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I begin my letter by saying how incredibly privileged we are to have Vicki Wilson on our cover. I have long admired her and the entire Wilson family.
Her story shows that while life can look perfect on the outside, the opposite can be true behind the curtain. We are delighted to learn how Vicki overcame the devastating loss of her first daughter and the joy her second daughter, Charlotte, has brought to her life. Denise Flay has captured beautiful images that show how Vicki's life is focused on motherhood while not forgetting her drive and love of horses.
Another equestrian I admire (well, to be honest, I admire most!) is Nick Brooks. Nick's social media posts and his humour always cheer me up. We caught up with Nick in the UK and are delighted to share a snapshot of 24 hours with him.
We have a raft of interviews covering a cross-section of equestrian sports. These include Kaitlyn Freeman, based at Samantha Lissington's yard learning the ropes on the international eventing circuit.
As we publish this issue, Jasmyn Rodriguez is pursuing her dream on the USA Vaulting circuit to qualify for the World Championships in 2023. We caught up with her before she left New Zealand to find out what makes this talented vaulter tick.
Our interview with Brodie Roberts shows that drive and determination can take you places. In this case, Brodie is basing with Tim and Jonelle Price next winter to develop her talents further. She talks about the incredible pull of horses - she tried other careers and eventually decided to follow her dreams.
Bay of Plenty rider Georgia Wiltshire came from a Show Hunter background. She speaks with us about the challenges and rewards of working with horses needing retraining to overcome behavioural issues such as bucking, rearing, floating/ trucking issues, and napping. Georgia likes to tailor individual recovery and training of each horse that passes-through Torrent Farm Equestrian and loves to include beach riding in the programme. She tells us that while being self-employed can be incredibly hard, she would not change anything despite this.
We have had Renai Hart's interview planned for months, but then the devastating loss of her outstanding stallion Swarovski while she was in Europe stopped us in our tracks. We caught up with Renai last week, and I must say I shed a tear whilst designing her interview.
You may be very surprised that in my 14 years of publishing Show Circuit, I never let my personal opinion flow into the magazine, although there are days I am tempted! Still, I know from the many emails and messages we get that people want to share their perspectives. So I have decided to include an opinion section, beginning with David Woolley, who shares his views on how we need to embrace the breeders. We get it!
The writer of our second opinion piece, A Musing, seeks more accountability in our sport. It's an interesting read - remember, this is an opinion, not necessarily your view or ours, but worth considering. We would love to hear from you if you would like to contribute to this section of our magazine and share your opinion or email us with our concerns so we can look further. We will sometimes use a synonym for those submissions for those that could be targeted or bullied.
This brings us to Dr Holly Blue and Worm-Ed and the question of equestrian health - are we over-worming our horses? Dr Holly is on a one-woman (she does have a team!) mission to educate horse owners about the fallout. Please read her feature piece. It's vitally important we stop worming without testing faecal counts first.
That is all for now; happy reading, and thank you for the SC love. Please also support our advertisers; they are the ones that fund Show Circuit so that you can read it for free.
Sheryll Davies - Publisher111 Stan Wright Road, RD1, Papakura, Auckland 2580
Pip Hume editor@showcircuit.c o.nz
Sheryll Davies
CONTRIBUTORS
Ashleigh Kendall
Caitlin Benzie Photography
Christine Cornege Photography
David Woolley
Denise Flay Photography
Dr Charlie Brigss Dr Holly Blue Dr Gil Riley Michelle Clarke Photography
Play Creative - Nicola Franks Rebecca Greaves
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Vicki Wilson and DAMINOS TWS
Breeding: DIARADO / CACHAS / CAROLUS I
Licensed with Holsteiner Verband Image - Denise Flay Photography
Show Circuit magazine is published bi-monthly. The articles reflect the personal opinion of the author and not necessarily the view of Waiata Publishing Ltd. This publication cannot be reproduced in whole or in part in any way without the publisher’s express written permission. All contributions are submitted at the sender’s risk. Waiata Publishing Ltd accepts no responsibility for loss or damage.
© SHOWCIRCUIT Magazine 2022 All rights reserved.
World-renown horsewoman Vicki Wilson has built her life and career around producing happy, healthy horses who love their job. Horses remain an important part of her life, but Vicki places her daughter Charlotte above all else these days.
Motherhood has been a new chapter for this talented horsewoman, and one she is relishing. Some things may have changed, but her determination to make it to the top of the sport globally is as strong as ever.
Vicki’s list of accomplishments is well documented. She has successfully competed to World Cup level show jumping in New Zealand and gained international recognition through her ability to tame wild horses, winning the World Champion of Colt Starting title. Her horse clinics and bareback and bridle-free jumping displays are acclaimed, and she has also starred in a hit TV series.
Despite the accolades, Vicki says that becoming a mum is the best thing in the world. Now, she has a small apprentice when she’s shoeing horses (she still does it all herself). Charlotte, who turns two in December, loves to be part of life on the busy Hau Ora farm on the banks of the Tukituki River in Hawke’s Bay. She can often be found handing the shoeing tools to her mum.
“My focus is Charlotte, and she comes first. If my horses don’t get worked because she needs me for the day, that’s how it works. I know I can get on and ride at a show at the weekend because I have a great team that can keep the horses fit.”
Show Circuit last visited Vicki in early 2019. She had moved to Hawke’s Bay and, along with partner Michael, was transforming the 350-acre property, which was once a sheep and beef farm, into a
horse haven with the best facilities in the world. At that time, there were 90 horses on the farm; today, that number can be up to 180.
