most embarrassing moment came when I was trying to canter across the diagonal, and he automatically clicked into doing a line of one-time changes instead and I couldn’t stop him. I was so embarrassed, but he was amazing. We still have him, he’s retired now and is the babysitter of the gang.” Her next pony was Coincidentally With Grace, who won a lot in the show ring and competed to Level 4 dressage.

FIRST MEETING

Grace crossed paths with Tracy years ago at the Maniototo A&P Show, when she was riding ponies. “We went and stayed with her, and about four years ago, I went out into the paddock with the mares and foals. Zak was my favourite, and I said to Tracy, ‘Some day I’m going to ride that horse. That’s my horse’.” Grace’s prediction came true when Tracy sent Zak to her in November last year. “I rode him twice and phoned her to ask if I could take him to a show that weekend. She said yes, and he went Champion In-hand and Champion Saddle Hunter.” At his next show, the South Island Premiers, he was Champion Novice Saddle Hunter, Champion In-hand and then South Island Saddle Hunter of the Year. “That was an ‘oh my god’ moment. We were all in tears. We knew he was pretty special, but we just didn’t realise quite how special!” Although Zak is only four, Grace says he’s very mature and a real trier. After the Young Rider Dressage Champs he will go home to Tracy to enjoy some time off.

To be able to go out as a four-year-old and do what he’s done. he’s one of the most generous, kind horses you will find “To be able to go out as a four-year-old and do what he’s done is just amazing. He’s one of the most generous, kind horses you will find. He tries his hardest no matter what, but he’s really a big sook. At the end of the day, he just wants cuddles. He’s still growing, and will be absolutely phenomenal in two years.” Because of his age, they have been conscious of taking him slowly. “We are really aware of not working him too much, and he’s a big horse, so he just ticks along. You don’t put much in for what you get on show day – he’s pretty amazing like that. He’s so naturally show ring perfect and very uphill in the way he goes.” Tracy’s aim to breed HOY quality saddle hunters is certainly being achieved. “I only started breeding in order to breed the perfect horse for myself. Saddle Hunter Horse of the Year is a goal of mine, and I have no doubt that Zak will win it in the future. I must admit, though, I have other stars as well. There’s a foal in the paddock that I think is the best I’ve ever bred.”

TRY OUR RANGE OF JACKETS FOR AN EXCEPTIONAL FIT & TIMELESS ELEGANCE Katie is wearing... • Moore’s black stretch Jacket with grey detail

Zak is by Tracy’s Irish Draught stallion Ballineen Blue Mountain, out of Tarahills Kulzari, a mare originally bred by the South Australian Police Force to be a police horse. “Zak has presence, good bone and he’s just that real traditional English type saddle hunter, which is what I’m trying to breed.” It’s likely we will see Zak in the ring with Tracy on board in the future. “I’ve had large offers for him, but I started out to breed the perfect horse for myself, and he’s it, so why would I sell him? I would like to think I could ride him to the Saddle Hunter HOY title.” She is excited for the future with this dream horse. “The real time to watch him will be in two seasons’ time, when he’s six.”

Andrea is wearing... • Moore’s Stretch Dressage Tails, navy with rust detail • Moore’s ‘Gold Link’ Dressage Stock • ‘For Horses’ Breeches

DRESSAGE FOCUS

Although Grace enjoys showing, her main focus and passion is building up her own team of dressage horses. “This winter I’m really focusing on bringing some young horses up the grades and building up a strong dressage team.” She competes at Prix St Georges level with her main dressage horse Chocolat Moka, and being based at JHT Equine has given her the chance to train with current Dressage Horse of the Year title holder John Thompson, and his partner Holly Leach. “They are amazing. They’re both really supportive of everything I do and I can ask them anything. It’s great having a structure and seeing how they run their yard.” She has also had help from Andrea Raves at competitions, and from Sophie Griffith, who she purchased Chocolat from. Grace says she is lucky to have a great support team. “Mum and Dad are at home looking after the property and I have a really good friend, Alice Hamer, who helps me. She’s like my big sister and my right-hand person, I can always count on her.” As a member of the South Island Young Rider Dressage Squad, Grace has also enjoyed support from sponsors Pryde’s EasiFeed. C

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INTERVIEW

Louise Duncan COURAGEOUS PHOTO Libby Law Photography

At the age of just 17, young dressage rider Louise Duncan’s life almost ended when she contracted the deadly illness meningococcal meningitis. 13 years on, Louise’s life is brimfull, running her own hairdressing salon, spending time with her husband Justin – and against all the odds, riding. With her mother, Levin-based horsewoman Frankie Webb, Louise shares her story. WORDS Pip Hume

inning the Horse of the Year 2018 Para Equestrian Grade IV title on one horse and taking home the Reserve title as well on her second horse surpassed all expectations for dressage rider Louise Duncan. To have overcome so many health challenges from her devastating illness is testament to Louise’s courage and determination. Louise’s parents, Lloyd and Frankie Webb, are proud of their daughter’s achievements. “Louise’s doctors don’t know how she can do what she can do,” comments Frankie. “We are all very aware that at any time, a fall or a blow to the head could undo everything.”

property, including their own riding horses, and a variety of horses and ponies for schooling and sale. Frankie recalls that year as a particularly bad winter for illnesses. Meningitis was at the peak of its seven year cycle, and the Government had brought in a vaccination programme to try to control the outbreak. Louise had had the first two vaccinations of the series of three, and was waiting for her third shot – although that particular vaccine didn’t cover the strain that affected her. When Louise became ill, it was in the midst of a flu epidemic that closed the local schools, so initially there was no indication of anything unusual. However, when Frankie noticed that Louise had broken out in a ‘weird-looking’ rash, she immediately phoned for medical advice. It was just before 5pm, so their GP advised them to take Louise to Palmerston North Hospital, where an ordeal of waiting began as Louise’s condition worsened. After a long night at the hospital Frankie and her husband, wellknown farrier Lloyd, left for home to get some much-needed rest – but they had no sooner arrived when they received a call to immediately return to the hospital. By that night Louise was in a

You don’t want people

feeling sorry for you; you want to be seen as the way you were before.

A DEADLY ILLNESS

At the time of Louise’s illness, she was still at school, living the normal, active life of a teenager in small-town New Zealand. Following in her mother’s footsteps as a keen dressage rider, Louise had ridden to Intermediate I and CDIY Young Rider level, and had represented her Manawatu-West Coast Pony Club a number of times. Between them, Frankie and Louise had around 10 horses on the

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coma, and the prognosis was very grim. “Louise was comatose for about eight days and showing no signs of brain activity,” Frankie explains. “One of the nurses had been on a course about animal assisted rehabilitation, and she urged us to bring a pet to see if Louise would respond. “At that time our family dog was a Doberman who had never been off our lifestyle property, so it was a huge trip for him! We sedated him and took him up to the ICU on the 5th floor. When we put Louise’s hand on his head we could see her fingers feeling him, and for the first time some brain wave activity was noted. “We had been told that she would have to have a tracheotomy (to assist her breathing) and be transferred to Hohepa Home in Napier for long term residential care, but once we brought our dog in and she started to come around she was transferred to the rehabilitation unit (Star ward) at Palmerston North.” By then, it had become evident that Louise had suffered a series of strokes and would require intensive rehabilitation. She spent five months in the Star ward, and it was 14 months before she could get on a horse again. “The hardest thing was learning to walk again,” comments Louise. “You don’t realise just how hard it is to walk until you have to learn to do it again. I had to use walking bars at the start, with two people holding me. It would take about 30 minutes just to do a step and it was exhausting!”

THE LONG ROAD BACK

PHOTO Dark Horse Photography

In contrast to learning to walk again, the challenges around getting back on a horse were different. “I had lost so much of my strength, coordination and balance and the dexterity in my hands. To this day, I still can’t get a leg up - my coordination just doesn’t work and my legs won’t do it.” When Louise was able to go home after five months of

I definitely have a goal to maybe one day look at going overseas as a Para Equestrian. was very forward thinking. Because he had been well trained, he knew to go. I had my whip and my aids, whereas learning to walk again was just me and my muscle. My brain was saying ‘walk’ but it just wasn’t happening!” “My goal was to represent Manawatu-West Coast at NZ Pony Club Dressage Champs again, and I was able to do that one more time on Hunniman, finishing 10th.”

BECOMING A PARA EQUESTRIAN

“It took me about ten years to accept that I am different,” muses Louise. “After my illness, I was determined that there wasn’t anything wrong with me, and that I was the same person I had been. You don’t want people feeling sorry for you; you want to be seen as the way you were before.” Plus, Louise worried about how people would perceive her, because she also competes both of her horses at able-body Level 5. “I was worried that people would look at me and think, ‘she looks normal, why is she riding Para?’ But the compulsory sitting trot above Level 3 made competing very difficult because I’ve had terrible back trouble after the diagnostic lumbar puncture. Initially Dressage NZ issued me with special dispensation allowing me to do rising trot in any grade. This was then reinforced when I was assessed and classified as a Para Equestrian. I can do some movements sitting, depending on the day.” It was after suffering a further small stroke last year which resulted in a further loss of strength and coordination – an ongoing risk for Louise – that she recognised the need to attain Para Equestrian status. Along with her dispensation to rise she was granted a number of other special aids, which she chooses not to use while she is well enough not to require them.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD?

rehabilitation, she had to use a walker, and her health remained very uncertain. It was seven years before she was able to go off the medication that caused her to gain a considerable amount of weight, and she had little muscle tone as well as breathing problems. At first, she spent a lot of time grooming the horses, and walking them out, until she was well enough to sit on a horse. But there was never any question about whether she would ride again. “We had to be very careful about what horse she would sit on,” Frankie explains. “Luckily we had my Advanced horse Hunniman, who was semi-retired, because he was well into his teens and I didn’t want to push him any further. His temperament was impeccable. Even though he was a quirky old bugger and could be difficult, he seemed to know he had to look after Louise so he did his best to keep her safe.” “Hunniman was a star, even with me swinging off him and my legs going in all directions,” laughs Louise. “I was very fortunate that he

Prior to her illness, Louise had her sights set on becoming a lawyer and perhaps competing overseas. These days, although she would love to represent New Zealand as a Para Equestrian, her priorities have changed. “My salon isn’t a nine-to-five job – it’s very full-on and I am finding that I have a number of clients who have suffered brain injuries. I love chatting and I don’t mind talking about when I was sick. It’s a place where they can talk in confidence, and if they have trouble getting the words out it’s fine!” Louise’s grandfather bought Louise’s two horses Walkenstein BC (Spirit) and Don Ivanno (Donny) to enable her to continue riding when Hunniman died in his 20’s. Both horses are now in their mid-teens but she intends to keep competing them for as long as possible. Medium term, she may take up the ride on Frankie’s Level 8 horse Northern Ivanthus (Jed), while always keeping an eye out for another soul-mate horse for the future. “I’m so grateful to be out competing. I definitely have a goal to maybe one day look at going overseas as a Para Equestrian. “I’ve come to a place where I just love my horses, Spirit especially he is my special horse, my soul mate. As long as I am happy and the horses are obviously happy then I’m rapt. You can go out and do a test that you think is amazing and then find the judges didn’t like it, but I ride for my own pleasure and I’m very lucky to have such a great support crew. When it’s good it’s great, but people don’t see what happens in the background when I’m struggling! Riding is the one place I can go to get away from it all.” C

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“WHAT YOU ONCE THOUGHT WAS UNACHIEVABLE WILL ONE DAY BECOME YOUR WARM-UP”

KIRSTEN HENCE

WORDS Rebecca Harper PHOTO Hester Gerrand Photography

When Kirsten Hence got back into riding after a five year break, Show Hunter seemed like a great way to build her confidence. Fast forward a few years and she’s competing at 1.20m show jumping, but she doesn’t mind if the Show Hunter queen tag sticks. Based in Karaka, the mother of two runs Kirsten Hence Equestrian, offering clipping, schooling, coaching and saddle-fitting services, as well as running her own team of horses. WHAT DO YOU RATE AS THE HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR RIDING WHAT IS YOUR EARLIEST HORSEY MEMORY? As long as CAREER TO DATE? Coming sixth last year in the Show Hunter

I can remember I’ve been into horses, but I didn’t start riding until I was 12 through a riding school. I didn’t have horsey parents and we couldn’t afford a pony, but I was lucky to find horsey people who took me under their wing.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO SHOW HUNTER? When I got back into riding after having kids, Show Hunter was a great way to get back into jumping. I had a little part-Clydie mare and my trainer does a lot of Show Hunter and show jumping coaching too. So my mare was suited to it and it was helpful in building confidence – in the first season I didn’t jump over 1m. There was less pressure to jump big – it was more about doing a great round, which is definitely helping me now with my show jumping. Next season I will be concentrating a lot more on show jumping, and my goal in life is to compete in the Lady Rider of the Year before I turn 50.

Horse of the Year class on my top horse, Jacks a Heartbreaker. He’s a nine-year-old grey gelding by Eurosport Heartbreaker, and it was a highlight just because of the problems I had with him and the personal achievement it was. He was a really nappy horse. He’d had a hard upbringing and had been through a few people when I got him. He would just come around the corner and slam on the brakes. I was told to sack him so many times but I knew he would come right. He’s a dream now, he jumped in both Show Hunter and show jumping classes at HOY and didn’t put a foot wrong.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN RIDING IN THE NEW BATES ADVANTA SADDLE? Around 18 months ago I received an early prototype for testing.

HOW DO YOU FIND THE NEW SADDLE COMPARED TO OTHER SADDLES YOU HAVE RIDDEN IN? I personally love it, it’s

HOW DO YOU ADAPT BETWEEN THE TWO DISCIPLINES? my favourite saddle. It’s more forward cut, and as I’m nearly six foot

The transition has been quite simple because I ride the same way in both disciplines, keeping the rhythm on a 12-foot stride. At HOY this year I jumped a 1.20m show jumping round in the morning and a 1.15m Show Hunter round in the afternoon on the same horse. All of my horses are trained to go that way, and I don’t have to fire them up for show jumping. It’s been beneficial, as I can ride my lines, and related distances are easy. It makes the horses jump a lot better and go in a rhythm, and they’re easier to ride. I have been called a Show Hunter queen and I’ll take that as a compliment if it means I can ride a nice, stylish round, get all my distances and my horse is in a frame. It’s all about developing the canter. My horses are adjustable, but they carry themselves on a 12-foot stride, which makes it easier to see your spot. I still want to win Show Hunter Horse of the Year, too!

and really long in the leg, it’s great for me. It’s super comfy and I love the grippy Luxe Leather. I also like that it has the EASY-CHANGE® Fit Solution. Jack has changed a lot in the last few years and the fact I could so easily change the fit to suit him was awesome, especially coming from a saddle-fitting background. It’s got a new SweetSpot seat design which I really like as I feel a lot more secure. Plus it’s really good-looking!

FAST FACTS • Where do you live? Karaka. • Favourite quote? “What you once thought was unachievable will one day become your warm-up.” • Who do you train with? Jill Ullrich and Blyth Tait, when he’s in the country.

WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN A HORSE? Good length of stride – they’ve got to be able to get down the line! Not too heavy • Favourite movie? Blood Diamond. on the ground, and a really good canter. And I’m partial to greys. • Event you’d most like to attend? The FEI World Cup Jumping Final. C 42

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MINUTES WITH

FIVE

“EVENTERS HAVE CARRIED US AROUND THE WORLD AND WE’VE REALLY ENJOYED IT.”

BRYCE NEWMAN

WORDS Rebecca Harper PHOTO Dark Horse Photography

Bryce Newman has been a stalwart of the New Zealand eventing scene for over 30 years. He may have scaled back his eventing team in recent times, but he rates the two horses he has currently – Bates Game Keeper and Bates Entourage – as some of the nicest he’s ever had, and believes both could go on to top level competition. WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT INVOLVEMENT WITH HORSES?

I’m a full-time rider, based in Bulls. It’s basically all racehorses – we break in, pre-train and race a few ourselves. We are racing more and more of our own fillies with the thought of turning them into broodmares and getting more into breeding. I’ve only got two eventers now, both eight-year-old Thoroughbreds at 2* level, Bates Game Keeper and Bates Entourage. Unfortunately Entourage has been sick this autumn so I’m down to one. You can’t do things by half, especially once they go up the grades. It’s very time-consuming compared to the racehorses.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR EVENTING CAREER?

