was used. He had never been to a
Royal before, but took it all in his
stride and to our excitement I placed
6th in my Rider Class.
This was the beginning of it all for our
Roger. The following year in 2004 we
qualified him for Melbourne Royal for
his Show Hunter Classes. Roger did
his Novice Show Hunter Hack Class,
where he placed an amazing 3rd.
We thought this was amazing, but
little did we know what success was
going to be in store for us the next
day. From memory we were called
in about 3rd or 4th to work in the
Open Show Hunter Hack Class. Roger
worked amazingly, and I couldn’t
have asked for anything more. The
judge moved him to the top of the
line! The horses kept working and I
kept waiting for someone to go above
us. The dream came true Roger was
sashed the winner of Show Hunter
Hack 15hh Not Exceeding 16hh.
I was so excited and crying
emotionally. I remember saying to
mum, “Do you realise if Roger goes
Champion Show Hunter Hack, we are
off to Grand Nationals in Sydney next
year”. Mum replied, “Don’t get your
hopes up kiddo”. I think that just
made me more determined. Roger
was sashed Champion Show Hunter
Hack at Royal Melbourne Show 2004.
A month later he was sashed Reserve
Champion Show Hunter Hack at
Geelong Ag Show, which is now
classified as Royal Show. It actually
was a reversal from the results at
Melbourne Royal.
face. Mum was in tears and she had
contracted a horrific cold from the
stress of it all. At that point I didn’t
care whether we won or lost. We
made it! All the hard work had paid
off and that’s all that mattered.
At the time the class was for Hunter
Hacks over 15hh and Roger was
all of 15.2hh. Most of theses horses
were over 16hh. We were competing
against the best of the best and the
judge was from the UK. The judge
Somerosa Hit the Spot Q-36006
We set off on Thursday for Horsely
Park NSW.
Sunday afternoon came and in we
went. Roger had little exercise and
hadn’t really seen the arena much.
He worked the house down! All I
remember was coming out of the
arena with tears streaming down my
It was decided we would sell Roger
so that he could give another young
girl the joy he had given me. We
advertised him in March Horse Deals
2006, just before we went to Grand
Nationals and Sydney Royal. We
had Joanne Salvaris from Western
Australia contact us about Roger for
her daughter Katherine who was 13
at the time and they flew from WA to
Sydney to watch him at the Grand
Nationals. That year he wasn’t what
the judge was looking for at Grand
National, but that didn’t matter he
was exactly what Jo was looking for
for her daughter, Kat. We continued
on to Sydney Royal and this was my
last ride. He backed up his 4th place
from 2005 and placed 4th again.
Roger left for his new home a few
weeks after we got back from Sydney.
I flew to Perth that year to ride Roger
at the Royal where again we placed
4th, but in his Show Hunter Class it
was over 15hh, so again Roger was
smallest in it.
Roger and Katherine achieved a lot in
their career and he gave them a lot of
joy. He qualified for Grand Nationals
2009 by winning the small Show
Hunter Hack Class at their SHCWA
Masters in 2008, but due to it being
such a long way from WA to Sydney
that Jo and Kat decided not to travel
him.
The preparations began for the Grand
Nationals (GN). We also entered
Sydney Royal, as it was a week after
the GN’s. We thought we would make
the trip worth it. About a fortnight
before the Grand Nationals Roger did
a pectoral muscle in his chest and
we thought we would not be able to
go. Our wonderful vet and friend at
the time Mark Curtis treated Roger
and we had to box him for a couple of
weeks.
Mark came out to see him a couple
of days before we were to leave for
Sydney. He asked if we could leave a
day later to just give him a little bit
of extra time, which we were able
to as the class wasn’t until the last
day being the Sunday. Wednesday
morning came and I jumped out of
bed and saddled Roger up and rode
him. All mum could hear was me
yelling, “Mum he’s all good”, so the
mad dash to pack was on.
where Roger was placed 4th in
Show Hunter 15 to 15.2hh and the
following September we took him to
Adelaide Royal, where he was 4th
again in his height. At Melbourne
Royal 2005, he was awarded 2nd
and Reserve Champion Show Hunter
Hack (qualifying Roger for Grand
Nationals in 2006). Roger had many
Agricultural Show wins, and he was
also placed top 10 at Barastoc Horse
of The Year and VASA Saddle Horse
Championships.
Smokin Santa A1-4806
picked out about 10 to 12 horses
that she would ride. To my shock
Roger was called forward. He worked
amazing for the judge. She gave him
a big pat and said he was lovely and
soft to ride. Next she picked out five
horses that were stripped of their
saddles to see their conformation.
Yep we were in that top five! This was
her top five Show Hunter Hacks - we
made the top five in all of Australia.
The winner and reserve were
announced, but we were so extremely
happy with the top five placing. At the
Grand Nationals they do top 10 and
the Show Hunter Hack Class is split
into two heights.
Roger sustained an injury while
in the paddock and it was decided
that he would be retired. Little did I
know, but at the beginning of 2012,
Jo and Kat decided to try and see
if Roger could make a comeback. A
conversation with Jo and the next
thing I knew I was on my way again
to Perth to ride my beautiful boy one
last time. Roger was being stabled at
Richard Rice ‘s place at the time and
when he saw me and heard my voice
Roger let out a little nicker and came
straight up to me.
At 2012 Perth Royal I was lucky
to place 6th in my Rider Class and
Roger won the Open Show Hunter
Hack Class. This was to be his
last Royal, last ever show for this
wonderful horse. Jo and Kat decided
to eventually lease him to a lady for
trail and pleasure riding.
We then went on to Sydney Royal
March • April • 2018 • The Australian Quarter Horse Magazine • Page 33