With ample opportunity for farm riding, forestry, and access to the river, it is an idyllic spot - a horse lover’s paradise. The extensive purpose-built horse facility includes world-class rehab and vet facilities, a full-stable vibration floor, round pens, an open walker, a water pool, an ice leg bath, tracks, stables, an obstacle course, and more.
“There are a few things we’re still adding to and growing. What has really developed is the obstacle life training course. We’re still adding to that area. We will add a big stable complex to keep horses out of the mud in winter, it’s been a very wet winter here.”
The business has three core enterprises – show jumpers, breeding, and racehorses - a newer foray for Vicki, who gained her trainer’s license two years ago.
At the time of our call, they’re in the thick of the breeding side of the operation, with 18 foals on the ground and five more to come.
They also break in and take on a lot of problem horses for clients, which is somewhat of a speciality for Vicki. “We set up the facility to set horses up for life, to give them an education they will never forget.”
The approach is holistic, looking at the entire picture and incorporating everything from rehab and bodywork to shoeing horses, so they are in balance. Addressing the whole horse is
MY FOCUS IS HER AND SHE COMES FIRST. IF MY HORSES DON’T GET WORKED BECAUSE SHE NEEDS ME FOR THE DAY, THAT’S THE WAY IT WORKS. I KNOW I CAN GET ON AND RIDE AT THE WEEKEND AT A SHOW BECAUSE I HAVE A GREAT TEAM THAT CAN KEEP THE HORSES FIT.
important to Vicki and enables her to ensure all horses on the property are happy, healthy, and love their job.
The central part of the operation is the show jumpers - Vicki’s passion. She has paddocks of starry homebred horses she believes can take her to the top of the sport on the world stage.
Things have been quiet on the competition front for the past five seasons or so due to injuries, a young family, and Covid. Still, you get the sense that everything is coming together now.
And while there have been setbacks, in her quietly determined way, Vicki hasn’t lost sight of her dream.
Injuries forced a two-year break from competition. Vicki took time out to recover from a head injury, hip and shoulder surgery in 2017, and another surgery in 2018. Then the heartbreak of losing her first daughter, Brooke, who passed away soon after birth, was a devastating blow.
“But without Brooke, we wouldn’t have Charlotte. We had 37 hours with her, and I look at it that we got to say goodbye. That’s why Charlotte is so important to me; she has to be my life. I have to give her every part of me.
“The horses are a big operation, but my life works around Charlotte. She’s incredible and loves it; I’m lucky with that. There’s a lot of heartbreak in life, but it’s seeing the light and good in it and making the most of every opportunity.”
And that’s why Vicki is so protective of her time with her daughter. The apple obviously didn’t fall too far from the tree, though, as Charlotte loves being in the thick of things. Not surprisingly, she already has a pony, Steps.
SHE’S INCREDIBLE AND LOVES IT, I’M LUCKY WITH THAT. THERE IS A LOT OF HEARTBREAK IN LIFE, BUT IT’S SEEING THE LIGHT AND GOOD IN IT, AND MAKING THE MOST OF EVERY OPPORTUNITY.
“She helps me shoe and finds the right tools. She loves helping, feeding the foals and helping feed the horses, mucking out, everything.”
Vicki says Charlotte is very independent and confident, keen to go with any member of the team to feed up, and happy wherever she is.
“She loves her pony, and hers has to be on the truck to shows; she’s very particular about it! It’s 100% up to her if she wants to ride. For a long time, she wasn’t interested and then one day, she got her hat and saddle; she knew exactly where they were, brought them out, and they had to go on the horse. That was it.”
Having a child did slow things down a little, but Vicki’s idea of slow is probably different from most people’s. “I was prepared that the horses were young and could wait; Charlotte is more important.”
There is a rule - only one show a month. “I don’t want to go to more because I want to give her all the time she needs. I don’t want to hand her off to a nanny. When we go to shows, she’s ringside watching, she’s part of everything we do.”
Having previously jumped to the highest level in New Zealand with a team of top-level Grand Prix and World Cup horses, Vicki has been in a rebuilding phase.
Two stunning grey stallions imported from Europe gave her the horsepower she was looking for. Still, the rest of the team is entirely homebred, and she’s very excited about the future.
The two stallions are now nine-year-olds. Daminos is a Holstein by Diarado, and Carpaccio is by Clintissimo Z, with his dam line bringing the blood of the famed Indoctro.
Above left - Daminos has never been unsound after the injury that sidelined him from the competition arena, and is in his element at demonstrations.
Above - Vicki does her own shoeing to ensure that the horses’ hoof management meets her standards.
Below - Charlotte and Whittaker getting ready for a beach ride.
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Daminos won the Six-Year-Old and Seven-Year-old Championships before an unfortunate paddock accident sidelined him from competition. “He has never been unsound, but he’s not 100%.”
Vicki is unsure if he will ever get back out in the competition arena. Still, for now, he’s used for clinics, open days, and demonstrations, where he’s in his element.
“We did two night-show performances at Equifest over the weekend. He’s my favourite; you could not find a braver horse anywhere in history; he’s an exceptional horse. This year our theme was Top Gun – we galloped around with a parachute open, jumped fire, and went over and under tarpaulins.
He has so much talent, and he loves it, but I’m not sure if he will compete again. We’ll see how we go.”
Carpaccio won the Seven-Year-Old title at Horse of the Year, followed by a few quiet years due to Covid cancellations. He just won the Grand Prix at Equifest and will be aimed for the Olympic Cup in March.
Up and coming are two exciting stallions she bred, five-year-old Apollo VWNZ and six-year-old Captivate VWNZ. Both have won their two Five and Six-Year-Old starts so far this season.