I left for England when I was 17 and I’ve been seriously eventing since then – I’m 50 now – so 30-odd years! I originally went to work for Mark Todd for three seasons, and then was backwards and forwards to England for about six years. It was an awesome experience at the time, and even after Michelle and I got married we took the kids back and had another go. Eventing has carried us around the world and we’ve really enjoyed it. We have probably taken five or six horses over in total. I had two really nice 3* horses so we decided to do one more season over there and take the kids. You meet some amazing people and they’re contacts you have forever.

HOW DO YOU RATE YOUR CURRENT HORSES? About five years ago I thought I’d phase out the eventers, but my son Jack was riding and so was my niece, and I thought if I was carting them around I might as well take a few for myself. Entourage we actually bought as a racehorse but, like many racehorses, he was too slow. He has turned out to be a really nice eventer. I think both horses are way better than average – Game Keeper has really found his feet and had a super season. He’s had four 2* starts this autumn for three wins and a third, so he’s putting together a great track record. I hope Entourage will be back for the spring. They’re very nice horses and, at this stage of my career, I wouldn’t be doing it if I didn’t have horses like them. WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE PLANS FOR THEM? They are definitely horses that deserve to one day move offshore and hopefully represent New Zealand. I’ve had many horses over the years and unfortunately it’s part and parcel of the game that most

move offshore to overseas interests. Lots of beautiful horses that we’ve sold have represented other countries. I probably won’t ride for New Zealand again myself, but it would be neat to think one or both horses might stay in New Zealand hands and represent this country. Game Keeper has really matured and come into his own in the last six months, but they both need another season at 2* before moving up the grades.

WHAT IS YOUR CAREER HIGHLIGHT? Some of the things we were

the first to do. To go away and ride at the first Adelaide competition was special, riding at those British and European competitions…we were breaking new ground. There were only three or four of us away eventing at that time. People go backwards and forwards all the time now, but we felt we were a bit pioneering back then, and we battled away. We were young, and not afraid to have a go. We had to ride hard, because we had to win to stay afloat. When you have your own stable and have to paddle your own canoe, it’s hard. I remember going to an event and knowing that I had to win to pay the rent when we got home – it tended to make you ride quite well!

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED WITH BATES? We have been lucky enough to be sponsored by Bates Saddles for at least 25 years, we really appreciate their help and support over this time. We have had lots of fun together along the way. WHAT WAS YOUR INVOLVEMENT IN THE NEW ADVANTA SADDLE? Being involved in testing the saddle over the past three years

has been something really different and to finally launch it at Taupo and see it so well-received was pretty cool. The adjustable ergonomic stirrup bar is one of my favourite features. Not everyone is the same shape or leg length, so to get a stirrup bar that can move around makes it much more user-friendly. The Bates Advanta saddle is very lightweight, because you don’t want to carry extra weight on cross country, and it’s very close to the horse, allowing the rider to feel every movement. To be able to feel your horse under you and what it’s doing was important to me. When I received an early prototype, I felt like this was the saddle I had been waiting for – and that wasn’t even the final model!

FAST FACTS • Occupation: Horse trainer. • Best horse you have owned: Give it a couple of years and Game Keeper could be the best horse I have ever sat on. • Favourite event to compete at: Probably Puhinui. • Hobbies: I love boats – racing boats, fishing from boats, water skiing behind boats… C

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ADVERTORIAL

EMILY CAMMOCK

WORDS Rebecca Harper PHOTO Eye Witness Photography

West Melton’s Emily Cammock has been a fierce competitor on the eventing circuit for years. Unfortunately this year’s Taupo 3- Day Event didn’t quite go to plan, and she made the decision to withdraw her defending CCI3* national champion Shaw Lee before the crosscountry phase But the busy full-time rider and mum of two loves competing at the top level of the sport and has no plans to slow down yet.

WHY IS EVENTING YOUR CHOSEN CODE? It’s a love-

hate relationship! I love the complexity of it but I hate the disappointment. It’s such a challenge to train a horse to be competitive in all three phases. You can have a good jumper, but to also train it to do a good dressage test is another challenge altogether. Or you can have a horse that’s good on the flat and is an expressive mover, but you then have to teach it to dig deep on those tough cross-country tracks. I get as much pleasure out of training as I do from competition, as I really enjoy the challenge of training the horses. Eventing’s been my passion since forever – I love the thrill of cross-country! I first did Taupo 3-Day when I was fifteen, and haven’t missed many years since then. Eventing is such a big part of my life. I do a lot of coaching too, and love seeing people I teach progress up the grades and be successful.

WHAT HAPPENED AT TAUPO THIS YEAR? Shaw Lee got

kicked on the Friday before the One-Day Champs at home. He developed an infection on the bone and unfortunately the best treatment for that is time. I think if we’d had another two or three days we would have been on top of it. He did a really nice dressage test, but I knew he wasn’t 100%. He would have given his all on the cross-country, but it was a big, tough track and I wasn’t prepared to ask him to push through the pain barrier. I really appreciate what my horses do for me and it’s a team effort. I know my horses have got my back and it’s my responsibility to have their back as well. We are looking at Adelaide for him. He’s got plenty of experience and I feel now that his dressage is consistent enough. If I’m going to go, I want to be competitive.

HOW DO YOU JUGGLE RIDING WITH BEING A MUM? With lots of help and a supportive family! Katie is 4 and Thomas is 18 months. My husband Matt is generally on board, even though he thinks I’m crazy, and holds the fort while I am away competing. I have Anna, my groom, who is amazing – if something happens with the kids I know the horses will be fed, watered and worked. I’m super lucky that my mum and dad live right next door. Dad doesn’t work Fridays and has the kids for me, and my mother-inlaw has them Wednesdays. It’s a real juggle but we make it work. I have an amazing support crew who make it possible for me to do what I do. WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE PLANS? My family comes first

now and I’m absolutely fine with that. I enjoy competing at the top level but I’m certainly not going to go half way around the

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“I REALLY ENJOY THE CHALLENGE OF TRAINING THE HORSES. EVENTING’S BEEN A PASSION FOREVER” world chasing dreams. I’d love to think that one day I could go back to Kentucky. That was bittersweet for me. Dambala ruptured a suspensory two fences from home on the cross country. I knew something didn’t feel quite right but when I pulled up at the finish I could tell it was serious. I would love to go back and have another go, if I had a cool horse at that level.

HOW DO YOU FIND THE BATES SADDLE DIFFERENT TO OTHERS YOU HAVE RIDDEN IN? I’ve been with Bates for I don’t

know how long! I remember going around Adelaide in my Bates “Tinks” in 2005, so it has been a long-standing partnership. I have ridden in a Bates Momentum for years and hate riding in anything else. I was a bit sceptical when Bates told me about the new Bates Advanta saddle that was coming out, but was excited to try it. As soon as I sat in it, I was in love. It’s just amazing – I’ve been waiting for this saddle all my life!

WHY DO YOU THINK IT WORKS SO WELL FOR YOU? There’s

a lot of science behind the production of the Bates Advanta saddle. It’s a monoflap and has a new SynergyPanel with a wither freedom design, which means you are so close to the horse. I have always loved the way Bates saddles are so adjustable and easy to fit to my horses, and I’ve found this saddle really easy to fit to horses of all shapes and sizes. Right from the start, it felt like I’d been in it for months. I rode a 3* track in it when I’d only had it for a week!

FAST FACTS • Who do you train with? Christine Weal for dressage and very sporadically with Duncan McFarlane for jumping. • Horse you’d most like to ride? I would love to have Shoot the Breeze on my team. • Favourite food: Chocolate. • Career highlight? Winning Taupo 3* twice, on two different horses. • Occupation: Multiple! Rider, coach and mum. C

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INTERVIEW

TOM TARVER-PRIEBE

From Humble Beginnings WORDS Diana Dobson PHOTOS kampic.com

When he was 17 years old, Tom Tarver-Priebe made the tough decision to walk away from the sport he loved so much, and didn’t touch a horse again for five years. Now, 15 years later, he is staking a real claim in the world of show jumping. While the years may have changed him somewhat, he remains firmly grounded, with the same aspiration he’s always had – to be the very best he can be.

om Tarver-Priebe has always been quite clear in his determination to continually up his game. “I always want to do better,” says the 32-year-old show jumper from Kawerau. “I come from a humble background and I want to create opportunities for future generations – that is a big driver for me. I think it is so important to have strong values.” Tom notched up the biggest win of his career at the 2018 Land Rover Horse of the Year Show when he rode Popeye to take out the historic Norwood Gold Cup on his maiden attempt, but it’s not the only crown he has won at HOY – he has

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twice claimed the Speed Pony of the Year crown, once each aboard Six Point Five and Fore Sure. “The pony wins are still quite special to me,” he admits. “To be honest, any win is special, but the Norwood is one of the big titles of the show, and those big wins can’t be taken away from you.” Since HOY, Tom has backed up his success with a stunning win in the opening round of the Silver Tour at the prestigious Australian show at Elysian Fields. “Popeye is really stepping up to be an exceptional horse,” he said. “He was super consistent at the show, placing in three out of four rounds – it’s so great for a young horse.”

TOUGH DECISIONS

Tom grew up in Kawerau, proud of his Ngāpuhi and Ngāti Manu whakapapa. Despite the success he had on ponies, once he’d turned 17 he knew he had to step away from the sport in order to make some money. “It was one of my hardest decisions ever. I knew it wasn’t achievable long-term to just ride horses. You also need something behind you if you are not brought up in a wealthy family. And you’ve got to work hard regardless, in this game.” He didn’t touch a horse for five years, instead heading to the bush where he worked as a culler to save enough to start buying some land of his own.

I come from a humble background and I want to create opportunities for future generations – that is a big driver for me. FOCUS ON THE BUSINESS

For 30-odd years, the Tarver family ran a horse trekking operation at Tui Glen Farm, but they decided to change tack a few years ago, and the focus is now on newer ventures. Tom, his fiancé Lucia Voss and nationwide distributors Tui Products own Let’s Bale, a company that grew out of Sutherland & Tarver Contracting Ltd. The company is now supplying product both on and offshore with its new product EQUIFIBRE® which is produced in partnership with Dunstan Horse Feeds. “We developed this product with our clientele by asking them what they would like,” says Tom. “The result was EQUIFIBRE® Lucerne Pro, a highly nutritious, 100% additive-free forage fibre, which is very easy to handle.” Let’s Bale also manufactures around 16 product lines to pet outlets, Mitre 10 and Bunnings, amongst others. Tom owns 1,100 hectares in Kawerau and leases another 1,000 hectares for cropping. Annually they produce around 60,000 mini hay and straw bales alone, employing 20-odd people in the wider Eastern Bay of Plenty area. Tom is very grateful for the support he receives from his business partners, which has allowed him to get back into his favourite sport. Going forward, he has big plans for the business, with aspirations to grow it to four times its current size within the next five years. “It is definitely do-able,” he says, explaining that the growth will come from both the domestic and export markets.

FAMILY SUPPORT

Tom’s fiancée Lucia is a key part to the whole operation in Kawerau – both with the business and the horses. “We are very business-focused but also passionate about our horses, and want to do them both well. That can be a juggle but it is about finding that balance. We work hard and make sure we have good planning and good people around us,” Tom says. “Lucia makes doing the horses a lot easier.” His mum Pauline is also very involved with the farming business and owns a share of Popeye. The eight-yearold grey is the star of the stable at the moment, followed by 15-year-old Grand Coeur 36, who is ridden by Lucia. Popeye was almost sold to Japan last season but some to-ing and fro-ing with the potential buyers saw him stay with Tom. “They couldn’t get it together and by the time they did, we had over-invested in the horse and decided to keep him. I am always on the lookout for horses and consider I have my finger on the pulse when it comes to that.”

SYNDICATES AND THE BIG PICTURE

Tom would love to syndicate Popeye in New Zealand and keep him here – whether that is with him as a rider or not. “It would be nice to keep some good horsepower onshore. We have lots of good riders but not horsepower, and when we do find them, they tend to get sold on. For us to have an end game, we have to keep our horses here and work together. If the bigger picture for New Zealand show jumping meant a better rider for him than me, then I’d be all for it.” He would dearly love show jumping to follow the ESNZ Eventing Performance Pathway. Tom sells up to 10 horses a year to Japan and says the cost of flights is the toughest part of the deal. “It costs around $25,000 to land a horse there, but they do love our Kiwi horses because they tend to be a lot more forgiving than the European ones.”

WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS

Helping Tom with his own team are long-time horsemen Bernie Myers and John Cottle. “I look to them for knowledge and the odd lesson here and there. I send my horses to John for a bit of training if I am too busy, but a lot hinges on us having a really good management plan. We always do the right thing for the horses.” Tom twice represented New Zealand as a youngster, and would dearly love to don the silver fern again at a senior level. “I just love the sport,” he says, and it shows. Tom’s involvement is wide – from sponsor to riders’ rep, and he is a member of many subcommittees. He and Lucia don’t have any wedding plans for the near future, but he’s guessing it may take a while. “It will probably take as long as it took me to ask her to marry me,” he admits. “The wedding will definitely be in Germany though, which is where she’s from, so I figure it’s only fair to give everyone plenty of time to save for the trip!” C

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INTERVIEW

LAUREN DOLAN

Starting Over WORDS Rebecca Harper PHOTOS Dark Horse Photography

Less than a year after a horrific horse riding accident that left her with 54 broken bones, Dannevirke’s Lauren Dolan rode off with the Ridden Pinto Saddle Hunter of the Year title at this year’s Horse of the Year Show. Lauren’s story is one of incredible determination and desire, not only to get back on a horse, but to reach the top of the sport.

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arming up for her dressage test, the last thing Lauren Dolan remembers is asking her horse Wilbur for a simple trot transition. The next thing she remembers is waking up in the hospital. At the time, Lauren was living her dream. She had a job working for eventer Amanda Pottinger and was determined to climb all the way to the top in eventing, with the ultimate goal of making it to 4* and competing on the world stage at Kentucky, Badminton, Pau... But that all changed on March 19 last year, while competing at Arran Station. Thankfully, Lauren has no memory of what happened, but her mum Jo Frieman watched the whole thing unfold, and describes the moment when the horse inexplicably started to bronc.

“I had her in my arms trying to decide if she was going to live or not. Her whole face was unrecognisable and all blood.” “Lauren went up in the air, came down headfirst, landed on his rump, never touched the ground and connected with his feet. People heard the crack. Her face was non-existent.” Lauren was out cold. “I had her in my arms trying to decide if she was going to live or not. Her whole face was unrecognisable and all blood.” The rescue helicopter arrived and an emergency tracheotomy was performed, as Lauren couldn’t breathe. She underwent facial reconstruction in Wellington and was placed in a druginduced coma. She had fractured 53 bones in her face and broken her collarbone. “In one x-ray, taken from side on, my face actually looks like a shattered window. I’ve talked to the rescue helicopter people and they said they’d never seen anything like it. They showed me a photo and all you can see are eyes, then blood and swelling,” Lauren says. She looks back on it and wonders if there was something more serious going on with the horse. “He would have these tantrums and bronc on a 10m circle,” she recalls. “And I suffer from vertigo and pretty much pass out. I think that’s the reason I came off.” Incredibly, to look at Lauren, you would never know her face has suffered such traumatic injuries. “I’m very lucky to have the face I have today. I’m literally held together by plates, screws and wires.”

LEARNING TO STICK

Lauren learned to ride at age three on a stubborn little bush pony called Honey. “Mum was an avid runner and by the time I was four I could ride the pony with her on a 15km run.” Growing up on a dairy farm was a fun and carefree way to learn to ride. “I used to get the cows in or go round the farm bareback

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with three of my friends on Honey.” It was her next pony, La Cheval Royal Playgirl (Pidgie), who got her started in the show ring. Lauren’s first season competing her was in 2007, and the pair took out the First Ridden title at HOY. “I was a chicken. I always remember wanting to go eventing, but you had to jump for that! I used to jump Pidgie at Pony Club but she wasn’t a confidence builder.” Jo believed that if Lauren had the basics and flatwork established, the jumping could come later. When she got her third pony, Buddy, Lauren started to focus on dressage and trained with Vanessa Way. The combination went on to win the Level 2 Pony of the Year title. “I’m very pedantic. If it wasn’t perfect, it wasn’t good enough,” Lauren says. “Mum used to put grapefruits on top of my thumbs to make me hold my hands still and straight. Vanessa used to put a five dollar note under my bum to get sitting trot. “I’m an outdoors person; I can’t sit still. I ended up going from one pony to having seven to work before and after school. I like working! “The horses were a good way to get away from life, like when Mum and Dad split up. Ponies were just my thing. When you’re an only child, they become your friends.” She had the opportunity to start and compete a number of the Nala ponies for Alan Windle. “It was an amazing opportunity to ride so many different ponies and I’m grateful for being exposed to that. I feel now I can understand a horse as an individual and train it.” Lauren’s favourite was a Nala Riding Ponies’ stallion, Nala Zephyrs Inspiration (pictured below) and she made history as the first child to compete a stallion at HOY, winning a Newcomer title on him.

