If ever we needed reminding that equestrianism is an all-weather sport, it was evident at the Australian Dressage Championships. The torrential rains saturating the eastern seaboard of Australia this year with devastating consequences didn’t spare Boneo Park.
The rain gusts came and went relentlessly, with competitors one minute basking in sunshine, the next being drenched by a squall. However, professionalism kicked in. The 300-plus horses and 225 riders all took it in their stride, facility manager Fiona Selby kept everything running smoothly, and the six competition arenas and four warm-up arenas all proved safe and sound. As Roger Fitzhardinge observes, if any horse was worried by puddles at the beginning, they certainly weren’t by the end!
Roger reports extensively on the many highlights of the Championships, while Adele Severs interviews the young star of the weekend, Jessica Dertell. Jessica not only took home the 2022 Australian Big Tour Championship with Sabble Farm’s Dutch import Cennin, all four of her other entrants also delivered the goods for this talented teenager.
Youth prevails in this issue as Roger also introduces us to Jett Newman. As the daughter of jockeys, 14-year-old Jett has been killing time waiting to start her apprenticeship by exploring first dressage and now show jumping. Her admirers think she has a bigger future in the arena than on the racecourse – which way will she jump?
Another young show jumper, Jemina Calder, made a promise to herself at 14 that one day she would ride and work overseas. At 18, she took a gap year to fulfil her promiseand shares her personal account of her experience in this issue.
And young NSW rider Isobelle Muller gives us all a lesson in economics. As a 13-year-old she persuaded her parents to invest a very modest $1500 in a Stock Horse x Quarter Horse. Isobelle, now 21, and Dynomite, now 12, have just completed a successful campaign at the Australian Dressage Championships. Just goes to show that good judgement and training can be more valuable than deep pockets when it comes to equestrian sports.
With young riders at front of mind, this is the month where Heath Ryan produces a high performance template that can be adapted to deliver a program for eventing or show jumping or dressage.
One thing that the new generation won’t tolerate these days is bullying, whether in society in general or in sport. Kerry Mack takes a deep dive into bullying, how attitudes have turned against it and how to confront it. Compelling reading for all of us to realise no one gets away with it any more.
Elsewhere in this issue, Roger reports on what Australian dressage can take away from the recent World Championships in Denmark, while Andrea Clow brings us a new Training Scale – one she has designed for riders to match the fitness of our horses. We also meet Astro the wonder horse, an OTT giant who went on to master eventing before proving his worth in the police force.
For your rainy day reading, we have the inside word on Carl Hester’s little-known screen cameo in Suzy Jarratt’s ‘Horses in the Movies’ series, while Russell Crowe opens up to Bernard Bale about his love of riding.
After all that, may your paddocks dry out and blue skies prevail as we look forward to sunny days.
All the best,
Robert McKay AM
Contributors
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HEATH RYANNational equestrian personality, international dressage and eventing rider, Olympian, judge, coach and breeder, Heath is never backward in offering his unique insights into the sport and industry.
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ROGER FITZHARDINGEAs a judge, coach, competitor and commentator, Roger’s passion to tell the real stories behind the horses and horse people shines through in his unique brand of equestrian photojournalism.
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DR KERRY MACKGrand Prix dressage rider, coach and Mayfield Farm stud principal, Kerry draws on her learning as a qualified psychiatrist to approach training from the cerebral perspective as well as the physical.
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SUZY JARRATTSuzy has a rich background in newspaper journalism and radio broadcasting in NSW and nationally, and last year won an international award for equestrian journalism.
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BERNARD BALEA British based equine enthusiast, Bernard is a long-time journalist, author and broadcaster. On a personal note, he has also ridden in circus and arena shows on horses trained by his wife!
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JEMIMA CALDERJemima Calder is a young Australian showjumper who recently spent a ‘gap year’ abroad working for IN Showjumpers in the United Kingdom.
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ANDREA CLOWAndrea Clow is a Colorado-based dressage rider and personal trainer who carries a Bachelor of Exercise Science and runs ‘The Future Olympian’.
Published by
EQ Life Pty Ltd
ABN 99142004064
ISSN 1839-034X
Postal address PO Box 1376
Hawksburn VIC 3142, Australia
Phone +61 492 887 961
Email info@eqlife.com.au
Web www.equestrianlife.com.au
Chairman
Robert McKay
Publisher
Sunday Batters
General Manager Content
Adele Severs
Associate Editor
David Trounce
Account Executive
Kerith Laurie-Rhodes
Subscription Enquiries
info@eqlife.com.au, +61 492 887 961
Photography credits:
One Eyed Frog Photography, Roger Fitzhardinge, Michelle Terlato Photography, Samantha Taylor, Naomi Kauter, Lord Dressage, The Future Olympian, Liv Parker/Equisportif, Jean-Paul Berthoin and Franz Venhaus.
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