“They’re scopey and special in the ring, with incredible natures – they’re going to jump some very big fences. To have a team I can take overseas is my dream. There are some exceptional young horses in the paddock, so I know I will get there.”
The focus this season is to do well at the Young Horse Show, with a strong team of youngsters aimed at that show, as well as Takapoto and Horse of the Year.
Another key part of the business is race horses, particularly rehabbing horses to be fit and strong enough to do their job.
This has been a newer string to Vicki’s bow, but she applies the same principles with every horse.
“I rehabbed a couple and loved the process. I thought, ‘ why don’t I give it a go myself?’ I’m learning a lot; it’s an ongoing journey.”
Vicki’s first win as a trainer came with Red ‘n’ Surf, by Redwood,
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Apples don’t fall far from the tree and Charlotte is already showing a love for her own pony as well as the horses.
who had a strong maiden win with Johnathan Parkes on board. In true Vicki style, she has added a nice Thoroughbred stallion, Mongolian Falcon, to the stable, aiming to breed and produce to see if they can win races.
“The goal is for happy, healthy horses that love their job and win races – we will find out. It’s about education. Whether it’s a show jumper, eventer, or racehorse, it’s the same philosophy.
“It’s the same foundation - core baseline strength and fitness. I’ve found you can have them too fit, but you want them fresh on the day, so it’s about finding that balance.”
The team on-farm includes two promising young trackwork riders. Teenage apprentice Lily Sutherland is rapidly rising through the jockey ranks, currently sitting in the top ten in the national Jockey’s Premiership.
“She’s had some very exciting wins. We have a good mix of people that work here, and hopefully, as I’m learning, we’re doing the right things. I’m very patient; I probably don’t push them as I should.”
Vicki doesn’t want to be on the road every weekend, and with such a large number of horses at home needing to be trimmed, shod, and cared for, that’s the main focus. Creating a fabulous facility as her base means she has everything she needs at home. It’s easy for people to come to her, and she hosts sore horse and young horse clinics at Hau Ora.
“I don’t feel like I need to leave - we have everything we need here. It’s pretty amazing. The young stock in the paddocks would
SHE LOVES HER PONY, AND HERS HAS TO BE ON THE TRUCK TO SHOWS; SHE’S VERY PARTICULAR ABOUT IT! IT’S 100% UP TO HER IF SHE WANTS TO RIDE. FOR A LONG TIME, SHE WASN’T INTERESTED AND THEN ONE DAY, SHE GOT HER HAT AND SADDLE; SHE KNEW EXACTLY WHERE THEY WERE, BROUGHT THEM OUT, AND THEY HAD TO GO ON THE HORSE. THAT WAS IT.
HE HAS SO MUCH TALENT AND HE LOVES IT, BUT I’M NOT SURE IF HE WILL COMPETE AGAIN. WE’LL SEE HOW WE GO.
rival those anywhere. I believe they’re going to be quite exciting.
“It’s pretty incredible, you always have dreams as a kid, and for me, it’s been about building an operation that will go on and have great success. It’s hard work; it never stops. But you’ve got to chase your dreams.”
Her view is that every situation, good or bad, is a learning one. “As long as you have that philosophy, you can go anywhere. Anything is possible in life. We are the only ones who hold ourselves back.
“We probably have the worst truck on the circuit; nothing in the kitchen works, it’s nothing flash, but it gets us from A to B. The horses arrive safely and are incredible in the ring. It’s not about the money; it’s about the work you put in and never giving up.
If you teach your horses to be lions and believe in what they do, they will never disappoint you. The educated horse who loves what it does will never let you down.”
Life may have dealt Vicki some difficult cards in recent years, and the road has taken some unexpected turns, but in true Vicki fashion, she takes everything in her stride.
The plan is to keep having fun, keep learning and keep improving. “There are a lot of things I would like to do if time allows. I’m not one to get stuck on things, but I will give it everything I’ve got to try for it. I want to enjoy Charlotte, our property, and our quality horses.”
The goal of jumping to the top level overseas with a team of homebred horses remains undiminished. With an air of quiet confidence, Vicki says she knows it will happen. Given her bulging resume, competitive will to win, and fierce determination, who would doubt her?
Vicki would like to acknowledge her long standing partnerships with CopRice, Isuzu - D-Max, Acavallo, TuffRock, Gallagher, NPC Health and EspanaSILK n
Below
Well-known Kiwi eventer Nick Brooks made the move to the UK in March 2019. Since then, he’s been chipping away - growing his team of horses, attracting owners, and building his reputation as a successful event rider with a knack for producing quality young horses. While he’s the first to admit that the experience has been far from ‘rainbows and unicorns’, it’s clear he’s committed to making it work in the UK, and his growing team of horses is proof he’s getting more than a few things right.
Nick’s unique sense of humour and ability to laugh at himself are undoubtedly some of his greatest attributes. In a world of fierce competition, high stakes, incredible highs and deep lows, Nick’s honesty and perspective are a surprising breath of fresh air.
We shadowed Nick for a day in September, during which he had us in hysterics multiple times. Hang on for the ride; this is 24 hours with Nick Brooks.
I’d like to say I leap out of bed ready for the day, but I don’t. I’m not a morning person and hate almost everything about waking up; I hit snooze multiple times before actually managing to get out of bed. Breakfast is coffee and either eggs or cereal, depending on whether I’ve remembered to buy milk.
My partner Calum and I live in a cottage on Mark Todds’ property, Badgerstown. We live off-site from our yard, but it’s handy and only an eight-minute drive away. My head groom, Siobhan, also lives at Mark’s place, so she walks over, and we head to the yard together each morning.
