Fran Cleland
Sydney saddle horse lineups feature new and familiar faces
SADDLE classes at the Sydney Royal Easter Show produced a good mixture of new faces in the lineups, particularly in the show hack section where Riley Kent’s Thoroughbred Chorus stood at the top of the line.
In reserve spot was Sabble Farm and Future Farm’s warmblood Volbeat, piloted by Jessica Dertell in her last show before heading overseas to try for a position on the Olympic dressage team.
Volbeat caused a fair bit of grandstand comment as he was shown in a snaffle, which is unusual at this level, but soft and elegant in self-carriage he has a big future.
The best novice hack was Karen Kolln Fairney’s RS Supremacy, a competitor who made a very worthwhile trip down from Queensland.
In the galloways, the BR Show Team’s Riding Pony-bred Lyndhurst Crystal Lilley took the Sydney Royal championship in her first year of competition.
The competitors who possibly made the most difficult trip, Anne and Jessica Campbell, were rewarded for bringing Bayview Gold Class up from Tasmania for the reserve champion galloway sash. They also took home the sash for best novice galloway with KT Celebration.
There was a large group of people in the winner’s circle for 12.2hh to 14hh pony championship. Champion Nottingham Royal Highness is owned by the Crawford Twins, Gary Alcorn, Emma Richardson and Mr Gary Alcorn and the reserve, Royalwood Enchanting, owned by Catherine Gale, Margot Haynes and David Quayle.
The small pony winners were both dainty Riding Ponies with sweet outlooks, with Michelle Panetta’s Ascot Barbara Ann winning the championship and Gemma Wells’ DP Party reserve.
The Welsh and Welsh crosses dominated the show hunter pony ring, with some of the well-known old prefixes showing up in the winners and placegetters.
Jessica Luscombe ‘s Woranora Nobleman was best novice show hunter pony, Benton and Benton-Hall family’s Owendale Valencia was champion not over 12.2hh and Lori Howell, Joemoor Pony Stud, Catriona Sviderskas and Phoebe Sviderskas’ Joemoor Designer Label was the big show hunter pony champion.
Samantha Roots’ Imperial Vagabond was small show hunter reserve and Phillipa Gardiner and Indy Gardiner’s Fontain Park Sir Harvey large show hunter pony reserve.
In the show hunter galloways, the best novice was Megan Riley’s Allambie Park Euphoria, Margot Haynes, David Quayle and Kate Reid’s Lily's Sovereign was champion and Romsey Park and Emily Murray’s Riegal Manolete reserve.
Show hunter hacks have become dominated by warmbloods, possibly now because the classic staying type Thoroughbred is being bred less often and many of those are finding their way into jumping and eventing with the off-the-track rewards for those classes making them attractive.
Universal Stables and Adam Oliver’s Donizetti was sashed as best novice. The champion show hunter hack was Global PPS shown by Romsey Park and Stephanie Barrington and Abbey Lovell and Paul Austin’s Heathmont Flirt stood reserve.
Stories on The Regional’s website are free to read and always will be.
If you enjoyed this article you can show your support by joining our mailing list (either by filling out the form below or sending us a message).
We'd also get very excited if you put a "like" on our Facebook page.
Comments