Show horses take stage for a royal performance in Melbourne

ABOVE: Aria Karutz concentrates on the job at hand on Eagle Park Showdown as Jeremy Roberts celebrates their win in the leading rein show hunter pony section. Picture: SHARLENE PHILLIPS/ONE-EYED FROG

THE show horse classes at the Royal Melbourne Show for 2025 have been run and won, with quality in all sections and some new faces.

Briony Randle showed Kerry Armstrong’s chestnut SLM Flaunting for the best novice hack in a snaffle bridle then went on to win the Pope Cup for hacks displaying the best Thoroughbred qualities.

Elizabeth Crawford and Brian Scholes’ Warrawee Impresareeo added the Royal Melbourne championship sash for big hacks to his impressive collection with an elegant performance, and another lovely black, the Shaw family, Margot Haynes and David Quayle’s consistent Cheraton Black Label stood reserve after winning the championship at Adelaide Royal.

In the small hack section, KT Song N Dance, owned by Dianne Banks and Shelley Howard, was champion, with Simone Padoin’s Garryowen winner Wynara Signature rounding out a successful show in reserve ridden by Brynie Lee.

Emma Richardson’s KP Dance on Air ridden by Daniel Evans was champion galloway, Hannaley Top Girl, owned by Jillian Goldsmith and Kym and Lauren Ellery the reserve.

It’s not often that the same stable produces champion and reserve but the Reimer family pulled of this feat in the small pony section with Riegal Sugar Plum, bred from their wonderful show champion mare Radford Lodge Candy Cane, taking the championship ahead of their young pony Sirrah Springtime. (Adding another reserve sash to the one she took at Adelaide Royal.)

ABOVE: The champion hack Warrawee Impresareeo ridden by Elizabeth Crawford. Picture: ONE-EYED FROG

ABOVE: Zoe Medley and Danyel Reimer with the champion and reserve champion small ponies Riegal Sugar Plum and Sirrah Springtime. Image supplied.

ABOVE: Emma Richardson’s Nottingham Royal Highness. Picture: ONE-EYED FROG

ABOVE: Monica Croston’s Wideacre Harry Winston. Picture: ONE-EYED FROG

Emma Richardson’s large pony champion Nottingham Royal Highness and the reserve, Monica Croston’s Wideacre Harry Winston are both by the same sire Royalwood Boy Soprano.

Wideacre Harry Winston was also the champion child’s pony.

Melbourne Royal has always led the way for saddle Shetlands, with true-to-type, active little ponies showing their style in good numbers.

Becky Roberson’s pinto, Lentara Showtime, was a worthy winner of champion ridden Shetland, a win that would have delighted his breeder Narelle Hogg.

The diminutive Royalview Silhouette, owned by Donna and Kelissa O'Shannassy and ridden by Madeline Bridge, was another pinto, winner of the 10hh and under and child’s ridden Shetland.

One of the most popular days at the show is dedicated to the art of leading rein, when tiny children do their “up-downs” on well-behaved little ponies while their leader concentrates on creating the perfect picture.

Hibrie Coco Ribbon, another from Emma Richardson’s team ridden by Sydney Warren, won the 12hh pony class and Eagle Park Showdown, ridden by Aria Karutz and led by a delighted Jeremy Roberts, won the leading rein show hunter pony.

ABOVE: Becky Roberson’s Lentara Showtime. Picture: ONE-EYED FROG

In the show hunter section, Brooke Wheeler’s five-year-old CJP Quay Note is one of the up-and-coming new stars and gave her rider the thrill of winning her first open royal show sash taking out the small show hunter hack championship. The combination also scored a win in the Esquire turnout class and the show hunter Providence Cup.

The upstanding Hollands Bend Royal Consort, shown by Universal Stables and the Beattie family, won the large show hunter hack sash.

Renee Falckhs’ Dicavalli Diesel was judged best novice hunter and Annabelle Richardson steered Emma Richardson’s Merricks Fiore to win the child’s hunter hack.

In the show hunter galloway section, the novice sash went to Dree Merry’s Byalee Risque, the open to the BR Show Team’s Lyndhurst Connery and Riegal Manolete, shown by Romsey Park and Emily Murray and ridden by Hahana Young, added another sash to his collection in the child’s championship.

The Riegal prefix appeared again in the novice championship for hunter ponies where Manolete’s full sister, Taylah Spiteri’s Riegal Conchita, was best big novice pony.

Naomi Karutz’s Eagle Park Showdown won the novice small hunter pony sash.

Monica Croston’s Mandaley Oriental Silk was the open large pony show hunter champion and Britt Holmberg’s Cantik Park Hokey Pokey was a double winner, taking home the sashes for the small open show hunter and child’s show hunter championships.

This year’s champion riders were Matilda Mclean (junior), Zali Mills (intermediate) and Kate Halliday (senior), with the best novice awards going to Piper Bondarenko (junior), Isabel Morphy (intermediate) and Melissa Gillies (senior).

The mounted turnout winners were:

• J. Pemberton Equestrian Turnout – Treelea Park Casino Royale, Evangeline Parsons

• Esquire Equestrienne Turnout – CJP Quay Note, Brooke Wheeler

• K.G. Luke Equestrian Turnout – Merricks Fiore, Annabelle Richardson

• Garryowen Equestrienne Turnout – Wynara Signature, Brynie Lee

• Best First Year Garryowen Competitor – Ellanbrae Leskara, Arielle Stella

• Garryowen McKinnon Medal – Cheraton Black Label, Margot Haynes

  
  

ABOVE: Britt Holmberg’s Cantik Park Hokey Pokey. Picture: ONE-EYED FROG

ABOVE: Winners of the Smartest on Parade Show Hunter Pony class Talulabel Beattie and Cimeron Poprock followed by second placegetters Ella Cutugno and Bordershow Charlemagne. Picture: ONE-EYED FROG

Full results

View and purchase ONE-EYED FROG images from this event

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