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Sponsors and Endorsed Products
| WOW SADDLES Want a comfortable, unique taylor made saddle just for you and your horse. Then try WOW saddles newly imported by my fantastic sponsor Julia McLean of Kiah Equine. Once you sit in them you cant help but say the word....."WOW". Not only can riders choose their preferred seat, flap and knee roll with panel and girthing options that come together in a saddle designed for both horse and rider but they get a saddle packed with highly desirable features. Also imported are the Korector pads. This is an innovative idea of air bags inside the pad. You can inflate the pad according to the horses shape and saddle fit. It is great for horses with sore backs, loss of muscle in an area and fantastic for horses with very high narrow withers. It stops saddles from having pressure points which leads to back problems and makes for a more comfortable ride for your horse. Website address and link www.kiah.com/ Pictured right Just a Blonde at SIEC with the WOW jump saddle Photo by Derrick O'leary |
ADELAIDE INTERNATIONAL 3 DAY EVENT! I then made the long road trip to Adelaide 3 Day event with Claudia Grahem and Brett Davey. It was bordering on 40 degrees the whole week. We ended up buying fans for the horses in their stables and exercised our horses at 6am and 7.30pm. We all escaped to the local pub for a VERY long lunch just to sit in the air con for a few hours. Adelaide however is the highlight on every event riders calender here in Australia. It is held in the city in the middle of the parks and gardens which is a beautiful setting for the event. Algebra and I we had a good start in the dressage placing 7th. It wasn't Sams best test as he got a bit excited at the start, but he settled nicely at the end scoring 9's for his simple changes. The cross country course was beautiful as usual, but it was causing plenty of problems for riders in the 2 star and 4 star classes. Unfortunately we were one of those casualties, with Sam slipping over on a slippery patch of grass on a tight turn. We both fell hard and I was knocked out for over a minute and carted off in the medical van. Sam decided to continue the course without me and was eventually caught by Katherine and Bianca from Canberra (big thanks to them) and cooled down by my fantastic team of helpers. Josie Laver, Claudia and Brett all pitched in the get Sam cooled down without me. I turned up an hour or so later quite woozy and Josie was icing Sams legs. He had a bit of a cut on his side from landing on my spur, but he was AOK!! Claudia placed 2nd after her dressage test and Brett Davey placed 8th. Brett had a slip before a jump in the cross country which caused a run out, he had a couple of showjump rails, but he finished his first 2 star three day event which was a great effort. Claudia had a great cross country and two down in the showjumping which put her in 3rd place at the end of the comp which was a fantastic!! At least one of us came home with a ribbon. |
| Lakes & Craters, Victoria After two weeks still in concussion I was determined to still do the 3 star at Camperdown. I made another big 11 hour trip with Claudia and her horse Park Street Vision. Algebra was 4th after the dressage, but I was very disappointed with a run out at an arrowhead cross country. We re presented on an angle and Sam still didn't read the narrow fence he was supposed to jump so we slipped off a 2nd time. 3rd time Sam went Aww you want me to jump that.. and he popped over and continued the course in great style. Damage was done score wise, but after having a fall at Adelaide I was relieved to finish, but deflated at the same time. He was one of 3 horses to jump clear in the showjumping which was great, but this clear round could have ended us up in top spot but for the mishap on cross country. Just a Blonde eased the pain a little with a great 4th in his first International 3 day event!! We are planning on going 2 star next year which is exciting!! Claudia won the dressage but the long hilly course caused her horse to lose momentum up the bank and she had a run out at a narrow fence after the water. We were all very disappointed for her. She had a great clear round in the showjumping which did rub a little salt in the wound as she defiantly would have won!! The joys of eventing!!! Claudia and I are both determined to have a great year next year so look out!! Megan Briant also made the trip placing 3rd in the junior 1 star course which was a great effort so watch out for those two going up a grade next year also!! I would like to thank groom Shannon Breen and also Ariel, Rod and Wendy Bunting for putting us up on the way and helping with the XC. Also Jo Brady and my Mum and Dad for making the trip down and helping with the cooling XC. Most importantly I would like to thank my ever supportive sponsors Julia and John Glenn. Thankyou for supplying me with the fantastic WOW saddles. Also a big thankyou to The Twin Town Turtles from Harden for the donation for my equestrian pursuit. . I hope everyone has a very merry Xmas and new year!! Cheers to a successful year next year!! |
Main Event Photography
Wagga ODE was held in November and I thought it was the hottest event I have attended!! The Committee made a great effort in getting the surface as good
as possible, but I think I am still getting the red dirt out of my gear. I had one of those events that it didn't matter which horse I was on I could only crack 3rd
place. Just a Blonde for 3rd in the 1 star which was a big improvement on Goulburn. I also road Humphrey who placed 8th after the dressage but moved up to
3rd after a fantastic showjumping and cross country round. Pecos Bill owned by Christine Hill won the dressage, but a few times penalties on the cross
country and we moved back to 3rd place!