“I’m very lucky to have to face I have today. I’m literally held together by plates, screws and wires.”

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“All of that kept me in the showing and dressage arena. I couldn’t focus on one pony in particular because I had nine to produce, but I loved the challenge.”

EVENTING – FINALLY

Lauren’s dream of going eventing finally came true when she met Amanda Pottinger, who happened to be working for Lauren’s dad. “I became her part-time groom. Whenever I went to Dad’s I would help her, and go to events like Kihikihi, Taupo and Puhinui with her. I did that for my last two years at high school.” She admits there is some irony in the fact she met Amanda through her non-horsey father, who was keen for Lauren to go straight to university, not take time out to go grooming. But Lauren was determined. Four months after she finished school, Amanda moved to Hawke’s Bay and needed a part-time groom. Lauren didn’t need to be asked twice. “I took my horse with me and we went eventing – it was finally happening. My eventing taking off was all thanks to the Pottingers. I was really adopted into their family, it was the greatest thing. “I learned everything I know about jumping and eventing from Tinks and Amanda. I learned how to run a big team and a stable of performance horses.” By this point, Lauren’s horse was show jumping to 1.10m and eventing at 105cm. She had started to study extramurally through Massey University during the day while Amanda was at work, and had a new job at Farmlands. And then suddenly, life changed.

A NEW NORMAL

The accident taught Lauren she wasn’t invincible, but she never considered not getting back on a horse. “I don’t remember anything from March to June last year. I still have short-term memory loss. The fact I got through the last year is amazing. “There were a few months I didn’t want to go outside or see the horses. I didn’t know what had happened to Wilbur and that was hard. I put two and two together. There was something not right with him and he had been put down, which was horrible. “Humans have so many issues, why can’t horses too? There are so many unknowns. He was lovely to work with, but when he flipped his switch, there was no one home. No one would have let me get back on him.” But she had one big motivating factor waiting at home for her. “Six months before my accident I had a big crash off my absolute favourite mare, Alice. She slipped over and ended up in a culvert. She basically broke her face, and just before I went to Amanda’s we had finished sewing bandages on her face and putting bones back. I wasn’t allowed to ride her for a year. “After my accident we were like the broken face girls. I think the fact she was sitting at home waiting, and I think because I couldn’t see anything wrong with my face, I felt I just needed to harden up and get on with it. I needed to look after Alice again.” More than anything, she wanted to get back

to work, and fought to get out of hospital to watch Amanda compete at the Taupo Three-Day in May. “I was a mess. I had my bag of medicine but I was going. I missed being out eventing, absolutely missed it.”

GETTING BACK ON THE HORSE

Her first ride back was on Abalone Pearl (Maggie), a pinto she had ridden before the accident that belongs to Alana Vickers. “Alana has been an amazing friend through it all. At that point Maggie was the only horse that was safe and that I trusted.” Lauren’s mouth was still wired shut – she was drinking through a straw for six months – and she spent a month convincing her mum she could ride again. “Alana had tacked Maggie up. My collarbone was still broken. I spent an hour just looking at Maggie, standing on my stool beside her. Eventually I hopped on, and sat there for an hour. Alana said she had never seen me so terrified. I didn’t even wear riding clothes because that made it more real. “Alana led me around like a little child. I was really scared that I would remember the accident. I was adamant that if I could get through the first trot transition I would be okay. My brain shuts down when I panic, but I pushed through it and trotted. “I think that ride put me in bed for another month. I lived on morphine, but it was worth it.” Lauren says while physically, she may look fine, it is the brain injury and the anxiety that comes with it that continues to take its toll. “My face looks fine but it’s my brain that’s hard – that’s what I battle now. That and the pain.” Two weeks after her collarbone operation in October last year, she was back at work with the Pottingers. “I rode Ferg, Amanda’s 3* horse, because he was quiet and safe in the arena. I spent a lot of time doing walk to trot transitions until I was sure my brain wasn’t going to shut down. I slowly got my riding fitness back.” She competed at her first show on Maggie that month, the Hawke’s Bay Royal Show. “I just entered the Rider class. I wasn’t sure if I would be okay, and in the photos I look like I’ve seen a ghost – I was petrified.” Not only did she compete, she won the class and went on to win Champion Rider at the show. “My arm was throbbing, my face was fat but I felt like I was back – I was fixed, I could do what I did before the accident.” Since working for Amanda her enthusiasm for showing had waned, but she did enough to qualify Maggie for HOY. They went on to win the Pinto title at HOY and the Intermediate Rider 17-21 Years class – the third year running that Lauren has won it.

“I wanted to go to 4*, but if I can’t see a stride before a 4* fence it’s not worth devoting my life to.” She has shifted her focus to dressage and is working on building up a team of horses. She has three lovely prospects alongside Alice, who is in foal. “I was insanely lucky to be able to buy a wellschooled Prix St Georges dressage horse. Dressage is my big focus now, and I would like to go overseas with it. I’ve got a young Thoroughbred I plan to school up and hopefully sell to purchase a really lovely young dressage horse to bring up through the grades.” Education has become a priority for Lauren, who now sees the value in having something to fall back on, and to fund her horses. “It was a question of ‘what do I do that’s safe and sensible’, because I had pushed myself so hard. I was worn out. I realised I needed to slow down. It was too hard to be working for Amanda and not be eventing, so I have decided to give university a shot.” Lauren is now studying towards a Bachelor of Agricultural Science at Massey University, and that in itself has thrown up a whole new set of challenges. “I have no short-term memory and I have to learn to learn again. I am now finding the accident hindering me in new ways. “Horses are fun, but I’m not doing it for fun. I’m doing it to get to the top,” she says. “I owe a huge thanks to Mum and Dad for everything, and Alana for keeping me sane through the insane times. “The accident taught me that I’m not invincible. You don’t know when things will happen and you have to have a fall-back. Amanda (Pottinger) is my idol – she works and rides. My focus now is to have something to fall back on, but to achieve what I want to achieve, and do it for myself.” C

“The accident taught me I’m not invincible. You don’t know when things will happen and you have to have a fall back”

RE-EVALUATING LIFE

Lauren’s road to get back in the saddle is even more remarkable given doctors were not sure she would survive, such were the extent of her injuries. But she has been forced to come to terms with the fact her body is still healing and she needs to slow down. Her vertigo has worsened since the accident, and her eyesight is not great either. She had to have a tough conversation with the Pottingers and accept that her eventing dreams are on hold, at least for now.

SHOWCIRCUIT MAGAZINE

INTERVIEW

KATE CAVANAGH d i a m s e d i r B a No Longer om en PHOTOS kampic.c

WORDS Caitlin Madd

It’s been a whirlwind few months for Kate Cavanagh since her amazing win at Land Rover Horse of the Year 2018, taking out the Wade Equestrian Amateur Rider of the Year show jumping title on her gorgeous six-year-old mare Wallflower. Show Circuit caught up with Kate to hear a bit more about her riding pedigree, and what she has planned next.

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10 - Zero - ShowCircuit.pdf 1 14/08/2015 4:27:12 PM

t was a dream Land Rover Horse of the Year Show for Kate Cavanagh. She and her mount Wallflower brought home the Amateur Rider of the Year show jumping title, the first HOY title for Kate and her horse. Wallflower is a six-year-old mare by Corofino II out of Double Dee, who is out of Flower Power.

HORSE OF THE YEAR

Kate, who is based in Geraldine, Canterbury, took two horses on the long drive up to the Hastings Showgrounds this year after a two year absence from the show. Those two horses were Wallflower and Vibrance, a horse she was riding for Fairlie’s Ashleigh Ulrich. On Vibrance, Kate was third in the Open Show Hunter of the Year title class, and the combination also won the Open Hunter 1.10m Championship. However, it was her time in the Premier Arena with Wallflower that really had people talking. Kate, who purchased the mare as a green four-year-old from Jeff McVean and Katie Laurie, took out top honours in the class, despite having never really ridden her against the clock before, or the mare having any experience of a big show’s atmosphere. “I knew the horse had a lot of talent but leading up to the event it was all about just getting Wallflower to travel and be smooth. To be fair, even going into ring one was big for her. She had never seen anything like that or had things that close to the arena before. We don’t have that kind of atmosphere in the South Island! It was a question of how spooky she was going to be, but she was awesome, she responded so well.” The pair qualified the previous day alongside 30 other combinations, and were one of just five in the jump-off with clear rounds. Kate and Wallflower finished in a time of 47.31 seconds. “She jumped clear straight out. My partner actually said to me, ‘my goodness, she could win this’. And I laughed. I mean, she had never gone against the clock and there were some ex-World Cup horses in there, some very good riders too, so I had never thought about us being that competitive against way more experienced horses. She had only done 13 shows!”

As soon as I sat on her I wanted her. There was no doubt. As much as she wasn’t the easiest to produce she has the most amazing powerful canter and there was no option but to take her, really!

CMY

Kate says once the pair were in the swing of things, she just “put the pedal down”, and it definitely paid off. “It was such a thrill to win at Horse of the Year. It’s where everyone wants to win.” What made the win even more special for Kate was that she co-owns and has produced the horse with her partner Steve Houston, and Steve’s young daughters were in the crowd to be part of the excitement.

A BIT MORE ABOUT WALLFLOWER

There aren’t many in horsey circles who wouldn’t be aware of the successes attached to Wallflower’s breeding, so a few years ago when Kate was searching for her next young horse, her friend Sheena Ross mentioned that Katie Laurie might have something suitable for sale. “Coming from an eventing background, that Flower Power line made her my type of horse. They might be a little harder when they are younger because they’ve got so much Thoroughbred blood in them, but at the end of the day they are a better horse.” And from the moment that Kate first rode Wallflower, back in 2016, she knew the horse was right for her. “As soon as I sat on her I wanted her. There was no doubt. As much as she wasn’t the easiest to produce, she has the most amazing powerful canter and there was no option but to take her, really!” When asked to describe Wallflower, Kate claims that the words she really wants to say aren’t fit for print, but there are a few she can safely use to sum her up. “She is a bit of a tart actually… She’s very elusive, she doesn’t want to be your mate or

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time,” she explains. “I know well that horses can be winning one minute and then they are sold the next, so I found it quite hard to get a breakthrough over there.” Back home in New Zealand, Kate got to work producing and selling eventing horses once again with some great results. Over her career she has sold horses to the USA and the UK, and even sold Angus Blue to Jock Paget. However for Kate the continuous buying and selling has often meant her best horses are snapped up quickly, and she isn’t as well-known as many of her counterparts. This has also resulted in the ‘bridesmaid effect’. “I’ve probably been known as a bit of a bridesmaid in eventing, always coming second or third everywhere,” she jokes.

A PASSION AND A BUSINESS

Kate only officially finished eventing about four years ago, and for now the focus is very much on show jumping, as well as producing and selling horses with her partner. Although Wallflower is her number one, Kate says there are plenty of young horses waiting in the wings. “It is exciting, what we have in the paddock. We’ve had to breed these horses and buy them young because we can’t afford to buy them as five-year-olds anymore,” she says. Fortunately, she and her partner Steve each handle a different part of the producing process, with Steve an internationally experienced horse breaker and Kate a confident and skilled rider and trainer. She credits Wallflower’s success to her partnership with Steve too. “He’s my eyes on the ground,” says Kate. “Eyes on the ground are so important and he has a good eye for detail. I couldn’t have managed her without his help. We both put hours of work into her so I call her a team win.”

anything but she is a tough mare and she loves having a job to do. If people pander over her, she doesn’t like that and it would annoy her. You need to leave her alone a bit and let her get on with it. She’s opinionated and she’s quite impatient, so that’s been a real focus in her training to help make her more rideable. We’ve been focusing on that and it’s definitely getting better.” With fantastic breeding and talent there is no doubt in Kate’s mind that the horse will reach the top level, as jump height has never been an issue for Wallflower. “It’s more about keeping her rideable and keeping her relaxed. She will definitely do Grand Prix, no doubt. After that, it depends on how much better I can get!”

A LITTLE MORE ABOUT KATE

Kate began her equestrian career at age three in St Bathans, Central Otago. “It’s not a big horsey area,” she explains. “I was a typical little country kid and my mum was quite into riding, but not competitive whatsoever. When we were little, we were always just getting around the farm on the ponies and hooning around.” Kate began going to Pony Club, and at age 11 switched to Clyde Pony Club where she became more competitive and got her start in eventing. When she finished high school she was a working pupil for Jo Pederson, getting the chance to ride her amazing horse Stylish Diplomat. Kate then went on to university to study marketing, and during that time she bought and sold horses to pay her way. Next, as many Kiwis do, she packed her bags and went off to the UK, spending eight months riding for Tony Clapham, before trying her hand at marketing in London, as well as working at a private yard in Ireland. Eventually, she decided she didn’t want to live in the UK, citing the New Zealand lifestyle as a big factor in the decision to move home, as well as really wanting to be able to ride for herself and on her own terms. “I wanted to call the shots and not just be under ownership all the

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It’s been a long road going back and having these young ones again. It’s a hard slog and you don’t ride as well when you don’t have as many to jump at the higher levels. WHAT’S NEXT FOR KATE CAVANAGH?

Kate isn’t setting any limits on what’s coming next, and is mostly focused on building up a strong team of horses to see where they will take her. “I would definitely like to have a good team of three or four horses again,” she says. “It’s been a long road going back and having these young ones again. It’s a hard slog and you don’t ride as well when you don’t have as many to jump at the higher levels. So I want to develop that horse-power back up and be jumping competitively, so that when we are selling, we don’t have a gap in the team again. That would be the overall goal.” As for Wallflower, as well as the possibility of an embryo foal, the initial future plans are to keep working their way up to Grand Prix. “I would love to take her to that level,” says Kate. “I really want to do it myself and not have to sell her. Just to get to take one horse through to Grand Prix, and not have to see someone else reap the rewards of my hard work. “I am also excited about finally keeping a horse and getting it out and about to show people what Steve and I can do. It’s good advertising for us!” C

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TRAINING

Learn something new or refresh an old technique with advice from our leading trainers in this issue

SAIL OVER SKINNIES

JUMPING EXERCISES

BUNDY PHILPOTT

CHRISTINE WEAL

YOUNG HORSE EXERCISES

AN EFFECTIVE WARM-UP

SPOOKY HORSES

VANESSA RANDELL

SETTLING THE ARENA SPOOK

HANDLING YOUNGSTOCK

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TRAINING

SAIL OVER WITH EASE SKINNIES

TOP TIP Skinny fences must be approached with confidence and control. They often worry riders more than their horses, but plenty of practice at home will set you both up for success.

Skinny fences are tricky for horses, because having their eyes on the sides of their head means that they can’t see a narrow fence when they take off over it. An accurate approach is the key to success, so it’s important to work on your technique at home so you can sail over skinnies at the event. GOOD FOUNDATIONS As long as your horse has been taught from an early age not to run out, you shouldn’t find that you have any problems jumping skinnies – they are often more of an issue with cheeky or spoilt horses! A horse that can’t canter in a straight line will struggle with a skinny fence, so pay attention to your flatwork and make sure you have control of his shoulders before you start jumping. Problems with skinnies often arise when riders over-ride them, because they try to do too much on the approach and this can prevent the horse from absorbing the question. If the rider is constantly adjusting or fiddling with their hands, the horse will be distracted and unable to focus on the jump.

BUILD YOUR OWN You don’t need your own cross-country course to practice jumping skinnies – all you need is a small, narrow filler, such as a plastic barrel, to create an obstacle that’s narrow enough to simulate a skinny fence.

A BIT OF GUIDANCE When you first start schooling over skinnies, it’s a good idea to use poles as guides on either side of the fence, as shown. Start with them wide and gradually make them narrower. Once your horse understands what he’s being asked to do, you can drop these poles to the ground, and when he’s really confident, remove them completely. It’s also helpful to have someone with you on the ground to help reposition the jump and put the poles back up if you make a mistake.

A POSITIVE APPROACH As you approach the jump, make sure that your horse is balanced and straight, and that you have control of his body so you can maintain this. You want him in front of your leg, but not pulling against you, so that you can ride him positively up to the fence, rather than pulling to it. In the beginning, approach in a positive trot – it will be easier to keep him straight and harder for him to run out. Keep the fences very small so he doesn’t get a fright if he makes a mistake. When he’s jumping it well, move up into a steady canter but remember, too much speed can encourage a runout. Keep your hands wide so you can correct him early if he wavers or drifts off the line. Maintain a contact all the way to the base, and be sure not to lean forward too early. And don’t forget to look up! C

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THE APPROACH Be sure to look straight ahead, maintaining an equal and balanced position in the saddle. It’s also important to apply equal pressure with your legs to ask your horse to go forward but to stay straight. Hold your hands wide to prevent your horse from running out.

