Spring classic welcomes Shetlands to show hacks
THE Show Horse Council’s Spring Classic at Werribee Park is one of the last big shows for the year in Victoria before the action heads to Sydney for the EA Nationals.
Victorian SHC chairman Andrew James said he was very happy with the numbers that turned out over the weekend.
“As the nationals are next week we have competitors from South Australia and Western Australia competing on their way through and they said they were delighted we were so user-friendly,” he said.
“It was lovely to see so many really lovely young horses making their first big outing and the weather Gods were reasonably kind, we can ask no more.”
The group tries hard to offer plenty of events, with child’s, newcomers, preliminary and open sections in both show and show hunter classes, and with committee member Glennis Triffett deeply involved in racing it’s also no surprise the off-the-track horses are recognised and rewarded, too.
Greg Gerry and Darren Telford have the happy knack of finding attractive Thoroughbreds and their Royal Consort is all quality.
The mare raced as Oakfield Myrtle and won the small hack class and the off-the-track Thoroughbred sash.
Madelaine Tabak’s MT Flirt was the winning owner rider small hack.
Ali Berwick showed the grey Platinum to win the over 16hh class and he was also reserve champion child’s hack for Sabrina Gilmour to St Andrews ridden by Sienna Wright for Natalie McKay.
The owner rider large hack was DP Believing shown by Jurt Krowther.
In the show galloway classes, the newcomer winner was Hannaley Top Girl ridden by Lauren Ellery, while the 14 to 14.2hh preliminary class winner Gingella Park Vegas went on to win the open class as well.
Gingella Park Vegas has an interesting story. He is owned by three “older ladies” (their term not mine) Fiona Mardling, Sue Thompson and Sue Hemming who, in Fiona’s words “just wanted to share a nice horse, so we could go along to shows together and enjoy ourselves”.
To meet this end they formed a ladies syndicate.
Vegas was bought for them by Terry Van Heysen from Romsey Park and has started out well, with Barastoc as his next aim.
The big galloway winner was Samantha McMaster’s Destiny’s Image, while Rhyl Lourdes shown by Marcia Beard was the owner rider winner.
It’s good to see the Shetlands included in a big show as so many are truly special saddle ponies. Lentara Loredo, ridden by Ebonie Lee for Bernadine Magro won the open class, and Tori Merigold rode her own Tara Park Spellbound to take the owner rider sash.
The leading rein classes are always a pleasure to watch.
Lexis Vanderput rode Barindale Silouette to win the show pony section for Shelley Howard, the Shetland Leading rein was won by Carreg Wen Bartley ridden by Ebony Glenny for Esther Robinson and the show hunter leading rein winner was Mooravle Arizona ridden by Madeline Bridge for Courtney Hobson.
The small show pony champion was Hibrie Coco Ribbon and the big pony champion was Birchwood Crescendo.
In the show hunters small pony class, Alicia Cutugno's Bordershow Charlemagne took the championship. The big show hunter pony sash went to Scaysbrook Park Royal Encore shown by Belinda Gray.
The show hunter galloway winners were Amelia Rafelo’s Sanlirra Ferrero in the small class and Elizabeth Greshner on her home-bred Beauparc Wizardry in the large.
The small show hunter hack winner was Samantha McMaster's Somerset Hit and the large champion was Alana Young’s Feel The Love.
LEFT: Charlie Kamphuis, the champion rider six to nine years.
CENTRE: Ali Berwick and Platinum, the champion large hack and highest placed Thoroughbred.
RIGHT: Ruby McAuliffe, the champion rider 12 to 15 years.
Pictures: ANDREA DUNN
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