AQHA MAGAZINE May / June 2020 AQHA May-June YB 2020 WEB LR | Page 36

PG.34
AQHA FEATURE
I took him out at the end of his 3yo year to some local shows
just for experience and then started showing him properly in
his 4yo year in Ranch Riding, Horsemanship and Trail. By
the end of that season he really started to settle into show life
and was showing more consistency.At the beginning of his
5yo year I sent him for a few months professional training to
establish flying lead changes and add a bit more polish to my
amateur training job so we could add Reining and Western
Riding to our repertoire.
We had a great 5yo season together showing at all the major
Victorian shows and travelling interstate to NSW State Show
and Nationals and achieved some awesome results which was
just the icing on the cake as I was having so much fun showing
him! All up that year we achieved multiple State titles &
Reserves in VIC and NSW, multiple Reserve National titles,
high points at major shows and Australian high points and
runner up high points – it was all a bit of a dream come true
really!
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST COMPETITION?
It was a GVRHA club show at Tatura in March 2011 – to say
I was nervous was an understatement. The nerves obviously
got to me as I totally lost the ability to count the moment
we walked into the pen – I did four circles in each direction
(rather than the required three!) but at least I was consistent!!
Honestly, I was just happy I had survived!
TELL US ABOUT YOUR CURRENT HORSE, CHEVY.
Chevy’s a great horse – he is cheeky and quirky with a strong
personality – he’s also very kind and adores his humans, he will
choose human company over horse company any day of the week.
I bought Chevy (Genetically Awesome Q-79861) as a weanling
from Crown K Quarter Horses – he is a 2013 gelding by
Recycled Genetics (imp) Q-71354 and out of an El Pajote (imp)
Q-1447 mare – he was only 3 weeks old when I met him for the
first time and it was love at first sight! Those that know me well
weren’t surprised when I chose a blingy chestnut colt, you could
say I have a type!
I showed Chevy a few times as a yearling in halter and led
trail, he was then gelded and professionally broken in as a 2yo,
put out for a break to mature a little more, and brought back in
as a 3yo to start his ridden career. He really challenged me in
those early days – I won’t deny I nearly admitted defeat once
or twice, maybe even more! It wasn’t viable for me to put him
into full time training, so I got help when we needed it most
and just kept chipping away until things eventually started
falling into place. I’m grateful for all the support I had during
that time that kept us moving in the right direction as I couldn’t
imagine life without him now.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR PROUDEST
ACHIEVEMENT SO FAR?
It probably has to be achieving Open Ranch Riding Horse of
Australia last year with Chevy in the AQHA high points – to
be up there with my junior horse that I had trained and shown
myself against such strong competition was truly a dream
come true. It meant even more as I had come close to that high
point with Bubba previously on a couple of occasions, but he
was unfortunately injured and retired from showing before we
were ever able to achieve it – just made it even more special.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE CLASS?
I may have started out as a Reiner but Ranch Riding is by
far my favourite class now, especially when the judge sets an
interesting and challenging pattern. I’m also really enjoying
the variety of the Ranch Versatility events and have started
dabbling in some Cow Horse which is a lot of fun!
SHARE A TYPICAL DAY IN YOUR LIFE
Weekday – up sometime between 5:30 – 6:30am depending
where I’m working that day, work until 4 or 5pm, walk the
dogs, travel to see the horses at their agistment, ride one or
both horses depending how much time I have, back home for
dinner (lucky for me hubby usually cooks!), sometimes work
another couple of hours after dinner if it’s a busy period then
bed by 11pm, ready to do it all again the next day!
Weekend – during show season, most probably at a show and
we all know how that goes! If no shows are on it’s a bit more
relaxed – go for a nice trail ride most likely and home in the
evening with a glass of wine, or two!
WHO DO YOU ADMIRE/LOOK UP TO?
There’s probably not one person in particular, but many!
From the beginners getting out there for the first time, to those
amateurs that train and show their own horses, to the trainers
that are showing multiple horses and meeting clients’ needs
from the first class of the day to the last, and so many more in
between! Showing isn’t easy – everyone that’s out there doing
it deserves to be admired!
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