TRAINING

KEEPING

IT FOCUSED

AND

SIMPLE WITH

BUNDY PHILPOTT

WHEN DOING FLATWORK AND JUMPING TRAINING WITH HER EVENTING TEAM, BUNDY PHILPOTT LIKES TO KEEP THINGS FOCUSED AND SIMPLE. SHE TAKES US THROUGH A TYPICAL WEEKDAY TRAINING SESSION WITH HER EIGHT-YEAR-OLD THOROUGHBRED, SHILLINGS. WORDS Laura Stenberg PHOTOS Cheleken Photography

MEET THE TRAINER: BUNDY PHILLPOTT Bundy is a 3* eventing rider from Cambridge. She has been riding for over 25 years, and in that time has produced about 20 eventing and show jumping horses to various levels. Despite many years of show jumping experience, Bundy changed her focus to eventing in 2005 and is now based in Cambridge with a team of seven eventers, including her top ride, Tresca NZPH, who she competes at 3* level. She does her flatwork and jump schooling in Nicola and Tony Smith’s arena.

ABOUT THE HORSE

Shillings, or Costa as he is known at home, is a 16.2hh eight-year-old Thoroughbred gelding by Encosta De Lago, out of a Danehill broodmare. Bundy has had Costa since the winter of 2016, when he was bought from a dressage rider who had done a small amount of training with him. Bundy has been producing him slowly and has competed him for approximately 12 months at Pre-Novice level, recently winning the CNC105 Class at Riverdale Horse Trials. She aims to step him up to the 1* class at the Taupo Three-Day Event in May, and is hopeful that Costa will make it to the top level of eventing.

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10 - Zero - ShowCircuit.pdf 1 14/08/2015 4:27:12 PM

EASY WARM-UP

Bundy starts Costa’s training session off with an easy forward trot, letting him warm in without any pressure. “I start the warm-up trot in a fairly relaxed frame, not desperately long or low, just how ever he is happy in a nice soft outline. Some horses are easy to stretch at the start and some aren’t, so I don’t force it and just let them relax into it,” says Bundy. “He needs to be straight in front of me with not too much bend one way or the other, and in front of the leg, so that when I put my leg on, I get a reaction.” She starts with big circles right around the arena, and changes the rein regularly. When working in the arena, Bundy always

has a few poles on the ground which she will trot over every now and then to help warm the horse up. “There are always poles down on the arena when I’m riding. I don’t avoid them or treat them as anything special – I just trot on over them, then they don’t create any reaction,” she says. Bundy trots for three to five minutes, and as soon as she’s satisfied that Costa is in a good frame and in front of her leg, she moves into canter. “Thoroughbreds in particular tend to get a little antsy if you stay in walk or trot for too long, so as soon as I feel they are loose and warm enough, I will move them up into canter and start their work.”

CMY

Bundy likes to do quite a few canter-to-trot transitions, with only a few trot strides before going back into canter. “I like to do a few easy transitions early, and then the more serious work can start.” From there, Bundy starts to work on the frame of the horse. “Once I’ve had a canter on both reins and done a few transitions, then I start working on getting the frame a little more grown-up. By that I mean – not so long, not so low, a little bit more in front of me with Costa travelling on his own,” she explains. “It’s still nice and soft and not overly short, just a little bit more of a working, headingtowards-competition frame.” Whatever horse Bundy is on, no matter the level or stage in its training, she always keeps the warm-up easy and enjoyable. “The aim of the game is to get them nice and soft in front of

your leg in the warm-up. It shouldn’t be a huge effort. I spend about 20 minutes on the flat making sure the horse is listening to me before progressing to a jumping phase.”

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PLAY WITH THE TEMPO With the horse soft and reactive to her leg, Bundy starts to adjust the tempo of the trot and canter. “You want to go a little bit forward and a little bit back, just mini transitions within the pace to get them slightly more collected than you think you should, and then a little more forward than you think you should.” Bundy explains that when doing this exercise there needs to be enough change in the tempo that someone on the ground will notice the difference. She also says you can do this exercise in both

trot and canter, and stresses the importance of working on both reins to keep it even. “You shouldn’t feel like you have too much weight in your hand or like they are pulling when you want to shorten. Just sit up nice and tall, close your legs to say to the horse, ‘Come on shorten, sit on your back legs for a few strides’ before moving forward. This helps them to improve their balance and sets them up nicely for various movements on the flat.”

BIG TO SMALLER CIRCLES Bundy loves using a circle when schooling, making it smaller and bigger to get Costa moving off her leg and stepping over. “I find a really good exercise is to find a 20-metre circle in your arena (the size doesn’t have to be exact). Make sure your horse is dead straight in front of you with no bend to the inside or the outside, then bring them in and make the circle smaller, then push them back out – push, don’t pull them. As you move back out on a bigger circle, move them forward a bit, then steady and repeat.” This exercise can be done at both trot and canter, and it’s one that Bundy likes to use for horses at all levels, right from green off-the-track Thoroughbreds to advanced horses. The more advanced the horse, the smaller the circle can get and the more collected the trot or canter can be. “You might bring a young horse onto a 15-metre circle, with the advanced ones coming in to more like eight metres. It’s a great exercise for balance and it’s achievable for most people, no matter what facilities they have.”

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10m circle

20m circle

WHEN YOU FINISH A COURSE, EITHER CANTER A CIRCLE OR DO A PROPER TRANSITION BACK TO TROT. WORKING AT HOME IS ABOUT CREATING GOOD HABITS WHICH CAN JUST FOLLOW ON WHEN YOU GO TO SHOWS...

CROSS RAIL AND TROT POLES Bundy’s show jump training is also straightforward, warming up quietly over a cross rail to begin with. “With any horse that knows how to jump and is adjustable to a distance, I always start their jump training in a canter, not a trot, so you can move forward or back to a fence.” To start with, just like the flat warm-up, Bundy allows Costa to go in a nice soft frame. She doesn’t mind that he pokes his nose out a little bit, so long as he is going in a kind outline.

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When she’s happy with his jump over the cross rail, Bundy starts incorporating a pole on either side, each one well away from the cross rail, so it doesn’t matter how many strides are between them. “They are not on any specific stride length, because it’s not really about looking for a distance, it’s about keeping a nice even rhythm between each,” she explains.

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Have a focus - Bundy stresses the importance of choosing just a couple of exercises to work on each schooling session. “Don’t overload them, otherwise you could be out on the arena for a long time! Just pick a couple of things to work on and as you’re working, if you get a small improvement, give them a pat and walk away from that exercise for the day.”

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13 STORES NATIONWIDE

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WEEKLY EXERCISES AND SMALL COURSES Bundy will always have at least four or five fences set up on the arena ready to go for training, including a double of at least one or two strides, which will advance to a treble by the time she is in the middle part of her eventing season. “For a 2* horse the jumps would be at quite easy heights, around one metre. I’ll start with a course of three jumps, then on the second and third courses, I will include the combination. All the time I focus on keeping the horse in front of my leg in a kind outline.” “Horses don’t gain more confidence by jumping huge jumps! They get confidence from succeeding at different questions and being rewarded. Over-jumping takes away confidence. The old saying that a horse only has so many jumps is very true.” When Bundy jumps the first fence in her second exercise, Costa lands on the wrong lead and she instantly corrects him. “Always fix it straight away with a flying change or coming back to trot on a more inexperienced horse. Don’t let them waffle around the corner on the

wrong leg.” As the jumping progresses, Costa gets little bit excited, so Bundy canters a circle after each fence to settle him. “While you’re training, if your horse gets a little fresh you can canter a 15- or 20-metre circle after each fence to get them softer and waiting for you,” she says. “Equally, when you finish a course, either canter a circle or do a collected transition back to trot. Working at home is about creating good habits which can just follow on when you go to shows.” In her third exercise, Bundy stresses the importance of jumping in the middle of the fence every time. “Always make sure you jump the middle of the jump. Even if you’re practising angles, always jump in the middle of the fence.” She also explains that when she is jumping at home, she doesn’t help her horses over the fences. “I like the horses to be active and in the bridle and leave it up to them to clear the fence. I like to see a nice distance if I can, but I don’t try to help them over the fence when I’m training at home. That’s their job!”

EXERCISE 1 -

Canter to cavaletti (1), left to canter pole (2), roll back to the left over cavaletti (3), then right over canter pole (2) in the other direction, back over the first cavaletti (1) and on to the canter pole (4).

START END

Cantering a circle in between jumps helps settle Costa back down.

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EXERCISE 2

Start at cavaletti (3), turn right to cavaletti (1), turn right to vertical (6), turn left to the double (5), then right around to the oxer (7).

END

START 4

EXERCISE 3 Start at cavaletti (1), right turn to vertical (6), left to double (5), rollback right over cavaletti (3), continue on bending line to the planks (8).

START 5 3

FINISHING WELL At the end of their jumping session, Bundy finishes with a good trot to let Costa stretch and relax and let go of his back. “It’s a nice long and low trot, but that doesn’t mean off the contact or behind the leg. It’s a still a nice forward trot with a contact. I like to let him loosen up.” After the workout, your horse should be allowed to cool down gradually before finishing for the day. This is accomplished by reducing the intensity of exercise so his heart rate decreases, the blood is redistributed away from his muscles to the other organs, lactic acid that has built up in the muscles is dispersed and your horse starts to lose the accumulated body heat. As she does at the end of most arena sessions, Bundy takes Costa for a quiet walk down the race to finish. “It’s just a five-minute wander to let him switch off and to reward him for his work for the day. Nicola and Tony Smith have these lovely quiet raceways to ride down and I’m very grateful to have the use of them, as well as their arena and other facilities.” C

END 8

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TRAINING

l a e W e n i t s i r h C h t wi EFFECTIVE WARM-UP

The warm-up phase is so important for several different reasons. Warming up your horse’s skeleton, joints and muscles is crucial to ensure that he avoids injury and can perform to the best of his ability. Then there are the behavioural and psychological elements that get your horse switched on and listening to your aids. A good warm-up programme will help to tackle all the above.

LOOSEN UP Working long and low will open your horse’s frame and give a lovely stretch to the muscles along his neck and back it’s a nice way to relax him too. Start on a loose rein and walk him in a long and low outline. Ride large circles followed by figure of eights, to get him listening and to give his muscles time to get used to your weight and your saddle. It’s simple to do once you’ve got the hang of it, but to achieve it effectively, you first need him to be working nicely on the bit, as that will give him the natural urge to stretch. Then it’s a case of opening your hands and softly allowing him to stretch down through his neck and back. Still on a loose rein (and remembering to keep your contact), ask for a slow and steady trot, and continue riding the same circles and figure of eights. This should help to get his blood flowing and ensure he’s relaxed and ready to work.

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SUPPLENESS Suppleness is basically a measure of how loose, flexible or pliable your horse is through his body. A lot of horses, just like us, need to loosen up quite a bit before they can use their body to the fullness of their potential. Therefore a good, wellplanned and properly ridden warm-up is vitally important. Your horse needs to work through any stiffness if he is to be able to fully use his body. Begin with tiny amounts of flexion to the left and right; they are easy to do and a great way to laterally stretch your horse’s neck. All you need to do is slightly increase the pressure on one rein while allowing the same amount with the other. Start these exercises on a straight line in walk and once your horse feels soft, move on to trot on a circle. Be sure to work equally in both directions, so you supple both sides. After a few minutes of bending, your horse should be ready mentally and physically to work.

CAREFUL COLLECTION Now that your horse is loose, supple and swinging in the back, it’s important not to make him tense when you start putting him together. If you lose the swing in the back, the activity behind or the impulsion, go back to your warm-up techniques until these are re-established. Stepping from trot into canter delivers a loosening affect to the horse’s lower back. During your warm-up phase, do not expect perfection from these transitions. They

may not be perfectly smooth or balanced, but don’t be too critical. You are aiming to stimulate his lower back and activate his hind legs, rather than to execute the kind of transitions you might hope to get at a show. Ride several trot-canter-trot transitions in each direction on various figures — circles, straight lines and rein changes. If your horse tends to be lazy, keep the transitions closer together, and ride just a few steps of each gait before your next transition.

CANTER WORK Make sure the work you ask your horse to do is easy for him. You can motivate your horse by lifting him smoothly into a canter, then, in the first few strides, allow him a little longer rein so he has the freedom to move through his body, bring his back up, and loosen his muscles. Follow his movement with your hips and keep a secure seat. (If he tends to start out stiff, lighten your seat for the first few strides, but remember sometimes a light seat can make a horse a bit too reactive.) Keep it simple, as difficult movements will only cause his muscles to tighten, when what you’re trying to achieve is softness and relaxation. If he finds canter easier than trot, move straight on to canter, and come back to trot later in your warm-up. Hold both legs securely against his sides and try to feel him evenly between your legs and directly underneath you. Keep your inside leg firmly at the girth so he doesn’t fall in on the circle, and your outside leg back from your hip so he maintains the inside bend and his haunches

TOP TIP don’t fall to the outside. Keep a steady contact on your outside rein so his shoulder doesn’t drop out, and use a squeeze-relax feel on the inside rein to maintain his bend to the inside.

As you warm up, keep the early work pressure free, so that your horse does not become anxious, which may create problems later.

“On days when you don’t have time for a 15-minute warmup followed by a full training session, try not to shorten your horse’s warm-up. Instead, use it as your ride time for that day. Not all horses require daily training; in fact, the opposite works for me. I will often have days that I decide to do a warmup session followed by a hack out around the farm, rather than a full schooling session”

CHECK HE’S LISTENING Riding transitions will check that your horse is listening to you and being responsive to your aids. As you ride, keep an eye on the level of the tips of your horse’s ears during transitions. This will help you gauge whether your transitions are correct and coming from behind, or if your horse is lifting himself from the front rather than pushing from his hind legs. C

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TRAINING

Settling the Arena

SPOOK

Is your horse spooky on the arena, or in the area where you train? Here are six exercises that will help you to gain his focus and settle his spook. To help a horse that is anxious and spooky, even in familiar places, the key is to build up his confidence so that he learns to relax and trust his rider. WORDS Pip Hume PHOTOS Dark Horse Photography Try to make things as relaxed as possible from the outset. It can be helpful to start with a walk around the arena, chatting to your trainer or a friend to keep yourself relaxed.

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During this time, if it’s safe, allow your horse to stretch on a longer rein. If he needs reassurance, keep talking to him and gently scratch his lower neck (near the withers).

TOP TIP A wither scratch has been proven to be more effective for rewarding a horse than a pat on the neck. Horses recognise the sensation as a friendly one, and a wither scratch typically results in a lowering of the head, which is ideal for promoting relaxation.

1. SCARY OBJECTS

If you know your horse can be a bit spooky, don’t make him approach any potentially scary objects straight away. Begin by working him on the three-quarter line and spiral your way past the object. Ride a circle away from it and then return back past it for a short distance before making another circle. As you ride past the object, release your inside hand and rub your horse’s neck to ensure you’re not holding onto his mouth.

2. KEEP CONTROL OF THE INSIDE HIND LEG

Being able to control your horse’s inside hind leg will help you to control spooky behaviour. Leg-yield is the perfect exercise for this. Try leg-yielding from the three-quarter line to the track. Reward your horse when he steps across correctly – or makes an honest attempt! A rub on his neck is all that’s needed. Progress this exercise by riding a three- or four-loop serpentine, asking your horse to cross his inside hind for two or three steps over the centre line. As you change direction, try patting or rubbing your horse’s neck with your new inside hand – this encourages you to keep a soft, forward contact rather than over-using the inside hand.

3. GIVE YOUR HORSE FREEDOM

It’s common for riders on spooky horses to begin riding very defensively, taking too much contact on the inside rein to stop the horse from spooking. To help maintain relaxation, repeat the serpentine from number two above. Push your inside hand forward and pat or rub your horse on the neck as you change direction. It’s important when re-taking the contact that you don’t pull back with your inside hand, as this blocks your horse’s inside hind leg from coming underneath him, stifling his movement and rhythm. Repeat this exercise on both reins, and notice how, after a few minutes, your horse relaxes. Short walk breaks during the training period will help both you and your horse to maintain that relaxed state.

