Building a Dream

PART 1

BUILDING A DREAM

RAISING CHAMPIONS

Anyone who has ever had anything to do with Callaho knows that this enterprise is so much more than a family business. The passion that fuels the team, their dedication to breeding quality sporthorses and their commitment to growing the equestrian sport in South Africa are evident in every interaction with them. There is nothing cliched about it – Callaho is building a dream. This dream begins with inspired yet proven breeding combinations. These horses are bred to be winners. And yet, Team Callaho is doing more than just breeding champions; they are nurturing, raising and educating them. This formula of unbeatable genetics and exceptional production explains why Callaho has so many equine athletes competing at the top of the game. These horses are not just bred to win, they are taught how to, and this education begins on day one.

HQ was fortunate enough to catch up with three members of the Callaho ‘development squad’ - Carrie-Ann Bottom, Annette Rousseau and Graham Winn. These three individuals are part of the huge team at the Stud that are responsible for bringing these young horses to the point where they are ready to enter Ray Korber’s ‘finishing school’ in preparation for auction. We have been blown away by the dedication, attention to detail and thoroughness of the production process. Huge acknowledgement must go to every single person involved. From the Breeding Manager, to the Stable Management, Medical, Maintenance and Training Teams, there are so many players who are integral to the process. People may say that horses are not investments; Callaho Warmblood Stud is proving them wrong.

Everything at Callaho begins with the foaling down process, which is attended by a member of the Callaho Stable Management team comprising Marike Swanepoel, Carrie-Ann Bottom, Tani Gerber and Johnny Smith. “We look after all the horses not in training. We’re there from birth until they are three or three and a half years old, and our role is very hands-on.”

“I learned my role through the support and mentorship of Marike Swanepoel, our Stable Manager here at Callaho who has been on the farm, working with the horses for almost 14 years now. Marike knows every single horse, their breeding and where they are at in their training, and we discuss each of them,” said Carrie-Ann.

I’m constantly aware that the youngster in front of me will be somebody’s sporting partner for the rest of their lives, so this work is critical.

She tells us, “My goal with the foals is to give them as many positive interactions with humans from as early an age as possible. I’ve seen how this lays down a foundation of trust, and we then just build on that existing foundation with every interaction we have with the young horse right up to the auction. From day two or three of life, we make sure we can touch them all over, and at one week of age, we can pick up their feet. We quickly move on to brushing them and checking temperatures daily. Essentially, we make everything a game and normalise all of the questions that we’re asking of them.” “When they are first born, they go out in a herd with other mothers with young foals, and as they all mature, we move them into bigger paddocks. Our weaning process is very gentle in that we gradually remove the mares over time so that nothing else changes for the foals – they still have their friends, remain in the same paddock and stick to the same routine. Every day, we walk through the herd, take everyone’s temperature, and look at the feet. At this stage, my goal is that I can walk up to each foal and that they are happy to have me in their presence.”

“In terms of training, I consider every interaction with the horses an opportunity to train. Gradually as they mature, I ask more and more difficult questions, but from day one, I’m focused on good manners, leading well, moving through gates safely etc. I really believe that these manners stay with the horse for the rest of their lives and that the biggest favour you can do them is to instil these right from the beginning. I want to hand over horses who are safe, willing and happy to do their job. I believe that these youngsters are exposed to so many positive interactions with people in terms of handling that they are never surprised by the questions we ask them. This sets them up for success and creates the Callaho temperament.”

When asked what she loves most about her job, Carrie-Ann replies “I love seeing the foals learn and develop their personalities. They are all individuals, and we treat them as such. I get such a sense of pride when I see them go to their first show or win their first rosette. Every season I say to Marike that I can’t love the next crop of foals as much as I loved the last one, and yet somehow I do.”

After their early years with Carrie-Ann, the horses move to their more formal training with Annette Rousseau and her team. “From three and a half years old, I work with them up until auction,” says Annette. “We follow a general process but tailor each programme to suit the individual horse – no two horses are the same, and it’s important to recognise this and adapt accordingly. I generally start with join-up and groundwork before moving on to the backing process. The backing process is usually straightforward after all of the handling from Carrie-Ann and the groundwork we do.”