I START RIDING EARLY TO ENSURE WE CAN FIT EVERYTHING IN FOR THE DAY.
I CURRENTLY HAVE EIGHT HORSES ON MY TEAM, SEVEN OF WHICH I RIDE FOR CLIENTS. MY STABLE IS AT THE FULLEST
IT HAS BEEN SINCE MOVING TO THE UK, WHICH IS EXCITING.
As Nick.and Siobhan go through the weekly timetable, there’s always time for a good laugh.
Nick and FOR FAME (Sly). Completing their fitness work on the tracks at Badgerstown is a joy. Pictured with Violet the wonder dog.
The horses are outside at night during summer, so we start by bringing them in from the field. They get brekkie, and then we fill the hay nets for the day. The horses who have been in overnight get put on the walker for a stretch while we muck out.
I always write our day’s plan on one of our many whiteboards. While I’ll admit it’s never been one of my strongest skills, planning is a massive part of my job, and I’ve learned to embrace it somewhat. With a team of horses to manage and each horse having different goals for the season, there are so many moving
parts. Each day is entirely different - generally, we have some horses to school at home, and then there are the competitions, away schooling sessions or lessons, and visits from owners or our horse health team.
At the start of the season, I make a plan which outlines the target events for each horse, then work back from there to work out what each horse needs to do to achieve those goals. With that mapped out, I can plan daily to align with those goals. Once we know what we’re doing for the day, it’s time to get into it!
I start riding early to ensure we can fit everything in for the day. I currently have eight horses on my team, seven of which I ride for clients. My stable is the fullest it has been since moving to the UK, which is exciting.
The only one in the barn I own is Sly (For Fame), who I brought with me from New Zealand when I moved here. Sly is a 15-year-old gelding by For Edition (imported Hanoverian semen) out of Craighaven Tarmac. My mum Amanda Vosper and I bought him as a three-year-old, and I’ve produced him to 4* level, which has been super rewarding. When he arrived in the UK, he ran very well at Rockingham, Bramham and Barbury. As a result, he was selected on the team for a Nations Cup in Ireland, was an alternate for Aachen, and was entered for the Event Rider Masters at Millstreet. Unfortunately, he somehow fractured a bone in his foot which promptly put our plans on hold, and we missed all those events. As soon as he was rehabbed and ready to go again, Covid hit and disrupted things
again. Following the lockdowns, he had another couple of annoyingly niggles, so it’s been a frustrating journey, and we haven’t got to many competitions! He’s back up and running now and feels better than ever, so I’m crossing my fingers that I can get him back out and show the world how epic he is.
First up this morning, I’ve got three horses to jump school on the arena at home. Siobhan gets my next horse ready for me while I ride, and then we swap so she can wash down the one that’s just been ridden. She also helps me with jump poles, as today is Zoe’s day off.
My team are amazing; I’m so thankful to have them. Siobhan Binns is a legend of a Kiwi groom who joined us in July 2022. Having worked for Samantha Lissington in the UK for two years and more recently for Monica Oakley, she’s very experienced, and I’m ultra-grateful to have her on my team. I’ve also got Zoe Ewart, a local girl from our village who works for us for two half-days and two full days per week. Zoe is studying for an Equine Management degree at college here - she’s got a great work ethic and has grown so much since she started with us. My team make the long days and hard graft more fun, and I honestly don’t know where I’d be without them.
After a quick break for a team coffee, we load up the lorry to head off for some fitness work to Badgerstown. While we have a fantastic yard with amazing facilities, we don’t have a canter track at home, so like most UK-based riders, we head off-site for fitness.
Above - Nick and Calum are fortunate to live in a cottage on Mark Todd’s property, Badgerstown.
Above left - Loading the horses for mid-week competitions has become part of the weekly routine.
Luckily we don’t have to go far to find great tracks; in fact, we do our cantering (fitness schooling) back at Badgerstown - Mark Todds’ property where we live! Mark has a purpose-built canter track where he now schools and trains racehorses. Today I had three to canter, so I systematically worked through warming each one up and then completed our fitness work.
Once we’re back at the yard, we wash the horses down and repack the truck for the afternoon. We’re taking one horse to a local show this afternoon, so Siobhan plaits the horse up, and then we pack the lorry.
We head home for lunch. Lunch itself is a bit of a non-event; if I remember to eat, it’s likely to be something like Mi Goreng two-minute noodles… they’re a 0 for nutritional value but a 10 for taste factor!
YOU GUESSED IT, PIZZA AT THE LOCAL PUB IS SOMETIMES ON THE MENU!Below - Nick jump training with INDO.
I’ve got invoicing and show entries to do, both of which I almost always forget about, but today I use this time to catch up on my admin. I’m a highly skilled napper, so I’ll sneak in a quick nap at lunch to reenergise for the afternoon.
After lunch, Siobhan and I head back to the yard for the afternoon.
Today’s event is a combined training at Rectory Farm, about 30 minutes drive from our yard. We took one horse today, Blossom, and it was her first-ever competition which is super-exciting because I backed and have produced Blossom myself, so it feels like a bit of a milestone moment!
She got a 23 on the flat and took two rails (being her first show, she was looking at everything BUT the jumps), which landed us in second - not bad for her first event!
I ring Blossom’s owners to update them. They often come and watch their horses at shows, but as this event was mid-week, they couldn’t make it, so I send them all the videos of their horse as soon as I jump off. It has taken time, but I’m lucky to have built a neat bunch of like-minded owners, and I love sharing the journey with them.
We load Blossom and drive back to the yard.