4. WORK ON STRAIGHTNESS

To assist with straightness, try this exercise. Ride shoulder-in on the three-quarter line down the long side of your arena, including the following pattern: • Shoulder-in for 5m • Ride across the diagonal for 2m • Straight for 2m • Repeat. Always repeat all exercises on both reins to help your horse to become as supple and even as possible.

5. DEVELOP AN ADJUSTABLE CANTER

Once your horse is straighter and more relaxed, you can work more on the canter. It’s important that your horse’s canter is adjustable and that you can increase and decrease the pace smoothly. This improves engagement, keeps the horse in front of your leg and once this is established, you’ll find your horse won’t think about spooking. Try this exercise: • Maintain an even canter rhythm and length of stride on a 20m circle • Spiral the size of the circle down • Circle until your horse can’t go any smaller and his canter feels collected. Reducing the size of the circle helps him collect naturally, but his hindquarters must remain active.

Leg yielding away from the spooky object • After a few strides of collected canter, increase the size of the circle again and move the canter forwards. Make sure to build up the number of collected strides gradually, as this is hard work for your horse. After asking a horse for more collected work, it’s important to get him thinking and moving forwards again.

6. LET HIM STRETCH

Ask your horse for medium canter down the long side of the school and then ride onto a big circle. On the circle, let your horse take the rein forwards so that he can begin to stretch in his frame, encouraging him to relax his muscles in the lumbar region behind the saddle. Return to trot, maintaining that stretched and relaxed frame. It’s important to spend time allowing your horse to stretch at the end of a schooling session. C

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TRAINING

EARLY

Education WITH

VANESSA RANDELL Raising a well-mannered horse or pony starts with solid groundwork right from the beginning, and involves working with them regularly enough to instil good habits and behaviours. Onewhero-based trainer Vanessa Randell has been handling and educating young horses fulltime for over 20 years, and is a wealth of knowledge on the subject. In this special feature, we find out more about Vanessa, including how she learnt what she knows, before guiding you through some of her basic practices for handling a young horse correctly from the beginning.

WHO IS VANESSA RANDELL? Originally from Taranaki, Vanessa moved to Warkworth when she was four. She always loved horses, and eventually got her first horse at age 11, after what she says was a lot of “nagging and bleating” to her parents. She came from a reasonably unhorsey family, yet Vanessa had a connection with horses from the start. “I’ve always had a good way with horses and all animals,” she says. “I can pick up their language. I originally wanted to be a riding therapist, but figured I could be of more use handling horses.” When Vanessa was 30 years old, she spent eight weeks living with Merv Kildy in Kenilworth, Australia, where she had the opportunity to learn from this legendary horseman, who was himself trained by the late Tom Dorrance, an American pioneer of natural horsemanship. The knowledge she gained from Merv was invaluable, and mostly involved learning on the job under his guidance.

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WORDS: Laura Hunt PHOTOS: Cheleken Photography

“Those classical horsemen, they don’t tell you exactly what to do – they give you a bit of a guide, then let you work it out yourself,” she says. In 1999, Vanessa started working for Corey and Ivan Mindlin of Villa Stud in Orere Point, South Auckland where they had two stallions standing, Rick’s Place and GoldStar. “Rick’s Place served naturally and GoldStar by artificial insemination. That was where I learnt about stallion handling, which I do a lot of during the breeding season,” she explains. After working for Corey and Ivan, Vanessa had the opportunity to do a course with world-renowned horse communicator, Klaus Hempfling, who is based in Denmark. She spent six months travelling around Sweden, England and Denmark, handling a range of different horses. She has also spent a lot of time over the years with Taukiri Te Whata, a New Zealand-based natural horsemanship instructor.

These days, with her many years of knowledge and experience combined with a quiet, calm and logical approach to handling young horses, Vanessa plays an integral part in the early education of hundreds of young horses across South Auckland and the northern Waikato region. Vanessa works with many different breeds of young horses for several different clients, from big sport horse or racehorse breeding operations with large numbers of youngstock, right through to people with just one young foal or horse needing some help and guidance. “I mostly work with young horses, handling and educating them and also holding them for vets or farriers,” says Vanessa. “A lot of the top sport horse riders I work for have youngsters that are bred to perform and have a big engine, so they can be quirky and the owners need help educating them. I work on listening to the horse, assessing them and most importantly building their confidence.”

BABY BASICS THE FIRST THING IS TO PUT THE ROPE GENTLY OVER THE NECK. IF THE FOAL IS QUITE NERVOUS I’LL LET THEM SEE IT FIRST, FOLLOW IT, THROW IT OVER A RAIL OR THEIR MOTHER AND LET THEM WALK UNDER IT BEFORE I PUT IT OVER THEIR NECK.

> SAFETY TIP FOR THOSE INEXPERIENCED WITH YOUNG HORSES It’s always a good idea to wear a helmet when working with them, especially in the earliest stages of their training. If you’re having trouble, seek professional advice.

ACCEPTING THE HALTER & ROPE Unless a foal needs earlier intervention to be handled for administration of veterinary or farriery care, Vanessa doesn’t recommend starting regular handling practise until the foal is about four to six weeks old. Always working in a confined space where the foal isn’t going to get into trouble if they try and run away, Vanessa will start initially teaching them about a lead rope and halter. “The first thing is to put the rope gently over the neck. If the foal is quite nervous I’ll let them see it first, follow it, throw it over a rail or their mother and let them walk under it before I put it over their neck.

“I use a rope because it teaches a foal about accepting pressure. Because they have no understanding of pressure, there is a risk they will flip themselves over if there is too much initial pressure applied to their head with a halter.” Once the foal has accepted the rope, Vanessa will introduce a halter. “I don’t just jam them into it. I will hug them around the neck and let them put their nose through first. It depends on the foal but usually the Only use a bowline knot when using a rope halter will be going on by the first or second for safety reasons – it’s non-slip and won’t tighten around your foal ‘s neck. handling session.”

Trust is the most important factor when dealing with youngstock, Vanessa says. “I never rush and always wait for the right moment to proceed.”

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LEARNING TO LEAD VANESSA USES FIVE KEY POINTS WHEN TEACHING YOUNGSTOCK TO LEAD, AS SHOWN IN THE PICTURES ON THIS PAGE.

Blocking the filly through a hand signal, Vanessa sets up a ‘wall’ and allows Felice time to figure out the right answer.

Reinforcing ‘the invisible line’, Vanessa makes sure not to let Felice past her.

Holding (not pulling) and waiting for her to be ready to proceed. It’s important at this stage that there’s no emotional reaction from the handler.

04 Once she’s going again, Vanessa makes sure not to interfere with the filly’s forward motion.

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Now that her trust is gained, Felice is confident to lead the way back to the paddock ahead of her dam.

HANDLING LEGS HANDLING A HORSE’S LEGS IS IMPORTANT FROM A YOUNG AGE. They have to learn to let you touch and move their legs, pick them up, put cover backstraps around them and so on, and it can be much easier if you start when they are small. Vanessa starts working on the legs by rubbing them all over from top to bottom and putting ropes round the front and back legs. This is particularly important for the back legs so they learn the feeling of cover backstraps.

To teach the foal to pick their legs up, Vanessa will put a rope behind the foal’s fetlock and stand in front of the leg being worked on, then use the rope to gently pull

> Vanessa uses a rope for a tactile experience and initially it gives Squiggle the opportunity to process the task without feeling crowded by the handler being too close.

the leg forward before taking the leg and to rub it all over and further desensitise. “Your hand should always stay with the leg, holding it in the same position that she would for picking out feet. With the leg in the right until you put it back on the ground, so right position, she will take the opportunity you put it down gently rather than drop it.”

“It is important that the STOP command is wellestablished. Once I can pick up their legs without them moving, I know they are ready for the farrier. Remember, the foal must be confident about the rope before using it on their legs. It is essential to build trust from the beginning.”

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TOP TIP

The training of a foal should begin from his first day of life, not be postponed until he is weaned. When people wait until the foal is older – even two to three months of age – often have a fight, and someone is the loser. Foals which have had little human contact or experience with handling have a very strong flight response.

PREPARING FOR A COVER To prepare the foal for the feeling of wearing a cover on their back, Vanessa will introduce them to a towel to start with. Firstly, she will get them to look at the towel, then stand back and wave it around with the foal on the end of the rope, and when they step forward towards it, she will place it over their neck. Once they have accepted the towel over the neck, it will slowly be moved onto their back and eventually their rump. This would be done several times and ideally during different sessions before the cover goes on.

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TOP TIPS FOR FOAL HANDLING: >

Give them time to process what you’re asking them to do. “Once they understand what you want they will be away. I often hear people say ‘the horse has forgotten what I taught it by the next day’, but that’s only because it hasn’t learnt properly the first time.”

Don’t overreact to any bad behaviour. When the foal is learning, they might feel nervous and act out by kicking or

biting. Vanessa says the worst thing to do is overreact. “I tend to ignore that, and if it continues, address it further down the track. It’s up to me to keep my body parts away from their mouth and hooves at this stage.”

> Don’t panic if they don’t get it right the first time – it’s generally because they don’t understand, or they are nervous.

HOLDING FOR THE VET/FARRIER A major part of Vanessa’s job is holding her clients’ horses for the vet or farrier, and she says it’s her responsibility to do whatever it takes to keep that person safe while they are working on the horse. These are Vanessa’s top recommendations when you’re holding your own young horse for a vet/farrier:

> Always be on the same side as they are working on, to make sure you can move the horse away quickly from the person working, if needed.

Always keep your eyes on the horse and the person working – don’t get distracted.

Don’t hang onto the head tight and wrestle with the horse. If they go to lean on the rope, don’t lean against them. A light tap on the side of the face to get their head straight again should be all that is needed.

> Prepare the horse for the vet/farrier visit if possible. If you

have a scheduled appointment, try and work with the horse a couple of days beforehand and then again before they arrive. Don’t be bringing them out of the paddock just as the vet/ farrier is driving in the gate.

THE NEXT STAGE - FROM WEANING THROUGH TO BREAKING What happens at the next stage of education is likely to depend on the horse’s breed and purpose – for example, a Thoroughbred preparing for a racing career may progress with their early education a lot sooner than a horse intended to become a sport horse. Once the basics are learnt as a foal, Vanessa recommends working with your young horse regularly enough to keep improving those

basics, but not overdoing it by handling them every day. “Don’t over-handle them,” she warns. “Do a block course and then give them a break.” In addition to further establishing the basics, as the young horse progresses Vanessa will teach them to walk on a circle around her and start to introduce some gear. When she is certain they have learnt to yield to

pressure, she will look at teaching them to tie up too. “You never want to try and tie them up unless they know how to yield to pressure,” she says. “If you hold the rope steady and firm and they give in to the pressure, then they should be ready to tie up. Even then I will only tie them up and step back, but still watch and supervise while they figure it out.”

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STARTING THE LOADING PROCESS Another job Vanessa is often called in for by her clients is to teach a horse to load on a truck or float. Below are some of her helpful tips to help keep this a stress-free and safe experience for you and your young horse: When you’re teaching them to lead, get them to stand their feet up on a box or tree stump or anything solid where they have to let something take their weight. This will help when it comes time to put their feet on the ramp.

WHEN THE TIME COMES > Ensure the ramp is flat for the first time you load. They can

learn to go up a steeper ramp properly later, but start as flat as you can.

As when teaching them to pick up their feet, use the rope

> behind the fetlock to bring their foot forward and place it on the ramp. Give them time to think about it before asking them to take another step. Use food as a reward and comfort, not a bribe – for example, if you get the horse in a truck and they freeze and aren’t sure what to do next, get their jaw moving with a bit of feed and their feet will move too.

> Keep the environment calm and stress-free with no distractions.

Exposure to a little bit of chaos can be good for young horses, but not when you’re trying to get them to concentrate and learn something.

A KIND BUT FIRM APPROACH 78

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VANESSA CONTINUES TO USE THE ROPE AS A TOOL TO ENCOURAGE SQUIGGLE TO LIFT HIS FRONT FEET ONTO THE WOODEN PLATFORM

Overall, Vanessa believes it’s important to be firm, but also gentle and patient, ensuring that no matter what age or stage a horse is at, that they understand what you want and build trust in you. “With a young horse, when you ask them do

something, they have to take it in and process it, which can mean a bit of a delay. You have to wait for them and work at the pace that is suitable for that individual horse. Some will do what you ask straight away and others need a bit more time.” C

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ADVICE

GET TO GRIP

TOP TIP

WITH STUDS

Studs give extra grip when riding on hard or very wet ground. However, they must be used carefully and it’s important to choose the right type of stud for the going. Pointy studs will penetrate harder ground better, while heavy going calls for longer, squarer ones. Large studs should only be used in the outside stud hole, otherwise your horse could catch himself, and using smaller studs to the inside can help keep his feet balanced. Studs should only be fitted just before you ride and removed immediately after, and you should avoid walking your horse on concrete with studs in as they change the angle of his legs (the exception being road studs). It’s also worth investing in a magnetic tray for studding up to stop you losing them so easily.

The first time you ride your horse with studs you should fit him with some small road studs and let him walk around unmounted for a while to get used to the new feeling

Studs will give your horse a firmer footing and, with it, greater confidence

PUTTING STUDS IN

After your farrier has drilled stud holes in your horse’s shoes, he’ll pack them with material to prevent grit getting in. Lift your horse’s foot and use a farrier’s nail or similar pointed object to remove the cotton wool or plug from the stud hole and check it’s clean.

Next you may need to use your stud tap – this tool is designed to sharpen the thread of the stud hole so the studs screw in easily. When you’re tapping out, go backwards until you feel the tap bite just a little, then go forward again.

3 Now you’re ready to insert your stud, and a squirt of oil into the stud hole first can help it go in. Pop the stud in, making sure you don’t cross-thread it or you’ll ruin the stud hole. Tighten carefully by hand, then use a spanner to make sure it’s secure.

TAKING STUDS OUT

When removing studs, simply unscrew using your tap or spanner. If you find one is on tight, put the hoof between your knees like a farrier before you try to loosen it, otherwise you can easily twist your horse’s foot and leg without realising it.

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Next, replug the stud hole – without packing, stones and grit will easily get in there and ruin the threads, especially if you do a lot of roadwork. Five minutes of care with stud holes makes such a difference and saves a lot of fiddling about next time.