“After backing, we do little bits of work, no more than 10-15 minutes at a time, to gradually build strength and avoid overfacing the horses. We start out in the lunge ring, with no contact. We move to the arena for a short time to develop steering, and then we start going out into the veld and tackling natural obstacles. These natural obstacles are things they will have encountered before in their paddocks, but we go slowly in the beginning. We might lead them over the obstacle, then ride them over the obstacle with a leader on the ground and then finally ride them over it independently. There’s no rush, and we go back a step if we realise something is missing. In addition to all the natural obstacles, we’re so lucky at Callaho to have all of the potato fields, where we can take the horses for outrides. On these rides, they get exposed to everything you can think of; people are working in the fields, other horses are playing in the paddocks, and it’s not uncommon for a deer to run out of the bushes! We want the horses to be exposed to as much as possible and feel safe and confident that they can handle whatever is thrown at them.”

Marike Swanepoel

I really love my job. We get to see these youngsters develop, and Ian (Callender-Easby) allows us to take the time we need to with each of them. This bi-annual auction system is great because it allows us to take the time it takes with each horse. I’ve never been told to ‘get it done’ or ‘speed it up’. In fact, the best advice I was ever given came from Callaho: ‘How long does it take to train a horse? As long as it takes’. I’m so proud of these horses, and I know that we’re setting them up in the best way possible to achieve all they are meant to.

At least twice a year, Graham Winn heads down from Johannesburg to observe the process and see where he can help. “I don’t feel I do an awful lot,” he says. “Carrie-Ann literally knows every single horse she cares for, and those youngsters run to her to have their temperatures taken and feet picked up. It’s remarkable! We can all learn something from Carrie-Ann and her intimate knowledge of each horse’s breeding and temperament – she misses nothing. Those horses are watched 24 hours a day.

They are valuable horses, but the level of care and attention is astonishing.”

“For many years now, I have been coming down to Callaho a few times a year to check in on the process and give input where I can. I must say though that each year, my role becomes smaller and smaller because of the exceptional handling these horses receive from birth and then Annette’s training. Annette is one of the most naturally talented horse people around. She downplays her abilities, but her work backing the youngsters is so gentle yet effective. She has an ability to read the horse and moves at their pace. To be honest, I’m learning as much as I’m teaching.”

Graham Winn

When I arrive at Callaho, I’m shown a smooth working system. I’m often blown away by what the horses can already do! My main role is really to help

Annette with any tricky training questions, and we bounce ideas off each other. Out of forty horses, we might have five or six that need a little bit more individual attention than the others. I just give another perspective, suggest some options, and we work from there. Often, these quirky horses turn out to be the most talented! I’m in constant contact with the whole team even when I’m not at the Stud, but my job with Annette is mostly just to tell her that her work is done, and she can relax.

Annette Rousseau

The Callaho environment is such a gift for these youngsters. Living in these big herds is so good for the horses – there are no better disciplinarians than mothers and herd mates. Having the space to move freely is also so important, and something very few places can offer. These horses really get to be horses, which sets them up for success later down the line. The natural obstacles and cross-country elements of the training are also so important. These horses have unbelievable natural balance and know how to look after themselves. The programme at Callaho never lets the riding ‘dominate’ the horse. These horses are genetically superior, and they need to retain their natural initiative – the cross country work is a key part of this. You don’t breed this kind of natural ability to then suppress it. Callaho cultivates the natural talent to create confident, assured performers.

I really believe that you buy an investment when you buy a Callaho horse. Callaho has bred the best and is in a position to have the experts in their field do everything in a very controlled and correct way. This formula is unbeatable, and what you pay for a Callaho horse is a fraction of what goes into making them in those early years. They are constantly being produced from day one, and Callaho has mastered the art of production. That’s their secret.

IT’S THE PASSION

This degree of dedication and commitment to excellence is not a function of a well-run business or simple pride in a job well done; it’s part of an all-consuming passion for horses and our sport. Callaho horses are genetically imbued with greatness, but more than that, they are nurtured, trained and produced with real love. Callaho call it ‘breeding magic’, but it’s so much more than that. It’s passion; it’s a dream; and it’s a gift to South African equestrians. This is our sport at its best.

PART 2

In Part 2 we chat to Ray Korber and several of the Callaho riders, who put the finishing touches to these remarkable horses before they embark on their auction journey.