Victorians brave the heat for Show Horse Council HOTY
- Dale Webster
- 4 hours ago
- 5 min read
HIGH temperatures did not deter competitors at this year’s Victorian Show Horse Council’s Horse of the Year Show for 2026, with big fields turning out in all sections to contest the annual championships.
Held at the Werribee Equestrian Centre over two days on January 24 and 25, the show featured a full program for saddle horses, show hunters, off-the-track Thoroughbreds and a very-well supported children’s saddle section.
Show hunters were the first to take their turn on day one.
In the owner-rider classes, the winners Hayden Cooke’s Eagle Park Bewishful (show hunter leading rein pony), Sally Belcher’s Avlon Hello Dolly (small show hunter pony), Susy Stewart’s Mandaley Oriental Silk (large show hunter pony), Emma Richardson’s Contredance (small show hunter galloway) and Amelia Baines’ Gentry Park Black Label (large show hunter galloway).
Brooke Wheeler took a double winning both the owner-rider small show hunter hack class with CJP Quay Note and the large with Hollands Bend Formidable.
Brooke and CJP Quay Note were able to hold their ground in the in open class, as did Hayden Cooke and Eagle Park Bewishful, Susy Stewart and Mandaley Oriental Silk and Emma Richardson and Contredance.
The open champion small show hunter pony was Cynthia Parker’s Calca Park Aristocrat, the large show hunter galloway was Kerry Armstrong’s Lyndhurst Connery and the champion show hunter hack was Donna Carmella, exhibited by Ali Kent, Sarah and Grace Pihan and Tracey Slade.
The first ridden show hunter champions were Shae Russo’s Splash Dance, who was piloted by Violet Russo in the owner-rider class, and Sophie Belcher’s Avlon Hello Dolly, ridden by Amitey Thorpe Heal in the open.
The off-the-track awards went to Shannon Stevenson’s The Butler (small hack) and Fiona McIntyre’s Westminster (large hack).
The biggest class of the show was the child's small show hunter pony (rider under 18 years).
Alicia Cutugno’s Bordershow Charlemagne ridden by Ella Cutugno was champion, as well as winning the owner-rider section.
With 25 entries presenting for judging, the rest of the top 10 deserve a mention – Cynthia Parker’s Calca Park Aristocrat ridden by Sierra Parker-Eade stood reserve followed by Avlon Hello Dolly (SB Show Horses), Cantik Park Hokey Pokey (Blaine Perkins), Splash Dance (Shae Russo) Xtra Smart of Sefton (Bruce Casey), Owendale Beesting (Samantha Mullan), Kenda Park Truffle (Cara Kavanagh), Cataraqui Tyrion (Megan Hewat) and Imperial Valais (Tamara Lee).
The child's large show hunter pony champion was Jenny Diaco’s Daisy Patch Olivia with Stella Gilmour aboard.
The owner-rider child’s ridden large show hunter pony champion was Mandaley Oriental Silk (Susy Stewart).
Emma Richardson’s Merricks Fiore, ridden by Annabelle Richardson, was the champion child’s show hunter hack and another to also take out the owner-rider section.
The champion child's show hunter galloway was Brooke Wheeler’s EBL Ben Hur ridden by Sabrina Gilmour, who also showed her own Allambie Park Jadore to take reserve and the owner-rider class.
The owner-rider child’s ridden large show hunter pony champion was Mandaley Oriental Silk (Susy Stewart).
Sarah Beaumont’s Thoroughbred show hunter Ascension starred in the off-the-track section, coming through the rising star class to win supreme led and then under saddle with Sophie Belcher aboard, the show hunter rising star and open championships.
Ali Kent’s Loco was the open ridden champion under 16hh and Joshua Clarke’s SLM Enough Said the champion over 16hh.
The owner riders dominated the open height classes on a cooler day two, taking out all championships bar one.
In the ponies, Briony and Piper Randle showed Swanreach Flirtatious to wins in the leading rein pony n/e 12hh, rider three years and under eight.
Tamara Lee’s Whitmere Royal Palace was the small pony champion and Sabrina Gilmour’s Wideacre Harry Winston the large.
Sabrina Gilmore secured another championship with small galloway Kensington Love Bracelet while Emma Richardson’s Brandyhollow Boy Band took the wins in the large galloway classes.
Greg Mickan’s Pure Style was champion small hack, with the winner of the owner rider class – Royalwood West End, another from Emma Richardson’s stable – named the reserve.
Tahlia Hope’s Kalimna Quick Hit was champion large hack.
Josh Clarke won both recognised off-the-track Thoroughbred awards with SLM Fascination (small hack) and the reserve champion large hack, SLM Enough Said.
Brynie Lee has reduced her saddle commitments due to pregnancy but did take one riding job for the day on Vicki Smith’s champion ridden Shetland, Oak Park Winter Garden. Sister Tamara Lee’s Chateau Gay Gallagher was reserve. Chateau Gay Gallagher also won the leading rein Shetland class for the third year in a row with Ellie Lee aboard and the child’s ridden Shetland, with Ruby Rose Eurell riding.
The Lees were successful again in the first ridden pony n/e 12.2hh with Whitmere Royal Palace, while Amberley Thorpe Graegill took the owner rider points with VP Cambridge Garden.
Whitmere Royal Palace was also the open child’s small pony champion with the owner rider win going to Charlotte Fleming’s Artsworth Park Love Story.
All other championship winners in the child’s classes were owner riders: child's large pony Wideacre Harry Winston (Sabrina Gilmour), child's galloway Brandyhollow Boy Band (Emma Richardson) and child’s hack KT Song N Dance (Shelley Howard).
The champion riders for the show were Saylor Barker (three to six years), Gracelyn Karakaltsas (six to nine years), Madeline Bridge (nine to 12 years), Marley Thorpe Heal (12 to 15 years) , Sabrina Gilmour (15 to 18 years) Jessica Sharp (18 to 21 years), Ebonie Lee (21 to 30 years) and Natalie McKay (30 years and over).
New talent to watch out for includes Chanele Hunter-Cooke’s Elwood Greatest Showman (newcomer saddle pony), Arabella Anthem (shown by Ali Kent to win the preliminary large saddle pony class), Melinda Ralph’s Grand Aristocrat (preliminary saddle hack), Elizabeth Crawford’s Bella Vita (newcomer and preliminary show hunter hack), Belinda Cusworth’s Belmont Monarchy (preliminary show hunter galloway), Sophie Belcher’s Belaradah Folklore (newcomer show hunter pony), Laura Bridge’s Avonmore Llewellyn (preliminary show hunter small pony) and Briah Baker’s Morningside Debonair (preliminary show hunter large pony).
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