Always wipe off your studs after use so they are put away clean, then apply a little petroleum jelly or a squirt of oil to protect and keep them rust-free before storing them safely in an oily rag, which again protects them. C

PHOTO ESSAYS We bring you coverage from your favourite events, big and small, from around New Zealand and overseas

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82 Canterbury Dressage Festival of Future Stars 86 Show Horse Council of Australasia Grand Nationals 90 Kihikihi International Horse Trials | 96 Pony Club Eventing Champs 100 NRM National Three-Day Event Championships 106 Under 25 Dressage Championships 112 South Island One-Day Event | 116 Auckland Royal Show 120 Eventing Central Districts | 124 Badminton Horse Trials SHOWCIRCUIT MAGAZINE

PHOTO ESSAY

- SYNCROFLEX FESTIVAL OF

FUTURE STARS PHOTOS Dark Horse Photography

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1. Sophie Griffith – FERRING, Champion 5YO Young Dressage Horse 2. Kelly Tyson – SOUTHERN Z, winner of the Rising Star Ridden 4-6YO Stallion or Gelding, Reserve Champion Ridden 4-7YO 3. Holly Merritt – GEPPETTO, Reserve Champion 5YO Young Dressage Horse

4. Jan Morice – DENMARK, Champion 6YO Young Dressage Horse 5. Catherine Polden – RUSALKA, competing in the 6YO Young Dressage Horse 6. Emma Rowe-Pledger – WHISPERS MATAPIRO, competing in the 6YO Young Dressage Horse 7. Claudia Faulkner – CITADELLE, competing in Level 4 8. Nicola Maley – ROHDIAROSE CDS, winner of the Rising Star Led Yearling Filly, Champion Led 3 Yrs & Under (led by Shane Maley) 9. Sally Field-Dodgson – VOLLRATH LA VIDA, competing in Level 3 10. Amelia French – WONDERMENT, winner of the Rising Star Led 4-6YO Stallion or Gelding, Reserve Champion Led 4 Yrs & Over 11. Kirsty Sharapoff – SHOOT THE BREEZE, competing in Level 4 12. Sally Cooper-Johnston – SILVER LININGS NIMBUS, 5th in the Rising Star Led 4-6YO Mare

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1 1. Vanessa Pickens - RUBINESQUE, winner of the Rising Star 4-7YO Mare, Champion Ridden 4-7YO 2. Amy Stewart – ROVALE GRASSIANO DG, 2nd in the Rising Star Ridden 4-7YO Stallion or

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Gelding 3. Janelle Sangster-Ward – DUNSTAN SWE, Champion 4YO Young Dressage Horse (with sponsor Louis Schindler)

4. Courtney Walker – WEMBLEYBROOK BY DESIGN, 2nd in the Rising Star Ridden Performance 7 Yrs & Over Stallion or Gelding, Reserve Champion Ridden 7 Yrs & Over 5. Sarah MacLeod – PING, competing in the 4YO Young Dressage Horse 6. Jane Olsson – ASTEK GEORGIA, winner of the Rising Star Ridden 7 Yrs & Over Mare, Rising Star Led 7 Yrs & Over Mare, Champion Ridden 7 Yrs & Over 7. Candice Nichol - AIR TIME II, competing in Level 4

8. Emily Cammock – LEWIS, competing in Level 5 9. Donna Herring – EVANDER JUNOS RAZMATAZ, winner of the Rising Star Led 4-6YO Mare, Champion Led 4 Yrs & Over (with sponsor representative Janine Simmons of Mitavite) 10. Esther Pearce – SUCH FUN, competing in Level 4 11. Vanessa Baxter – JAZZAWAY, competing in the 4YO Young Dressage Horse

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PHOTO ESSAY

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Sydney International Equestrian Centre PHOTOS Little More Grace Photographics

1. E Richardson – HARRINGTON PARK SYMPHONY, Champion Child’s First Ridden Saddle Pony not exceeding 12.2hh; Best Rider 5 years & under 12 years old 2. R Crane – AATC KRACKER JACK, Champion Hunter Hack over 16hh 3. R Kent (Universal Stables) – WANTED DD, Champion Small Hunter over 15hh-16hh 4. Mimi Dyer representing New Zealand in Best Rider 12 years & under 15 years old 5. TracieLee Wells, Grand Champion Rider 6. C Hunter-Cooke – DAISY PATCH SOUL STAR, Silkwood April Showers Trophy winner for Galloway over 14hh-14.2hh 7. Georgia Coory representing New Zealand in the Hunter Galloway over 14hh-14.2hh 8. Meghan Walker-Cudby – PINTADO TAIHOA, representing New Zealand in the Hunter Hack over 16hh 9. Amanda Barlow representing New Zealand in Best Rider 21-30 years old 10. Dazi Plumb – DP LADY DI, Grand Champion Child’s Saddle Exhibit 11. A Havea & L Doran – LA CONFIDENTIAL, Champion & Garry Robson Memorial Trophy winner for Saddle Horse over 15hh-16hh 12. C Schaefer & E Bowers – PICTURESQUE PRINCE, Champion Lead Rein Pony not exceeding 12hh; Best Rider 3 years & under 8 years old 13. Jordyn Fairbrother representing New Zealand in Best Rider 17 years & under 21 years old 14. Madi Munro representing New Zealand in Best Rider 17 years & under 21 years old 15. S Gladstone – HEARTBREAKER, Champion Saddle Horse over 16hh 16. Kate Fleming representing New Zealand in Best Rider 17 years & under 21 years old 17. A Clark – DRUMEDEN CHORUS LINE, Champion Child’s Large Saddle Pony over 12.2hh & not exceeding 14hh 86

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1. Harriet Redmond – NGAHIWI FROSTIE representing New Zealand, placed in the Top Ten for Champion Hunter Hack over 16hh 2. Lillie Wallace representing New Zealand in Junior Rider 9 years & under 12 years old 3. S Aylett & P Hudson – OWENDALE BUTTER SCHNAPPS, Champion Hunter Pony 12.2hh-14hh 4. Mimi Dyer representing New Zealand in Best Rider 12 years & under 15 years old 5. H Potts – PEMBERLY DIOR, ridden by Francesca Christie to win the Royalwood Merry Music Trophy for Champion Pony 12.2hh-14hh 6. K Harper-Purcell – CLEMSON TUXEDO II, Champion Hunter Galloway 14hh-14.2hh 7. B Adams – TIKALLARA ILLUSION, Champion Galloway 14.2hh-15hh 8. Millie Harris representing New Zealand in Best Rider 12 years & under 15 years old

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PHOTO ESSAY 1

KIHIKIHI International

Horse Trial PHOTOS Eye Witness Photography

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1. Ashleigh Mckinstry’s NGAHIWI MAKEM (owned by Ashleigh and Fran Svenson) competed in the Wade Equine Coaches CIC1* Ferndale Trophy Championship 2. Abbey Thompson – ROCKIN IT, 6th in the WeatherBeeta CIC2* Waiteko Trophy Championship 3. Kimberley Rear – DELTA LEGACY, 4th in the WeatherBeeta CIC2* Waiteko Trophy Championship 4. Lauren Alexander – CLASSIC INDIGO in the WeatherBeeta CIC2* Waiteko Trophy Championship

5. Elise Edwards-Smith – SAMALAN in the Wade Equine Coaches CIC1* Ferndale Trophy Championship 6. Kelsey Leahy – SHOWCAUSE, winner of the Wade Equine Coaches CIC1* Ferndale Trophy Championship 7. Heelan Tompkins – SNOW LEOPARD, 4th in the Waipa Home of Champions CIC3* Forest Gate Trophy Championship 8. Sophie Alexander – WORLD FAMOUS in the WeatherBeeta CIC2* Waiteko Trophy Championship

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9 10 1. Maddison Crowe – DEO VOLENTE in the Pryde’s Easifeed CNC1* 2. Sarah Young – LEO DEGAS in the Waipa Home of Champions CIC3* Forest Gate Trophy Championship 3. Ashleigh Mckinstry – PIONEER BRASS MONKEY in the Waipa

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6. Renee Faulkner – THE DRAGON WARRIOR in the Wade Equine Coaches CIC1* Ferndale Trophy Championship 7. Jessica Woods – LV ENCOSTALOT, winner of the Prestige CNC105 Open A class 8. Donna Edwards-Smith – DSE TANGOLOOMA, 2nd in the Waipa Home of Champions CIC3* Forest Gate Trophy Championship

9. Nick Brooks – FOR FAME, 3rd in the Waipa Home of Champions CIC3* Forest Gate Trophy Championship 10. Brooke Campbell – FREDDY DASH (owned by Brooke & her mother Deidre) retained the WeatherBeeta CIC2* Waiteko Trophy Championship (last year she finished 2nd to Clarke Johnstone, who was ineligible for the prize – this year she won it outright)

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1. Jenny Pearce – TOP STEEL In the Pryde’s Easifeed CNC1* 2. Clarke Johnstone – BALMORAL SENSATION, winner of the Waipa Home of Champions CIC3* Championship, with the Bounce Trophy donated by Vaughn Jefferis 3. Jake Barham – ATLAN in the WeatherBeeta CIC2* Waiteko Trophy Championship 4. Tayla Mason – THE INNKEEPER in the Wade Equine Coaches CIC1* Ferndale Trophy Championship

5. Elise Power – ARCTIC CIELO, 5th in the WeatherBeeta CIC2* Waiteko Trophy Championship 6. Spectators watch events unfold at the oval on the final day at Kihikihi Domain

7. Renee Faulkner – RUBINSTAR HH in the Waipa Home of Champions CIC3* Forest Gate Trophy Championship

8. Scout Lodder – PIONEER MAKOKOMIKO & Molly O’Leary – SIMPLY MITCH both competed in the Vosper Law CNC105 Restricted class

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PHOTO ESSAY

NZPCA

pony club eventing

CHAMPIONSHIPS PHOTOS: Belinda Pratt Photography

RESULTS

1st – CANTERBURY

Molli Thacker, Jordan Shrimpton, Lucy Cochrane, Fabrianna McQuarrie, Jessie Fitzjohn, Charlotte Thomas

2nd – WAIKATO

Jenny Bevege, Jacinda Baker-Singh, Julia Wykes, Gus Nelson, Storm Harris, Clay Harris

3rd – WAIRARAPA-WELLINGTON

Aiden Viviers, Molly Cardno, Jess Viviers, Ella Baigent-Brown, Hollie Falloon, Lucy Marshall

4th – AUCKLAND/OTAGO-SOUTHLAND COMPOSITE Rebecca Davey, Tayla Moss, Francesca Masfen, Noah Coutts, Jamisen O’Brien

5th – OTAGO-SOUTHLAND

Lilly Anderson, Isabelle Hazlett, Maggie Bowles, Ella Morshuis, Melissa Wallace, Hazel Gibson

6th – FRANKLIN-THAMES VALLEY

Samantha Belsham, Eden Doull, Bridget Sullivan, Lara Butler-Gallie, Harriet Gelb

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5 6 1. The winning Canterbury team (left to right): Charlotte Thomas – TE PUKE, Fabrianna McQuarrie – YIPPEE KI YAY, Lucy Cochrane – INSPECTOR GADGET, Jordan Shrimpton – KA PAI KIWI, Jessie Fitzjohn – WHAT’S THE BUZZ, Molli Thacker – HAPPY GO LUCKY 2. Eden Doull – NOBLE VALUE, winner of the Dorothy Campbell (DC) Trophy for Franklin-Thames Valley 3. Jacinda Baker–Singh – MR PARKES in the DC section for Waikato 4. Chloe Janssen – HOLLYWOOD GEM in the DC section for Bay of Plenty/Waitemata-Rodney Composite 5. Jenny Bevege – NGATAMAHINE JJ AIRTIME, winner of the A1 Challenge Cup for Waikato 6. Tara Jones –NIGHT N DAY in the DC section as an individual (Northland) 7. Noah Coutts – BIZZIE CANOODLING in the MT section for Auckland/Otago-Southland Composite 8. Gabrielle Bell – SAN CABO in the DC section as an individual (Hawke’s Bay)

9. Jed Comber – SAVANNAHS DIXIE CHICK in the DC section for Marlborough-Nelson-West Coast 10. Jamisen O’Brien – HOT TOMATO in the MT section for Auckland/Otago-Southland Composite

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3 4 5 1. Maddie Fraser – MOJO BANJO in the Non– Championship 95cm class 2. Samuel Amon – TROJAN WARRIOR in the A1 section for Bay of Plenty/Waitemata– Rodney Composite 3. Emma de Latour – LITTLE MACINTOSH in the MT section for ASCNO/Hawke’s Bay Composite 4. Jessie Fitzjohn – WHAT’S THE BUZZ in the A1 section for Canterbury 5. Molli Thacker – HAPPY GO LUCKY, 4th in the A1 section for Canterbury 6. Storm Harris – IRISH FOXTROT in the A1 section for Waikato; who also won Highest Placed A1 team for Dressage (sponsored by the National Coaches) 7. Aiden Viviers – GISELLE II, 6th in the A1 section for Wairarapa– Wellington 8. Claudia Hurley – DARTANIAN in the A1 section for Taranaki/Manawatu–West Coast Composite

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PHOTO ESSAY

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NRM NATIONAL THREE-DAY EVENT CHAMPIONSHIPS There was no margin for error at the NRM National Three-Day this year, with bitterly cold weather testing riders on Chris Ross’s cross-country course. WORDS Diana Dobson PHOTOS Eye Witness Photography

manda Pottinger is heading to the Adelaide CCI4* riding high after winning her second CCI3* NRM Open National Championship crown at Taupo. The 26-year-old business analyst from Havelock North led from the start at the NRM National Three-Day Eventing Championships after scoring 29.2 penalty points in the dressage to slot into first place. Aboard Just Kidding, she came home clear with only 3.2 time penalties from a very challenging cross-country course, and despite adding four faults in the show jumping, finished at the front of the pack on 36.4 penalties. Nick Brooks (Cambridge) and For Fame had their first start at CCI3* to finish second on 38.9, with Jessica Woods (Ohaupo) and Just de Manzana in third on 49.8, and Bundy Philpott aboard Tresca NZPH fourth on 54.3.

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Chris Ross’s cross-country course proved influential, and saw five combinations drop out of the 3* competition. Even Amanda said it was the biggest and toughest she had ever faced. While Just Kidding has had issues with water in the past, Amanda’s patience in rebuilding his confidence has been well worth it. “It has been tough, but clearly it was worth persevering with him!” Defending champ Emily Cammock (Christchurch) posted a solid dressage score of 33.1, but withdrew Shaw Lee before the crosscountry. The horse had an injury in the lead-up to the big event and she felt that it was too big of an ask when he didn’t feel quite right. “I wanted him to be 100%, and given that he won it last year, what was the point of going for a quiet canter around?” wondered

1. Bundy Philpott - TRESCA NZPH, 4th in the NRM CCI3* 2. Matthew Grayling - NRM TRUDEAU, competed in the NRM CCI3* 3. Beth Wilson - ARAMIS in the Fiber Fresh CCI1* 4. Samantha Felton - RICKER RIDGE DIVINE RIGHT in the NRM CCI3* 5. Amy Schischka - ROCK IT, competed in the Taupo Veterinary Centre CCN105 Open 6. Amanda Pottinger JUST KIDDING, winner of the NRM CCI3* 7. Lauren Alexander - READY SET BOUNCE in the Wairakei Resort CCN105 8. Greer Caddigan - GYMNASTIK SHOWDOWN at the horse inspection for the Fiber Fresh CCI1* 9. Lizzie Green - CORONA XTREME in the Equissage Young Event Horse

8 Emily. “It wasn’t a track you could take half-heartedly – you had to be on your game. I am gutted, because I really wanted to ride the track, but that’s horses and this way I still have a horse to carry on with next season.”

MOTHER’S DAY PRESSIE TO BEAT ALL

Amanda gifted her win to her mum Tinks – herself a former winner of the National Three-Day title – which was useful as she hadn’t yet bought her a Mother’s Day present! Interestingly, Amanda didn’t think the new scoring system would work in her favour, but admits she was proven wrong. She now plans to give former racehorse Just Kidding a break before ramping up his training and fitness in preparation for Adelaide. “I want to have two weeks up my sleeve, so will start his

9 fitness early. Time is the key.” The combination also won the TiES (Thoroughbreds in Equestrian Sports) eventing award. Amanda had plenty of praise too for runner-up Nick Brooks, saying she knew he would be dangerous in the show jumping. “He is such a beautiful jumper and does a lot of show jumping. I am so happy for him,” she said. Nick was over the moon with the efforts of his 10-year-old sport horse For Fame. “He just couldn’t have done any more, and I couldn’t be more proud of him.”

YOUNGEST HORSE TAKES 2* CROWN

Samantha Felton (Matangi) and Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ were comfortable winners of the Bates CCI2* Championship, finishing on their 28.1 dressage score.

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3 4 “There’s quite a lot of pressure when you are sitting on a good jumper,” admitted Sam. “This was a great way to finish the weekend…actually a good way to finish a challenging year.” She is confident that her seven-year-old horse – the youngest in the field – is destined for greater things. “We want to do this at his pace and produce him properly,” she said of the horse she co-owns with Pip McCarroll. “I really rate him.” Sam was one of the busiest riders at the event, with multiple horses across the levels, but the extra fitness work she has been doing in the gym definitely paid off. However, she’ll be taking it easy soon as she heads to hospital for a hip operation, which will keep her off the horses for three months over winter.

DREAM COME TRUE

The FiberFresh CCI1* Championship was won by a rather emotional Samantha Mynott (Matangi) aboard CHS Ripleys Dream, while Angela Lloyd (Hunua) and her gentle giant homebred horse

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5 Raucous took out the Wairakei Resort CCN105 Championship. Samantha got the ride on CHS Ripleys Dream in December and says it’s the horse’s quirks and difference that she adores. “We have come a long way this year and I am stoked to have the opportunity to ride him,” she said. After spending a year working for Jesse Campbell in the UK, Samantha returned home at the end of 2016 with an eye to rebuilding her team. There have been plenty of challenges along the way, but she now feels that things are finally starting to come together.