We unpack the truck, clean gear, feed, muck out, and turn the horses out for the evening. If I’m organised, I’ll write the plan for the next day before we leave the yard.
We often head to the local pub for dinner - it’s halfway between the stables and home, so it’s convenient. We probably go there more than we should! Wednesday is burger night which we attend religiously.
I’m a very social person (surprise, surprise); I need to connect with friends regularly. One thing I miss about New Zealand events is the social sidewe’d always have BBQs with friends in the truck park on Saturday nights which I loved. Here, most events are one day, and everyone leaves straight after riding, so it’s hard to catch up with friends, let alone meet new people. I often try to invite friends, particularly our fellow Kiwi eventers, to the pub so we can all get a chance to chat, share stories, and top up our social levels. It’s not easy over here, so it’s important to share the journey with other people who understand so we can all laugh and/or cry together.
During the Covid lockdown, loads of people developed new hobbies and skills. I got really into crystals, chakras, meditation and yoga. Niche, I know, but whatever! I generally do some evening yoga or meditation and hang out with my crystals to balance my energy. I’m naturally a bit of a night owl, so I find this practice helps me to wind down for the day before bed so I can rest up to do it all over again tomorrow!
Above - Nick freely admits that Siobhan is essential and her ability to run the yard is immeasurably important.
1. My partner Calum. He’s shifted his life to the other side of the world, been thrown into the world of horses, and has been amazing.
2 Siobhan and my fantastic staff who keep the yard running. It takes a village and re-establishing a village on the other side of the world took a while but I’m there now!
3. My family at home. They’re all living this rollercoaster with me every day. The family Whatsapp is mostly just me regaling them with my latest mishap and everyone else being supportive.
4. My dog, Violet. She’s so snuggly and really is the actual dream.
5. Ru Paul’s Drag Race. Because seeing misfits succeeding is inspiring. n
When Kaitlyn Freeman sets her sights on a goal, there’s not a whole lot that’s going to stand in her way. Her recent shift to the UK, where she is based with Samantha Lissington, is fast-tracking her growth.
This determined 20-year-old is in hot pursuit of her dreams, and basing with Samantha Lissington in the UK has placed Kaitlyn in the heart of the international eventing scene. While right now she’s learning the ropes, one day she wants to be at the top of the ladder.
The road hasn’t been easy, but Kaitlyn has learned to love a challenge.
It became clear early on that horses would be Kaitlyn’s path of choice. Growing up in Otaki on the Kapiti Coast, Kaitlyn’s single mum, Kim, fostered her love of horses from an early age. “Mum put me on a horse before I could even walk. From then on, we’ve shared the same passion and have been on this journey together ever since.”
Kaitlyn credits her mum for a lot of her success thus far. “For financial reasons, I couldn’t afford regular lessons; it was basically just Mum teaching me.” Under her mum’s tuition, Kaitlyn quickly developed into a bold and determined rider who would have a good crack at anything.
Working her way up through Otaki Pony club, Kaitlyn gained her A certificate. She saw early success in show jumping and eventing, competing in both disciplines simultaneously until she was 18. She show-jumped to Pony Grand Prix level on her Morgan pony Rum Tum Tui, then competed to Junior Rider level on her Warmblood hack Landisohn. Kaitlyn also managed to event very consistently on Landisohn and Ricker Ridge Parkour which saw her win the ESNZ Junior Rider Eventing Series back to back in 2018/2019 and 2019/2020.
“I knew it wasn’t sustainable for the horses to do both disciplines competitively long-term, but I also wanted to see out my pony years. I made the call to go pure eventing once I was 18”.
While a lack of finances presented challenges, Kaitlyn learned to love problem-solving. She rose to the occasion and quickly developed a ‘can-do’ attitude and a work ethic to match.
“We couldn’t afford fancy horses, so we had to get smart and hunt for a bargain.” Kaitlyn and
BEFORE I COULD EVEN WALK. FROM THEN ON WE’VE SHARED THE SAME PASSION, AND WE’VE BEEN ON THIS JOURNEY TOGETHER EVER SINCE.
Kim purchased Landisohn, a nine-year-old gelding by Landioso out of Leilani. Kaitlyn would go on to produce him as a highly successful 3* horse. “He was well-bred but had quite a bad reputation when we got him, meaning we got him for a really good price. He had never evented when I got him, and we ended up getting to 3* level together, which was super-rewarding.”
other future 3* mount, Ricker Ridge Parkou,r for free under some exceptional circumstances. At the end of 2018, Samantha Lissington was leaving for the UK and got stuck with Parker, a slightly quirky but talented Thoroughbred, still sitting in her paddock the week before she left. Desperate to find him a good home, she posted her plight on Facebook. An eager Kaitlyn responded and sent a truck to collect Parker the following day. Again, Kaitlyn would steadily self-produce Parker from a pre-novice horse right up to 3* level, a feat that didn’t go unnoticed by Sam and would later score her a job in the UK.
Finding the funds to get two horses to 3* level took creativity and a strong work ethic. While still at school, Kaitlyn started riding track
work for local trainers Buddy Lammas and Aimee Mitchell. “Each morning, I’d ride Thoroughbreds before heading to school. My pay from track work went straight towards my horse costs. After school, I’d come home to ride the rest - my horses, some ‘off the trackers’ and schoolers or breakers I’d train for other people.”
Kaitlyn’s work ethic got her far in her career. Still, over time she recognised that she needed consistent coaching and training to progress further. In early 2022, Sam Lissington advertised her role, and Kaitlyn jumped at the opportunity to apply. “I’d got Parker from Sam in the early days, and like every NZ rider, I had followed her progress since she moved overseas. I knew her horses were always well-schooled, so I thought she’d be a good person to learn from. I didn’t have a passport when Sam rang and offered me the job because I’d never left New Zealand before!”
