Wow! How an action-packed five days at Boneo Park has heralded in a new era in Australian dressage. Roger Fitzhardinge says there was something in the air – and it wasn’t just the cold front moving in mid-event. Heath Ryan believes we are witnessing the reinvention of Australian dressage. “For the first time ever we have multiple Australian riders who are smashing their way through the 70% barrier simultaneously,” he notes. Roger detected a coming of age in the judging as well, saying it was so good to see Australian judges matching international colleagues by awarding big marks for good work.
Roger gives us a thorough wrap of all that transpired at the 2023 Stable Ground Australian Dressage Championships, while Heath likens the stepped-up rivalry on show for Paris Olympic selection to a cycling peloton. “If we get a bunch of Australian riders bouncing off each other and slipstreaming and interacting, goodness knows where that will go! It has to be good,” he enthuses. Exciting times.
The para dressage classes at the Championships also brought out a highly competitive field, with accreditation towards qualifying for the Paris 2024 Paralympics at stake. Bridget Murphy reports on who stood out among the almost 40 combinations, zooming in on the personal journey of Stella Barton and how she got the ride on Lord Larmarque, aka ‘Bug’.
Adele Severs highlights another standout journey, that of Rebecca Webber. Only riding in earnest since she was diagnosed with an ultra-rare degenerative genetic disorder two years ago, Rebecca now competes in western riding, reining and para dressage. She and the OTT horse Glenayre Skyline were the CPEDI2* Grade II Reserve Champions at Boneo Park, and Rebecca now has ambitions to rise to 3-star level and to be an active advocate for the para riding community.
Speaking of judging, Roger lifts the lid on the jargon of judges, explaining how important it is to understand their terminology if you want the higher marks
In Eventing, Adele has an extensive interview with Aussie-born Ryan Wood. An elite eventer with an established business in Pennsylvania, Ryan was thrilled to debut on the Australia team at the final FEI Eventing Nations Cup leg recently. He tells us all about the team experience, his enthusiasm for his Irish Sport Horse “jumping machine”, Cooley Flight – and whether Paris 2024 is in their sights.
In Show Jumping, a young rider already leading the way in her community is Northern Territorian Lalwa May. At 16, she was not only the youngest member on the Australian team at the World Clubs Tournament in France, she was the first Indigenous rider to do so. She tells Susanna Rodell it was “the coolest experience” and how it has boosted her dream of a career with horses.
In Training, Dr Kerry Mack turns her mind to the joy of raising foals, emphasising the value of building trusting relationships and positive experiences from the outset, while in Health, Dr Maxine Brain explains the importance of Australia’s horse quarantine system. Our Off The Track feature is all about a 21-year-old that has taken to dressage with the eagerness of a youngster, despite some earlier setbacks.
Movie buff Suzy Jarratt continues to charm us in Lifestyle with her knowledge of equine actors, this time exploring the Francis The Talking Mule films that not only made Francis a star but helped the careers of Clint Eastwood, David Jannsen and Leonard Nimoy.
As we all know, Pony Club is the springboard for so many of us across all horse sports, including the lesser-known mounted games. Well, its profile has just been elevated. We bring you a report of our under-18 team winning Australia’s first world championship against all the powerhouse nations at the Worlds Down Under, and the open team placing third. This frantic sport involves incredible skills as well as a whole lot of fun!
Something for everyone this month!
The EQ Life Team
Contributors
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
DR MAXINE BRAINDr Maxine Brain is an equine vet dedicated to achieving optimal equine health and performance with her team at Kilmore Equine Clinic, which she founded.
-
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.
-
BRIDGET MURPHYBecoming involved in Para Dressage in 2018, Bridget and her equine partners have achieved much success in a short space of time. A keen competitor, her long-term goal is to represent Australia on the international stage.
-
SUSANNA RODELLSusanna Rodell is a lifelong journalist and horsewoman who has recently returned to Australia from the USA. She has written about equestrian sports for publications such as The New York Times, US Eventing, Practical Horseman and the website Eventing Nation.
Published by:
EQ Life Pty Ltd
ABN: 99142004064
ISSN: 1839-034X
Postal address:
Botanicca 3, Level 1, West Tower
570 Swan Street
Burnley 3121 VIC Australia
Manager Content Creation
Adele Severs
Associate Editor
David Trounce
Enquiries
Phone: +61 492 887 961
Email: info@eqlife.com.au
Web: www.equestrianlife.com.au
Disclaimer:
The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of EQ Life. To the extent permitted by law, EQ Life disclaims any liability whatsoever in relation to any advice, representation, statement, opinion or other matter expressed in this magazine. EQ Life does not accept responsibility for errors in advertisements, articles, unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or illustrations. Riding, training or otherwise working with horses and other animals can be dangerous and may result in harm or injury. Readers of this magazine should not engage in such activities unless they do so safely.
© 2023 EQ Life Pty Ltd. Copyright subsists in this magazine. Except as permitted by law, this magazine may not, in whole or in part, be reproduced, published, adapted, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any way or in any form, without the prior written consent of EQ Life. All rights reserved.