SILVER SPURS FOR THE NORTH ISLAND

The North Island team of Bundy Philpott (Tresca NZPH), Donna Edwards-Smith (DSE Tangalooma), Angela Lloyd (Lyrical) and Bryce Newman (Bates Game Keeper) took out the hotlycontested Silver Spurs Teams Competition between the North and South Islands. C

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10 11 1. Bryce Newman - BATES GAME KEEPER, 3rd in the Bates CCI2* 2. Vicky Browne-Cole - CUTTING EDGE, 5th in the Fiber Fresh CCI1* 3. Lisa Chapple - STILOSO WHATARETHEODDS at the first inspection for the Fiber Fresh CCI1* 4. TRICK KEY, owned by Dannie & Nick Lodder, 4th in the Equissage Young Event Horse 5. Kaitlyn Freeman - LANDISOHN during the Wairakei Resort CCN105 trot up 6. Amanda Pottinger - GOOD TIMING in the Fiber Fresh CCI1* 7. Tayla Mason - CENTENNIAL in the Fiber Fresh CCI1* 8. Jane Callaghan - WETI WEST END at the first inspection for the Fiber Fresh CCI1* 9. Bonnie Farrant - JAY GADSBY, 5th in the Equissage Young Event Horse 10. Diane Gilder - YOUR ATTORNEY in the NRM CCI3* 11. Samantha Felton - RICKER RIDGE SOOTY GNZ, winner of the Bates CCI2*

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1. Corey Wood - SWEET ESCAPE during the trot up for the Wairakei Resort CCN105 2. Sarah Dalziell-Clout - IN THE MOMENT, winner of the Equissage Young Event Horse 3. Sam Mynott - CHS RIPLEYS DREAM, winner of the Fiber Fresh CCI1* 4. Jake Barham with Elise Power - ARCTIC CIELO, 6th in the Bates CCI2* 5. Abbey Thompson - ROCKIN IT, 8th in the Bates CCI2* 6. Nick Brooks - FOR FAME, 2nd in the NRM CCI3* 7. Ashleigh Mckinstry - PIONEER TECHTONIC SHUFFLE in the Fiber Fresh CCI1* 8. RICKER RIDGE SOOTY GNZ, winner of the Bates CCI2*, with owner Pip McCarroll 9. Tyler Porteous - MADISON AVENUE, 9th in the Wairakei Resort CCN105 104

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RESULTS NRM CCI3* OPEN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th

Amanda Pottinger - JUST KIDDING (36.4) Nick Brooks - FOR FAME (38.9) Jessica Woods - JUST DE MANZANA (49.8) Bundy Philpott - TRESCA NZPH (54.3) Matthew Grayling - NRM TRUDEAU (65.8) Samantha Felton - RICKER RIDGE RUI (103.7) Corey Wood - PICK UP LINE (110.1) Kate Fleming - MENDELSSHON (114)

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Samantha Felton - RICKER RIDGE SOOTY GNZ (28.1) Angela Lloyd - LYRICAL (34.2) Bryce Newman - BATES GAME KEEPER (36.7) Lucy Turner - CARBON (38.8) Beth Wilson - ALTO ET AUDAX (40.4) Elise Power - ARCTIC CIELO (40.9) Rachel Cave - FIGURATO (43.2) Abbey Thompson - ROCKIN IT (45.5)

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FIBER FRESH CCI1* CHAMPIONSHIP 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th

Samantha Mynott - CHS RIPLEYS DREAM (32.8) Samantha Felton - RICKER RIDGE RILEY (34) Bundy Philpott - SHILLINGS (34.3) Amanda Illston - VERDELHO (34.4) Vicky Browne-Cole - ZIP IT UP (35.1) Christen Lane - HENTON ARMADA (35.5) Chanel Hargrave - MOVING ON (36.1) Jeffrey Amon - JA CANDY GIRL (36.2)

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Megan Finlayson - GREENSLEEVES (38.7) Clay Harris - ALL IN TIME (46.1) Francesca Silver-Carter - CASE IN POINT (46.3) Denise Rushbrook - ASTEK GADZUKS (46.9) Niamh Rayne - MY HALLUCINATION (48.6) Fiona Fraser - XANTHUS III (54) Holly Rose - PAMPERO (57.2) Erica Alderton - ORION STAR (57.6)

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WAIRAKEI RESORT CCN105 CHAMPIONSHIP 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th

Angela Lloyd - RAUCOUS (26.9) Kirsty Guilfoyle - ASH HAVEN DIVA (29.2) Jessica Woods - KINGS SOLEIL (31.4) Emily Cammock - ANTARA (31.6) Lizzie Green - COMANCHE II (34.2) Alena Dorotich - KNOXVILLE (34.5) Lizzie Green - MARBLE POINT (35.5) Georgie Dickson - TIGERHERZ (36.8)

TAUPO VETERINARY CENTRE CCN105 OPEN 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th

Jessica Woods - LV ENCOSTALOT (21) Eden Doull - NOBLE VALUE (28.1) Caroline Howell - TELESTORY (32) Graham Fox - ORANOA TOBASCO (32.8) Mitty Forsyth - ILLUSTRIOUS (35.9) Louise Leonard - PRIVATE BENJAMIN (37.6) Emma Broughton-Watts - BOOGIE NIGHTS (38) Abby Lawrence - LION ROCK (38.8)

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PHOTO ESSAY UNDER 25 DRESSAGE CHAMPIONSHIPS, NORTH ISLAND FUTURE STARS & FEI WORLD DRESSAGE CHALLENGE PHOTOS Dark Horse Photography

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1. Madison Schollum – KINNORDY GOLDA, 2nd in the WDC Senior I, U25 Level 4 Champion 2. Allison Addis – WHISTLEDOWN KRISTOPHA, 5th in the WDC Senior II, U25 Level 5 Champion 3. Anna Gale – WALK THE LINE, 3rd in the WDC Senior II 4. Vanessa Way – NRM PRONTO, 2nd in the 7-Year-Old Future Star (1st Round) & 2nd in the WDC Prix St Georges 106

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5. Gaylene Lennard – JAX JOHNSON, winner of the WDC Senior 1 6. Jayna Dineen – SANSIBAR, 2nd in the WDC Senior II 7. Julie Flintoff – BELLADONNA MH, 4th in the WDC Prix St Georges 8. John Thompson - JHT ANATOMY, 5-Year-Old Future Star Champion SHOWCIRCUIT MAGAZINE

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1. Christine Weal – SCHINDLERS LISZT, winner of the WDC Senior II 2. John Thompson – JHT CHEMISTRY, 6-Year-Old Future Star Champion 3. Sachleen Kaur – HP LEVITATE, winner of the WDC Youth 12-16yrs 4. Caitlin Benzie – ROSARI ROYAL GEM, U25 Level 9 Reserve Champion 5. Samantha Fechney – JK LUCAZEN, U25 Level 3 Champion 6. Hannah Burden – FANFARE MH, 4-Year-Old Future Star and Overall Champion 7. Ciara Johnston – MIDNIGHT OIL (left), 5-Year-Old Future Star Pony Champion & Morgan Beere – SAMBUCA SODA (right), 4-Year-Old Future Star Pony and Overall Pony Champion 8. Meila Picard – BUCKTON DENNISTON, U25 Pony Level 4 Reserve Champion 108

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9. Bella Small – KINGSLEA BUSY BEE, U25 Pony Level 3 Champion 10. Melissa Galloway – WINDERMERE JOHANSON W, U25 Level 9 Champion, Fissenden Trophy for the Highest Points (with Helen Hughes-Keen) 11. Catherine Tobin – BRADGATE RIOT ACT, 2nd in the 7-Year-Old Future Star (2nd round) 12. Sophia Blackbourn – CHAMPIONS LEAGUE, U25 Level 2 Pony Champion 13. Kieryn Walton – ROSARI DON CARLOS, winner of the WDC Intermediate I 14. Grace Thomson – TREVALDA MOUNTAIN STORM in the 4-Year-Old Future Star, 3rd in the U25 1C, 2nd in the U25 1D SHOWCIRCUIT MAGAZINE

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1. Catherine West – RAJANI (left), Reserve Champion, Rebecca Williamson – DON TOBIO (right), Champion – U25 Level 1 2. Bronwyn Cooper – HV DESTINO, 1st in the 6-Year-Old Future Star (1st Round) 3. Grace Purdie – TAURIMU RENAISSANCE, U25 Pony Level 1 Reserve Champion 4. Grace Farrell – VOLLRATH LUIGI, U25 Level 3 Reserve Champion 5. Brina Carpenter – PLUTONIUM LADY, 3rd in the WDC Senior I, U25 Level 4 Reserve Champion 6. Piper Crake – REBEL RICOCHET, U25 Pony Level 1 Champion 7. Georgia Gibbons – LSH CONSTANTINE (left), Reserve Champion & Holly Moorman – WISDOM WDS (right), Champion, U25 Level 2 8. Lisa Brown – WEITI MINUET, 2nd in the 4-Year-Old Future Star (1st Round) 9. Lucarne Dolley – ARDMORE, 3rd in the WDC Prix St Georges, Young Rider Level 6/7 Reserve Champion, Waldebago Trophy for Young Rider Champion Under 21 (with Tina Dolley) 10. Mackenzie Sim – PIONEER NORTH EAST, U25 Level 4 Pony Champion, Hyland Trophy for Pony Rider Champion 11. Alyssa Harrison – DA VINCI CODE, 2nd in the WDC Youth 12-16yrs 12. Melissa Galloway – WINDERMERE JOBEI W, 7-Year-old Future Stars Champion, winner of the WDC Prix St Georges, U25 Level 6/7 Champion 110

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PHOTO ESSAY

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SOUTH ISLAND ONE-DAY EVENT PHOTOS Sophie Simson

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6 7 8 1. Annabelle Jones – BRAXTON BOY, winners of the Hygain CNC105 Under 21 2. Lucy Turner – CARBON, winners of the FMG CIC2* 3. Emily Cammock – SHAW LEE, 2nd in the Ultimate Design & Renovation CIC3* 4. Kirsty Sharapoff – SHOOT THE BREEZE, winners of the Foveaux Equestrian South Island FEI Series

5. Eloise Thomas – ALBEREC, winners of the Beta CNC95 Under 21 6. Brent Jury – SE HEDGING, winners of the Dunstan CIC1* (Brent was also 2 on his other horse SE GORKY PARK) 7. Lauren Enright – TYGRA, winners of nd

the BetaVet CNC95 8. Johanna Wylaars – CORIVALE GREASED LIGHTNING, the cutest competitors in the CNC105 Under 21 9. Hattie Munro had an amazing save with her horse BAXTER in the CNC105 Under 21

SAVE OF THE DAY

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1. Ginny McKenzie – Y-PUNA VALIANT CHARGER, winners of the Melwood Equestrian CNC80 Under 21 2. Larissa Srhoy – HEADS WILL ROLL, winners of the Melwood Equestrian CNC80 3. Giles Gormack – LUCERO, 3rd in the FMG CIC2*

4. Claudia Faulkner – STRATE SHOT, winners of the Weatherbeeta CNC65 5. Anna Poole – MISS RENEGADE, winners of the Hei Hei Pharmacy CNC105 6. Emily Cammock – PUNA FERGIE, 6th in the Young Event Horse 7. Jessica Woods – JUST DE MANZANA, winner of the Ultimate Design & Renovation CIC3*

8. Courtney Davis – BY HOKI, 2nd in the FMG CIC2* 9. Jessica Woods – LV ENCOSTALOT won the Best 5-Year-Old and the NZ Racing Award for Top Thoroughbred

10. Eve Hawes – SPOOKEE POSSUM, 5th in the Dunstan CIC1* 11. Kirstin Beaven – DOLLY NZPH, 3rd in the Young Event Horse & winner of Best Mare 12. Louise Poultney – COGNITO, 2nd in the Hygain CNC105 Under 21

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PHOTO ESSAY

ROYAL EASTER SHOW 2018 PHOTOS Show Circuit Magazine

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1. Gaylene Lennard – DONZELLO, winner of the Sue Yearbury Memorial Equestrian class 2. Paris Masterson – BOLLINGER, Champion Novice Hack and Champion Led Adult Sport Horse 3. Caitlin Officer – BROOKFIELDS ROYAL COMMAND, Supreme Paced & Mannered Pony, Champion Open 138cm-148cm Pony 4. Peter Hill – HIGH COMMAND, Captain Charles Ross Cholmondeley-Smith Salver, presented by Kevin Cholmondeley-Smith 5. Charlie Sabine – WINDERMERE TIARA, Champion First Year Ridden Pony 6. Vanessa Everton – LADY’S HONOUR RD, winner of the 1990 Perpetual Trophy for Mares Under Saddle, Paced & Mannered Hack, Champion Hack, followed by Supreme Horse of the Show 7. Amanda Berridge – WOODY GOODWIN, Champion Park Hack, Paced & Mannered Park Hack 8. Billie Roach – KS B-WITCHED, Champion Open 128cm Show Pony, Champion Lead Rein with Sophie Chipperfield 9. Karen McKechnie – DAMASCUS STEEL, Supreme Paced & Mannered Horse, Champion Open Riding Horse 10. Kelly Sheely – DA VINCI, winner of the Novice Paced & Mannered Hack, combined with Park Hack

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1. Harriet Redmond – NGAHIWI FROSTIE, working out in Open Saddle Hunter 2. Kerri Hedley – NOTHING COINCIDENTAL, Champion Novice Riding Horse 3. Corey Miln – ELUSIVE LOVE, Champion Novice Park Hack, Supreme Novice Hack 4. Chris McKechnie – SAVILE ROW (owned by Anne Hjorth), Champion Saddle Hunter Horse 5. Jayna Dinneen – SANSIBAR, Champion Adult Rider, Reserve Champion Open Riding Horse 6. Rachel Stock – CHUCK TAYLOR, Novice Paced & Mannered Saddle Hunter, Champion Novice Saddle Hunter Horse 7. Paris Masterson – KS ROSE D’OR, Champion Saddle Hunter Pony, Reserve Champion Rider, Paced & Mannered Saddle Hunter Pony 8. Billie Roach – LINDEN JUST A DREAM, Supreme Open Show Pony, Champion Rider, also Champion Junior Rider riding BROOKFIELDS VON STRAUSS 9. Lucy Norton-Collins – KS HONEY BOO BOO, Champion Novice Show Pony, Supreme Novice Pony 10. Richard Otto – XANT’E, Reserve Champion Open Park Hack 11. Greg Smith – AVANTE GARDE, Paced & Mannered Saddle Hunter, Reserve Champion Rider 12. Rebecca Aplin – SHERLOCK, Reserve Champion Open Saddle Hunter

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PHOTO ESSAY

EVENTING CENTRAL DISTRICTS PHOTOS Dark Horse Photography

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1. Sarah Dalziell-Clout – IN THE MOMENT, 5th in the CNC95 2. Elise Power – ARCTIC CIELO, 4th in the Norwood FEI CIC2* 3. Georgina Fryatt – LINE SEVEN, 3rd in the CNC80 Under 18 4. Tayla Mason – THE INNKEEPER, 4th in the Norwood FEI CIC1* 5. Francesca Silver-Carter – CASE IN POINT, 6th in the Norwood FEI CIC1* 6. Kate Fleming – MENDELSSHON, 1st in the Norwood FEI CNC2* Plus 120

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7. Bryce Newman - BATES GAME KEEPER, 1st in the Norwood FEI CIC2* 8. Matthew Grayling – NRM TRUDEAU, 5th in the Norwood FEI CIC2* 9. Abby Lawrence – ANONYMOUS, 1st in the Mamaku Stud CNC1* 10. Georgia Fellowes – TREVALDA CONNIEBRAE, 2nd in the CNC80 11. Carys McCrory – MUSTANGS FIRE N ICE, competing in the CNC95 Under 18 12. Alex Dempster – MAMAKU WHITE OUT, 4th in the CNC80 SHOWCIRCUIT MAGAZINE

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5 1. Karla Wilson – REGAL ALLURE, competing in the CNC80 2. Anna Schroeder – WAIPUNA JACK, 3rd in the CNC105 3. Angela Lloyd – LYRICAL, competing in the Norwood FEI CIC2* 4. Charlotte Edwards – CHARLTON CHIME, competing in the CNC95 5. Greer Stroud – MĀ ROSE, competing in the CNC80 Under 18 6. Alex Smartt – NANAS FLASH, competing in the CNC95 7. Alissa Geange – DSE SACRED TRUST, 4th in the CNC105 8. Amanda Pottinger – JUST KIDDING, 2nd in the Norwood FEI CNC2* Plus 9. Bridget Sullivan – JUDICIOUS, competing in the Norwood FEI CIC1* 10. Emily Cammock – ANTARA, competing in the CNC105 11. Carla Ross – WESTSIDE GUARD, competing in the CNC105 12. Lauren Alexander – MARSH, competing in the CNC95 122

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PHOTO ESSAY

BADMINTON HORSE TRIALS

PHOTOS Nico Morgan

1. Jonelle Price – CLASSIC MOET, winner of the Badminton Horse Trials 2018 2. Caroline Powell – ON THE BRASH (29th) 3. Rosalind Canter – ALLSTAR B (3rd) 4. Nana Dalton – ABSOLUT OPPOSITION (30th) 5. Caroline Powell – UP UP AND AWAY (31st)

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6. Mark Todd – KILTUBRID RHAPSODY (6th) 7. Dan Jocelyn – DASSETT COOL TOUCH (37th) 8. Andrew Nicholson – NEREO – withdrawn before the show jumping, then retired from 4* competition 9. Georgie Strang – COOLEY EARL (50th) 10. Piggy French – VANIR KAMIRA, eliminated on cross-country

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1. Flora Harris – BAYANO (46th) 2. Will Furlong – COLLIEN P 2 (43th) 3. Becky Woolven – CHARLTON DOWN RIVERDANCE, eliminated on cross-country 4. Ashley Edmond – TRIPLE CHANCE (44th) 5. Michael Jung – LA BIOSTHETIQUE - SAM FBW (10th) 6. Ben Hobday – MULRY’S ERROR (53rd) 7. James Sommerville – TALENT (45th) 8. Selena O’Hanlon – FOXWOOD HIGH (24th) 9. Tim Price – RINGWOOD SKY BOY (12th)

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10 - Zero - ShowCircuit3.pdf 1 14/08/2015 4:28:20 PM

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CMY

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14 15 10. Andy Daines – SPRING PANORAMA, eliminated on cross-country 11. Imogen Murray – IVAR GOODEN (11th) 12. Virginia Thompson – STAR NOUVEAU (40th) 13. Mark Todd – LEONIDAS II (14th) 14. Kate Honey – FERNHILL NOW OR NEVER (42nd) 15. Sarah Bullimore – REVE DU ROUET (18th)

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WHAT’S NEW! BRINGING YOU THE LATEST PRODUCT RELEASES 1

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PHS PONY JUMPING SADDLE RRP: $3,500.00 Sizes: 14.5” – 16.5” From: Maddox Equestrian P: 09 412 2326 E: maddoxnz@xtra.co.nz W: www.maddoxequestrian.co.nz

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HORSE CARE

HAIR TODAY, GONE TOMORROW

TOP TIP

There’s a lot of choice available for clippers. If you’re unsure what type to buy ask for advice - you don’t want to waste your money on something that won’t do the job for you.