Kaitlyn admits that as a small-town girl, shifting to the other side of the world was pretty daunting, but she knew it was the right decision. Quickly applying for her passport, she made travel plans and landed in the UK on April 4th 2022.
I KNEW HER HORSES WERE ALWAYS WELL-SCHOOLED, SO I THOUGHT SHE’D BE A GOOD PERSON TO LEARN FROM. I DIDN’T HAVE A PASSPORT WHEN SAM RANG AND OFFERED ME THE JOB BECAUSE I’D NEVER LEFT NEW ZEALAND BEFORE.Right and above - Kaitlyn leading ZAZU (owned by Alex Giannamore) into the yard at Samantha Lissington’s. Below - Kaitlyn feels privileged to be riding ZAZU.
“Brayden (Sam’s husband) was waiting at the airport holding a sign that said, ‘Looking for a horse girl’, which was a great insight into his personality from the get-go and put my nerves at ease. We headed straight to Portman Horse Trials as soon as I arrived, so there was no time for jet lag!”
Kaitlyn is now an integral part of Team Lissington as ‘home groom and rider’. “We all work together to run the yard daily, and when Sam and Fran (our Head Girl) go away to events, it’s my job to keep things running and keep the horses fit here at home. I ride one or two horses on a normal day, and on competition days, I’ll ride six or seven.”
Kaitlyn is lapping up the opportunities to learn and develop herself. “My riding has already established so much in seven months; I can’t even begin to explain. Back in New Zealand, I think my riding was effective, and I was very focused on getting the job done at all costs. I’m more considered and tactful these days; every aid is purposeful. Gone are the days
of just adding leg and hoping for the best! Sam has made me much more thoughtful and logical about my riding.”
With a spreadsheet full of daily lesson debriefs and learnings, she’s not letting any knowledge slip through her fingers. “The chance to have Sam’s eyes on me every time I ride is amazing. When you’re alone, you’re sometimes a bit blind to what’s happening because you can feel but can’t see. Sam is a bit of a mirror for me - she’s always reflecting on what she sees, which helps me understand what I’m feeling. She also knows each horse inside out, which is valuable.”
If her riding has developed in leaps, her confidence and communication skills have grown in bounds. “Sam is invested in growing me as a person and has put quite a bit of work into my ability to communicate,” Kaitlyn explains with a laugh. “She has taught me that it doesn’t matter how well you ride; you won’t make it if you can’t build relationships with owners and sponsors because we need them to be able to do our sport.”
is fraught with challenges and hurdles, Kaitlyn reflects that it’s all part of the learning experience. “You learn so much more than riding; there are so many lessons that no one actually teaches you but that you learn on this journey. The UK life is constantly throwing curve balls at you, and the things you have to deal with can make it quite crazy. There are a lot of flat tyres, truck breakdowns, horse challenges, and everything in between - I think it has all made me quite adaptable as a person.”
Kaitlyn is a massive advocate for the UK experience. “In
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New Zealand, we are so isolated. You must physically put yourself over here to learn from the best and see what it takes to be at the top level.”
where Kaitlyn has her sights set. “Ultimately, the end goal is to get to world number one and to compete at all the 5* events and into the Olympics and WEG teams! Equally, I’d like to get into coaching and provide opportunities for other riders to chase their dreams as Sam has done for me.”
Kaitlyn would like to thank her Mum, Kim Freeman, for all her support and her past bosses, Buddy Lammas and Aimee Mitchell, who have always supported Kaitlyn and her journey. A special thanks to Samantha and Brayden Lissington, who have allowed her to learn and grow, both in her riding skills and generally as a person. n
Moving to the United States in a bid to qualify for the 2023 Vaulting World Championships for Juniors and Young Vaulters is a gutsy move, but this teenage vaulter is determined to follow her dream of making it to the top on the international stage.
Jasmyn Rodriguez loves to perform, and vaulting presents the perfect combination of dance, gymnastics, and horses for this talented young woman.
One taste of vaulting at a Fiber Fresh youth camp in 2013, and she was hooked. Undeterred by the lack of vaulting competitions in New Zealand or the fact they didn’t have a horse, Jasmyn and her sister took up the sport with the support of their mum, training on a stationary barrel to start with.
Fast forward nine years, and Jasmyn, 18, packed her bags in November, making the solo move to the States to train with vaulting legend Christoph Lensing. Lensing is a three-time world champion and one of the most sought-after coaches in the sport.
He helped start the Kapiti Vaulting Club in Waikanae and has retained contact with the club’s owner and head coach Catarina (Cat), who came to New Zealand from Sweden in 2000 as a coach.
Before moving to the States, Jasmyn lived and trained with Cat, who has been instrumental in her vaulting journey.
Jasmyn was part of the New Zealand team to place sixth in the team
event at the 2019 FEI Vaulting World Championships for Juniors in the Netherlands. The taste of international competition on the world stage whet Jasmyn’s appetite, and her ultimate goal is to one day medal at a World Games.
No wonder she leapt at the opportunity to live and train at Christoph’s base in Georgia. She hopes to qualify for World Champs and compete in Europe before the Games, which will be held in July 2023 in Sweden. The goal is to compete as an individual in the new Youth category for vaulters aged 18-21.
Growing up in Auckland with her faily, Jasmyn began riding in 2013.
