November/December 2015 | Page 29

when Lynette Hall asked if she could ride Dream at the Nationals in her Youth events, I agreed. Lynette had been riding Dream in some Youth events and as it was her final year, it would be a shame to stop her. It meant I wouldn’t be going to the Congress, as I couldn’t afford both.” As Dream was now going to the Nationals anyway, Kerry decided to enter four events. Open Western Pleasure and Amateur Pleasure, Open Trail, and Amateur Trail. Lynette did a marvellous job on Dream, gaining a second in Youth 15- 18 years Showmanship and a second in Youth Western Pleasure. She placed in nearly every event she went in, finally riding her in the winning team for the Youth Challenge. Kerry gained a third in Junior Western Pleasure, fourth in Amateur Pleasure, and won the Amateur Junior Trail. “Dream picked up a tree in the Junior Trail and decided she wasn’t giving it up, to the amusement of the crowd, and my embarrassment” said Kerry. The elated owner/rider exclaimed “I never thought I would get a National Buckle at 59 years of age! My grandson has laid claim to that one. The buckle and rosette had to go to school for show and tell. What better recognition can you get than that?” Dream went on to have a really good year. “We knew she was in with a chance with the end of year Awards, when my son had a horrific accident. Horses and shows were the furtherest things from our minds, we just wanted our son to survive. We missed quite a few shows, and thought we would have not been in the running for any end of year Awards. We did our last AA show at Gatton, but Dream just hadn’t had the work she was used too, and I was just too totally drained.” It wasn’t until the Youth World Selection Camp held in Tamworth, a week before the Annual Awards Night, that Kerry became aware of Dream’s achievements. “I had taken Dream down to Tamworth, for a Youth rider, to try out for the Youth World Cup, when Paul Lorimer, one of the Directors on the AQHA Board, gave us the news.” Dream had won High Point All Round Quarter Horse of Australia and Queensland, High Point Western Pleasure Horse of Australia and Amateur Pleasure Horse of Australia and High Point Trail Horse of Australia. She also came Runner-up in numerous categories including Amateur Trail, Performance Horse Category 1, Mare or Filly at Halter and Am ]]\