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WORKING THROUGH WINTER

Now that winter is here, horse owners may be thinking about digging out the clippers and taking off some of that fluffy winter coat. Here’s our great guide to clipping to help you get started.

he joys of winter. That time of year when your sleek show horse turns into a yak! All that hair is great for protecting him if he lives outside and spends the winter just being a horse, but if he’s in work, or competing, it’s a major problem. Although some people use stable lights to reduce or eliminate the growth of winter hair, by far the most common solution to the ‘fuzzy horse in work’ problem is to lop that hair off. Horses grow thick winter coats for warmth, but it isn’t the drop in temperature that triggers the hair to grow, as you might think. It’s the decreased daylight of shorter days that stimulates the coat. That’s why your horse will begin fluffing up even when it’s still warm. That is also why some owners leave stable lights on long after darkness to tick their horses’ systems into believing it’s still summer. You want to make the haircut experience a pleasant one for your horse, so pick a sunny, calm day. Gusting winds will not only make your horse more nervous, but will also make a normally messy job unbearable. Avoid wet days too, because dragging extension cords through puddles of rain invites disaster. If you have to clip on a cold day, make sure you have a cooler or rug available to cover up the newly clipped areas as you go.

THE CLIPPING SEASON IS HERE!! Just a single treatment of HOT OIL after clipping and your horse’s coat can be restored from a dull dry coat to a a glossy healthy coat.

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WHY CLIP?

AFTER CARE OF THE HORSE

Clipping in winter allows a horse to work in comfort. The horse’s winter coat is designed for warmth and condition, not cooling, so when a horse works hard this long coat becomes soaked with sweat, becoming heavy, uncomfortable and taking a very long time to dry out. Clipping shortens the coat to a bit below its summer length, allowing quicker evaporation of sweat, more rapid drying and easier grooming. So while clipping gives the horse and owner the freedom to continue their work, minus the discomfort of long thick coats, it doesn’t mean less work for their human partners! The care of clipped horses involves using your common sense. Careful rugging to ensure the horse is kept warm at all times but not too warm - is essential. At competitions, it’s not unusual to see freshly clipped horses standing around waiting without rugs on, while their humans have layer upon layer to keep out the winter chills!

Ideally, the horse would be given a nice warm bath after being clipped, then be completely dried before being rugged up and stabled. If you have no fully enclosed washroom and the day is a winter’s nightmare, then fully groom the horse before clipping. Make sure you give him a good old fashioned groom with a soft brush and use plenty of elbow grease. Then, with a towel, pretend you’re drying him off as this will hopefully remove any residue and extra hair that’s lying around. Clipped horses will require extra covering. Imagine what you would wear for various weather conditions and dress your horse likewise. For instance, if you need only a sweatshirt for the day, put a light or medium cover on him. If you need a heavy winter coat, put his warmest cover on, with an under rug or double rug if necessary.When exercising your clipped horse in cold winds, brisk chills and rain, use a quarter sheet to keep the horse’s back dry and warm.

^ FULL CLIP

^ HUNT CLIP WITH LEGS & SADDLE PATCH

CARE OF YOUR CLIPPERS

WHAT STYLE OF CLIP? Not all of us need or want to do the full body clip. If you have no stable or your horse is not in full work, there are variations of clipping patterns which will allow your horse to work in comfort and still stay warm in the paddock with the use of an extra rug or two. It is recommended that the clip you do suits the type of work and the conditions that you can supply for your horse. For those riders who have limited time, and may only ride a few times a week, one of the trace clips shown are more suited, the strip clip is ideal for grazing horses where it’s impossible or impractical to change rugs through the day. If you decide on one of the trace clips shown, drawing a chalk line of the pattern on the horse so it’s even before you begin is an excellent idea.

^ TRACE CLIP

^ HIGH TRACE CLIP OR RACE CLIP

WHEN TO CLIP? Deciding when to clip will depend on the reason you need to clip. A show horse that is being prepared for an upcoming show will be given a full body clip just as their natural coat shows signs of shifting, whereas other horses used for performance will be clipped as required. Sometimes they even may be clipped twice in one season. Before you clip, make sure the horse has been washed clean and is fully dry. A clean horse is less likely to get those tell-tale clipping lines. Make long strokes with the clippers, overlapping each stroke with the next. Always work against the lay of the hair, and use fairly firm, even pressure.

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^ BLANKET CLIP

During clipping, dip the tips of the clipper blades into an equal mixture of oil/kerosene while they are still running. Take them out and hold them upside down to allow any excess to run out, then wipe the blades and continue on with your job. When finished fully, clean the clippers. This will ensure your clippers keep up in performance. Dull blades create more lines, make your clipper blade motor run hotter, force you to press down harder and make you clip areas multiple times. A dirty horse will dull your blades quicker and make the clipper motor run hotter.

SAFETY COMES FIRST!! If your horse has a tendency to kick, pick up the legs to clip them, or get someone to hold up a foreleg. Fastening an old rug the wrong way around the front of the chest with it buckled over the withers will cushion any kicks from the forelegs. Also, wear a hard hat if you think the horse may cause trouble because there are many accidents to people who think their horses won’t kick. With mains powered clippers always use a circuit breaker and where extensions are used make sure that the lead is kept well away from the horse’s legs and any buckets of water.

CLIPPING TIPS • It is preferable to use a freshly sharpened pair of blades for each horse as this gives a better chance of a nice clean job.

^ STRIP CLIP

• When clipping near the mane, run the blades as near as possible to the base of the hair. To help safe guard from taking any

mane with you as you go, divide the mane into sections and secure into pony tails. That way you can just grab a section of mane as you go and hold it out of the way. • Keeping the blades at a slight angle means they will cut evenly, even though you may not be running them against the lay of the hair. For difficult spots, stretch the skin to remove any wrinkles, and have a helper to stretch the legs forward. • You will need larger body clippers for the body and smaller clippers for the face. If you use different clippers, make sure the hair clipping lengths match up, especially for the face.

TOP TIP

•

Dull blades create more clipping lines and make your clipper blade motor run hotter. As a result it will force you to press down harder and make you clip areas multiple times. In addition to this, a dirty horse will dull your blades quicker and make the clipper motor work harder and run hotter.

equine dental care For a horse that is scared, you may like to walk

• When preparing to clip a horse you don’t know, always make sure you are working in a clutterfree area and have someone to hold the horse. Turn on the clippers a few feet away from the horse and observe his reaction. If he flinches with the sound and moves away, he will be more sensitive and it will take more time and patience to clip him. • Find or purchase a stool without a handle on the top. You want to be able to break free quickly without any chance of getting your foot caught. • Keeping the blades clean and cool through clipping will also ensure a far better end result. • Use chalk to mark clipping lines. • Find or purchase a halter with a leather crown strap and a snap to detach the throat latch, or use a grooming halter, which has no throat latch. You need to be able to access that area to clip. • Organise a flat surface nearby to stage your clipping tools: body clippers, smaller clippers or trimmers, soft brush, two towels, long extension cord and clipper blade oil (clipper manufacturers often sell clipper blade oil).

QUARTER SHEETS ARE A MUST FOR FULLY CLIPPED HORSES There are some mornings or days that the weather is a real gem not! Cold winds, brisk chills and rain are part of winter, but the horse still has to be worked. In this case, use a quarter sheet on a fully clipped horse [or even a non-clipped horse]. Apart from keeping the horse’s back dry and warm, they head off the chill and cold winds.

georgia worth

equine dental care

around and pat the horse with the clippers in hand but turned off, then come back and pat him again in the same spots but holding the clippers, running this time, in your other hand. Use your best judgment for horses that are scared. You may not be able to do a full body clip initially. • Do not cross tie or tie your horse if he or she has a tendency to pull back. This type of horse will need to be held during the entire clipping process. • Use a tail bandage to ensure that the tail hairs don’t get caught up.

Qualified Equine Dental Technician & Member of the IAED

• Only bath your horse if weather allows. If it’s too cold, groom well or spot clean. If you are clipping on a warm day you may be able to bath the same day you clip, but be sure to wait until the horse is completely dry before clipping or you could rust your expensive blades.

Available in the wider Waikato & Auckland Region’s. Other areas by arrangement.

• Always start clipping on the bottom of the shoulder muscle. Avoid clipping the face, elbow area, legs and stomach area until the horse is comfortable. Depending on the horse, clip one side completely, then the other. For some, switch sides and areas to keep the horse relaxed.

021 152 9044 georgia@equinedentalcare.co.nz equinedentalcare.co.nz

• Slow down! Give the clippers time to do their work. A slower stroke will always yield a smoother job. The less powerful your clippers, the slower you will need to go. The blades should feel as though they are gliding through the hair, like the proverbial hot knife through butter. So take your time - a rushed job will show. • If the blades feel hot to the touch, you must take a break. Hot blades are uncomfortable for your horse and create more lines. • Remember to brush and oil your clippers every 10 - 15 minutes.

FINAL WORD Buying a set of clippers can be a big investment so making the right choice is crucial to ensure you get years of trouble-free clipping and a smart-looking horse for winter! C

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HEALTH

NICOLA IS A PERSONAL TRAINER & WELLNESS COACH WHO ALSO HAPPENS TO LOVE DRESSAGE. SHE RUNS A POPULAR DRESSAGE RIDER TRAINING WEBSITE, HELPING RIDERS IMPROVE THEIR HEALTH AND FITNESS OFF THE HORSE. Nicola applies her knowledge in sports conditioning, biomechanics and scientific core training to help riders improve their riding performance. Download her free Dressage Rider Fitness Guide at dressageridertraining.com WORDS Nicola Smith

STRETCHES FOR RIDERS WITH TIGHT SHOULDERS & UPPER BACK Work through this great series of stretches to help loosen up any tight muscles in your shoulders and upper back. Correct riding posture is important to maintain, not just for

but from the other activities we do during the week, whether

the pleasing picture that it creates, but also to ensure proper

they’re horse-related or due to our lifestyle or job. So in order to

alignment so that all of our joints and ligaments can move freely

prevent injury and to help enhance your riding, you may like to

with the horse.

try these stretches out to help improve your riding posture and

Often, however, our upper bodies get tight not from riding, 134

SHOWCIRCUIT MAGAZINE

prevent any injuries or niggles in the future.

DOING THIS SERIES A FEW TIMES EACH WEEK WILL REALLY HELP YOU TO REBALANCE YOUR BODY. IF YOU’VE HAD A WEEK WITH LOTS OF DESK WORK, THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO HELP REBALANCE BEFORE YOU HEAD OUT TO RIDE. FOAM ROLLER GOALPOSTS

Great for opening up the front of your shoulders and into your chest. Similar to the butterfly stretch, but this time take your hands wide like goal posts. Think about asking your forearms to drop down towards the ground and feel this open up and stretch the front of your shoulder. Try not to let your ribs pop and instead maintain a neutral spine. Relax as you allow your shoulders and chest to stretch. Hold this position for 5 breaths.

FOAM ROLLER BUTTERFLIES These are great for opening up your chest and helping to rebalance your shoulders. Open your elbows as wide as you can while letting your hands come by your ears. Now let your elbows drop down towards the ground to open up through the shoulders. Hold this for 5 breaths.

SIDE STRETCH

This stretch really helps to reset your shoulder position by opening up underneath your armpit. Have your knees down on the floor with your bottom up, then reach one arm forward with the other out to the side. Press your chest towards the ground and feel this stretch under the armpit. You can also have your hand resting on something higher to get a deeper stretch. Hold each one for about 2 breaths before switching. Keep switching sides to stretch each side 3 times.

STANDING SHOULDER STRETCH Great to open up the front of your chest and stretch through the front of your shoulder. Stand tall with your feet about hip distance apart. Clasp your hands together behind your back and press your knuckles down towards the ground as you lift your chest. Keep your neck in a neutral position. Roll your shoulders back and down. Hold this stretch for 5 breaths.

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THREAD THE NEEDLE This helps you to open up through your upper back and stretch the back of your shoulders. Start in an all-fours position. Thread your left arm through the middle until you can lay your head and shoulder down on the ground. To further the rotation, prop your right hand up on your fingertips and press into the ground. Hold this stretch for 5 breaths, then switch sides and repeat.

PUPPY POSE This stretches under your armpits and into your lats to help rebalance your shoulders. Start in an all-fours position and walk your hands forward as far as they can go without changing the position of your hips (above your knees). Lay your forehead down on the ground and press your chest down to the ground to intensify the stretch. Hold this stretch for 5 breaths.

BABY COBRA

SUPINE BABY COBRA

This helps to strengthen your upper back muscles while opening the front of your shoulders.

A great exercise for opening the front of your shoulders and stretching into your chest.

Lying on your stomach with your feet on the ground and together, slide your hands under your shoulders. Then lift up your chest and head while lengthening the back of your neck. Hold this stretch for 5 breaths.

Start your cobra position as above, but slide your hands wider and tent your fingertips. Then lift your chest and rotate one shoulder forward while the other moves back. Aim to hold each stretch for 2-3 breaths and rotate each side. Do 5-10 each side.

THORACIC ROTATIONAL STRETCH Great for improving mobility through your upper back and opening your chest up. Lying on your back, start with your knees bent and your hands together in front of your chest. Then with your top arm, circle it above your head to open right back behind you. Then circle down to your hips and back to the start. Keep doing these arm circles nice and slow at the rate of your breathing. Repeat 10 each side.

These are some great stretches to help improve your upper body posture and balance. When we are in balance and our body is aligned, we can move freely. This is not just great for injury prevention, but also for longevity. So take care of your body and try out these stretches! 136 | SHOWCIRCUIT MAGAZINE

RECIPE

t o o r t humMus e e B

Colour and variety in your food is so important and that’s why I just love creating dishes like this. Not only do they look amazing, but they taste great too! Making your own hummus and dips means you can pack them full of flavour, as well as getting in all the nutrients that your body loves.

Keep dish minimum w es to a it tasty tr h this eat

What you need:

Instructions:

•

2 large beetroot, peeled, scrubbed, cooked and chopped up

•

2 T tahini

•

½ cup sunflower seeds

First, cook the beetroot. Scrub, peel and cut off the top and any roots at the bottom. Cover with water in a pot and boil until they are soft to put a fork in (approx. 30 minutes).

•

½ cup walnuts

•

5 T lemon juice

Chop beetroot into cubes and place in a blender with the other ingredients.

•

1 small clove garlic, crushed

•

Blend until smooth.

•

1 T ground cumin

•

Season to taste.

•

Zest from 2 lemons

•

Salt and pepper to taste

Want more? Nicola Smith has plenty of tasty recipes in her cookbook - Real Food, Real Health which is available for download on her website:

www.foreverfit.tv

along with a further 300 recipes to get your taste buds excited! C

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