“It was really low level. I had a cute little pony and did stuff like ribbon days. I did go to Equidays for a Fiber Fresh youth camp, where one of the things you could try was vaulting. I was keen to give it a go, and it was great.
I had seen some vaulting videos on YouTube when I was younger. I did a bit of dance and gymnastics and was into horses, so this was the perfect mix for me.”
The vaulting community is relatively small in New Zealand. Accessing
I HAD SEEN SOME VAULTING VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE WHEN I WAS YOUNGER. I DID A BIT OF DANCE AND GYMNASTICS AND WAS INTO HORSES, SO THIS WAS THE PERFECT MIX FOR ME .
horses and coaches, not to mention the lack of competition here, presents challenges for an aspiring young vaulter, but this didn’t put Jasmyn off.
They were given a contact for a coach in Auckland and had a stationary barrel with handles made, initially training several times a week. Between them, they founded the Waimauku Vaulting Club, although Jasmyn admits it was only really her mum and sister, and the sport didn’t gain traction in Auckland.
“We did have one horse, originally my sister’s riding horse, an ex-show jumper. He wasn’t very big, and he was happy to be a vaulting horse. It’s not every horse’s cup of tea, but he was a good allrounder and quite mellow with the vaulting. He was a bit of an old boy, so it was almost a retirement for him.”
Jasmyn trained in Auckland from 2015 to 2018, heading to Waikanae every summer for training camps and attending Equidays to do clinics with the Kapiti Vaulting Club. They were then given a ‘proper’ vaulting horse, Tiny, who had been used for the 2014 WEG team.
“It’s things like Equidays and performing and competing overseas. It’s such a rush. I didn’t have anyone to train with, and we didn’t really have a team, but after I did a night show at Equifest, I thought, yes, that’s why I do it. Performing - I just love performing, and I like working towards something.”
In 2018, she was asked to train as part of the team for the 2019 FEI Vaulting World Championships for Juniors, the first vaulter outside the Kapiti club to be selected to represent New Zealand in the discipline. This was the catalyst for a move to Waikanae to follow her passion for vaulting.
“When I first moved down, I went to Paraparaumu College. I was quite independent from a young age and was happy to move for vaulting. I
IT’S THINGS LIKE EQUIDAYS AND PERFORMING AND COMPETING OVERSEAS, IT’S SUCH A RUSH. I DIDN’T HAVE ANYONE TO TRAIN WITH AND WE DIDN’T REALLY HAVE A TEAM, BUT AFTER I DID A NIGHT SHOW AT EQUIFEST I THOUGHT, YES, THAT’S WHY I DO IT.
Vaulting is commonly described as gymnastics on horseback. It has a similar level of extreme physical effort with the added challenge of balancing on a cantering horse, controlled by a lunger, and moving in a circle of at least 15 metres diameter.
lived with one of the other vaulters and her family, so I still felt like I had a little family around me. I left school a year early to work full-time once I needed to pay rent and things like that.”
The training schedule was pretty intense, fitting in gym sessions before or after school, running, and horse training four times a week.
“Vaulting is very physical. You’re only on the horse for one minute in competition, but that one minute takes so much out of you, having a constantly moving thing underneath you.”
Jasmyn says strength and stamina are essential attributes for a vaulter, though she admits cardio is not her strong point. Flexibility, rhythm, and the ability to work with the horse are also important, and there are points for performance and working with the music too.
Currently, her favourite move is a one-legged stand in the handle. One foot is in the handle, and that’s the only part of her body touching the horse.
When it comes to the horse, an even rhythm is important, but the biggest thing is trust.
“Because I’ ve trained on the horse at home so much, I know what he’s going to do and feel comfortable trusting him. It’s like a circle of trust between me, the horse, and the lunger, trusting that everyone can do their job.”
VAULTING IS VERY PHYSICAL. YOU’RE ONLY ON THE HORSE FOR ONE MINUTE IN COMPETITION, BUT THAT ONE MINUTE TAKES SO MUCH OUT OF YOU, HAVING A CONSTANTLY MOVING THING UNDERNEATH YOU.
The experience of spending two months in Europe in 2019 for the World Championships was invaluable. Eight Kiwis travelled around Europe and experienced vaulting in Sweden, Germany, and the Netherlands.
“In Germany, they have moving barrels and special coaches, like a choreography coach, and we got some tips from one of the top French vaulters. We don’t really see the world of vaulting in New Zealand, so to see it and be part of it was cool.”
Time on the horse, and the connection between horse, vaulter, and lunger, are crucial, which is why Jasmyn has headed overseas well in advance of next year’s World Champs.
“You need to train on the horse you will use in competition; you need to get used to it. The whole point of going early is to be on that horse as much as possible because all horses are different.”
Time on the horse is often limited, as there are usually multiple vaulters training on one mount. This is where the moving barrel is key to training – and we don’t have one in New Zealand. Christoph has both a horse for Jasmyn to use for qualification and a moving barrel.
“The moving barrel makes a huge difference, and all good vaulters must have one. The horse can only run for so long, and when you’re training with up to eight other people, you might get a total of four
YOU NEED TO TRAIN ON THE HORSE YOU WILL USE IN COMPETITION, YOU NEED TO GET USED TO IT. THE WHOLE POINT OF GOING EARLY IS TO BE ON THAT HORSE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE ALL HORSES ARE DIFFERENT.
minutes actually on the horse in a training session. Now I’m sharing a horse with one other person, so I’m getting more time on the horse. In New Zealand, we have two or three horses for everyone.”
Jasmyn is in the sport for the long haul, and the ultimate goal is a World Equestrian Games medal. Still, she’s realistic that it won’t happen overnight and says there is no time limit.
