AQHA Magazine January / February 2019 Jan_Feb_2019_WEBSITE | Page 14

Bro & Sis - Hunter in Hand State &
Reserve Champions
L-R Littlestone Kryptonite Q-82644
and Littlestone Look Im Lazy Q-78471
Article Carly Ganzer
Photos - HORSE PLAY photography
The WAQHA 35th Anniversary Di Candilo Steel City State
Championships was held over the 23-25th of November
at the State Equestrian Centre, Brigadoon with 60 horses
entered and over 600 total entries received. Our judge for
the 2018 State Show and ‘A’ show is Ms. Jennifer Goss who
resides from Scottsdale, Arizona USA. Having a USA judge
would not have been made possible without the support
from our sponsors – many thanks to all those who donated.
WAQHA welcomed Di Candilo Steel City as major sponsor
for the 2018 show. John & Zhana Di Canidlo have been a
long-term supporter of the WAQHA and Western Industry
all over Australia for many years and their support never
goes unappreciated – thank you John & Zhana. Our club
has been overwhelmed by the generosity of them all and
we feel extremely grateful to have so many people want-
ing to be on board. We hope that our sponsors enjoyed the
drinks and nibbles catered by Lamont’s Winery on Satur-
day that our sponsorship coordinator, Paula Balgera had
organised as a token of our appreciation.
Our youth competitors received free entries for the State
Show which would have not been made possible without
the help and innovative from the WAQHA Youth Clinics
throughout the year as well as our Youth sponsor Logic
Cranes.
The WAQHA had recently put out a poll on Facebook asking
members if they would rather a Pre-Show or Post Show
and shorten the State Show to two days. A Pre-Show was
highly favoured, so the club listened, Friday the 23rd saw
an open ‘A’ class Pre-Show held. It was a perfect warm up
before the State Championships and competing with our
fellow Western Breeds. Congratulations to all placegetters
for their wins and placings.
Another change for Friday’s program was the inclusion of
Western Dressage. This could not have been made possible
without the support and expertise from Vanessa Hancox
and of course the Western Dressage Association of Austral-
ia for allowing us to use their tests. The day saw 14 tests
being ridden and we received many comments from our
regular showies wanting to give it a go next year! Judging
the Western Dressage is Roxanne Balchin who is a WDA
approved judge and kindly donated her time to judge our
state show – thank you Roxanne, Vanessa & Liz Hides for
all your help! Congratulations to all competitors and thank
you to AQHA Non-Traditional Division for their sponsor-
ship that Beth Noble & Krystelle Park Mercury Rising won
under the Basic Tests B & C.
Saturday the 24th saw the official opening of the WAQHA
35th Anniversary State Championships, program
starting with the lungeline and trail events. The 2018 Joy-
ful Firefly Memorial All Age Trail sponsored by Bridget de
Bijl was won by YLS Garnet, owned and shown by Sharon
Currie. After 9 runs held in the Rapley Cutting Horses Sen-
ior Horse Trail saw Twist Top owned and ridden by Anne
Forbes crowned as State Champions with This Zipnlee
ridden by Rita Driscoll coming in a close second.
14 • The Australian Quarter Horse Magazine • January • February • 2019