as possible, but I think I am still getting the red dirt out of my gear. I had one of those events that it didn't matter which horse I was on I could only crack 3rd
place. Just a Blonde for 3rd in the 1 star which was a big improvement on Goulburn. I also road Humphrey who placed 8th after the dressage but moved up to
3rd after a fantastic showjumping and cross country round. Pecos Bill owned by Christine Hill won the dressage, but a few times penalties on the cross
country and we moved back to 3rd place!
Dear readers,
The start of summer brings the eventing season to an end for the year. There were plenty of highs and lows over the past few
months. Over the years I have learnt that this is just eventing and I couldn't name one eventer that is immune to going from top
to bottom in a matter of weeks!!
One of the major highs was Algebra and I placing 7th at Canberra International in the 3 star competition. The jumps were
absolutely HUGE and the ground was incredibly wet, so to finish in this position was very exciting!! I also rode Gail Bains horse
Humphrey in the preliminary section for a 5th place.
We then headed down to the Goulburn State Championships. There was a massive 35 horses in the 3 star class, with all the
best horses getting a last run for Adelaide horse trials in November. I thought Algebra did a great dressage test, but the judges
didn't agree with me so much and I was disappointed with 16th. The cross country was very big and tough, and my little star
Algebra cruised around like a champion with a good time which brought us up to 8th place. With an unlucky rail in the
showjumping, we remained on 8th place.
Just a Blonde competed in the 1 star after several months off with a bruised hoof. It wasn't a great competition for us dressage
and showjumping wise but he did a great cross country round.
The start of summer brings the eventing season to an end for the year. There were plenty of highs and lows over the past few
months. Over the years I have learnt that this is just eventing and I couldn't name one eventer that is immune to going from top
to bottom in a matter of weeks!!
One of the major highs was Algebra and I placing 7th at Canberra International in the 3 star competition. The jumps were
absolutely HUGE and the ground was incredibly wet, so to finish in this position was very exciting!! I also rode Gail Bains horse
Humphrey in the preliminary section for a 5th place.
We then headed down to the Goulburn State Championships. There was a massive 35 horses in the 3 star class, with all the
best horses getting a last run for Adelaide horse trials in November. I thought Algebra did a great dressage test, but the judges
didn't agree with me so much and I was disappointed with 16th. The cross country was very big and tough, and my little star
Algebra cruised around like a champion with a good time which brought us up to 8th place. With an unlucky rail in the
showjumping, we remained on 8th place.
Just a Blonde competed in the 1 star after several months off with a bruised hoof. It wasn't a great competition for us dressage
and showjumping wise but he did a great cross country round.
Above: Josie and Algebra at Adelaide, Algebra XC Lakes and Craters
| FOALS, FOALS, FOALS!!! You have to love babies!! This year so far I have 3 gorgeous foals by Galero (imported Spanish Stallion) to three very different mares. Left and far below left is the stunning BHM Black Geisha out of a lovely TB mare Papanui X Bureaucracy. Below is the inquisitive BHM Pure Magic out of a Kassiber/Double Cream and Contact mare. At one week old BHM Christmas Gift is out of my top performance mare Springdale Missy. I was very excited to have 3 filly's this year to keep the breeding lines of these mares!! |
Above left: Algebra drinking out of Johns hat after dressage at 2.30pm and 39 degree's
Claudia Grahem and Park Steet Vision XC- Photo's by Julia Mclean
Claudia Grahem and Park Steet Vision XC- Photo's by Julia Mclean
Left: Just a Blonde
jumping into 4th place at
Camperdown. Will his
little sister below follow
in his footsteps!!!
jumping into 4th place at
Camperdown. Will his
little sister below follow
in his footsteps!!!