“We don’t have competition in New Zealand, so there’s no chance of qualifying unless you go overseas. What we need are coaches at this level, which is the main reason why I’m here. Having Christoph will make a huge difference to me.”
The fact she has moved to the other side of the world to pursue her dream doesn’t daunt her. “I haven’t even thought about it. I’m just like, ‘I’m vaulting,’ and wherever I’m vaulting, it feels like home.”
All going to plan, Jasmyn hopes to gain her qualification between March and May and then head to Europe to compete before the games. “The more the judges see you competing, the better your chances of getting good scores.”
She would love to see more people give vaulting a go in New Zealand. “It would be awesome to have more people and have competitions. It’s a great sport; you’re always around people and training with a team. It’s so much fun, and you have horses; what more could you need?” n
Eventer Brodie Roberts is playing the long game, chipping away at the small goals rather than focusing on the big wins. She has plans to spread her wings and get a taste of the UK eventing scene when she bases herself with Kiwi power couple Tim and Jonelle Price next winter.
get a career outside of horses, Brodie tried other jobs, but the pull of horses proved too much. She’s slowly but surely building her horsepower, with an eye to making it to the top of the sport one day.
Brodie, 25, is based at her parent’s property at Fernside, near Rangiora. “We’ve been here for about five years and have slowly developed the place into a good setup for horses. Everything takes time, but we will get there.”
Brodie’s parents were utterly non-horsey, and, as an only child, she spent hours playing with neighbourhood friends who went to her
country primary school.
“A lot of my friends had ponies; we would double bareback or jump around the paddock. Mum and Dad finally caved and got me a pony, I joined the local Pony Club, and it all kicked off from there.
“I think they thought it was a phase, but they have given up a lot for me. They planned to move back to town when I went to high school, but I wanted to get more horses, so we moved further into the country and filled the paddocks up.”
Brodie can’t quite put her finger on what draws her to horses, but she knows it’s what she wants to do.
“I think it’s getting to know them, getting on the same page. You create a language between you and your horse and work to better yourself and the horse’s training ability. Seeing the progress - that’s where I get a high; you can’t beat it. You can go anywhere with a horse and see the country.”
She tried most disciplines at Pony Club, gravitating towards show jumping and eventing. “I was swaying towards show jumping, but eventing stole my heart. It’s the difficulty of trying to work through all three disciplines with your horse. You become an all-around better trainer and rider. Eventing has definitely sucked me in!”
After leaving school, Brodie completed a degree in architecture and a diploma in interior design. She worked in an office for just over two years before deciding office life wasn’t for her.
“People recommend getting a career that’s not in the horse world, but I think I just like being outside - the days go faster.”
A typical day starts with a gym session at 6 am, followed by mornings working in a harness racing stable six days a week. At about midday, Brodie returns home and works her horses and whatever client horses she has. “It’s jam-packed, long days like most horse people do. Twelve-hour days are pretty common.”
Brodie has her competition team of two event horses, plus schoolers or horses that come for sale on behalf of clients. She often show jumps over the summer and will take client horses out and about for training too.
I WANT TO FIND HORSES THAT CAN TAKE ME ALL THE WAY AND BUILD MY HORSEPOWER - I WANT TO EXPAND TO THREE COMPETITIVE RIDING HORSES - I NEED TO DO THAT TO GET BACK ON THE SQUADS.
“I like to have a small competition team and focus on them. I have a couple of babies we bred in the paddock, and I’ll start working with them next year. I also like to have a project or two ticking over in the background to produce and give some experience before selling - the last one I had was a pony. I sometimes pick up horses off the track, something that looks fun.”
Brodie has had some great results and highlights. With SR Livingston, a pint-sized horse she produced herself, she won the 2* at the South Island Three-Day-Event. She has been on the ESNZ Talent ID Squad in the past and would love to get back on a squad. “It was a great community of people to be surrounded with.”
However, she has come to realise that measuring her success by the wins isn’t always the best indicator of progress.
“The last big win for me was a few years ago. We train to compete and compete to win. You put a lot of effort in, and as much as I’d like to win every event, I had to change my mindset, especially with young horses.
“Now, it’s about ticking off little goals for each event, whether improving a certain movement or making small goals for each horse to achieve; that’s where I’m at now. If you are ticking off the little goals and you do get the win, that’s the extra.
Of course, any big competition win is a highlight, the cherry on the cake.
Those are the highlights you drive for, but seeing any horse that comes onto the property progress and matching them with a nice home - I enjoy that.”
Currently, her top mount is Skyhi Sensei (Zeni), a nine-yearold Warmblood/Thoroughbred cross by Surprice, who won the South Island Young Event Horse competition and is now well established at 2* level.
“He was bred for dressage and was five when I got him. He’d only done one little show-jumping day. He’s a lot of horse, and hasn’t been easy; he definitely has his days. He’s insane on crosscountry; he’s a cross-country machine. He’s got the movement for
I THINK IT’S GETTING TO KNOW THEM, GETTING ON THE SAME
PAGE. YOU CREATE A LANGUAGE BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR HORSE AND WORK TO BETTER YOURSELF AND THE HORSE’S TRAINING ABILITY.Above - Left - Brodie and SKYHI SENSEI love a good crosscountry course. Pictured here at the South Island 3DE held at McLean’s Island. Right- Brodie leading SKYHI SENSEI (left) and CHIT CHAT KSNZ (right).
dressage if we can keep our manners in play!”
Her other horse is Chit Chat KSNZ (Cleo), a six-year-old mare Brodie was given part ownership of when Cleo was three.
“She’d done one dressage training day when I took the reins, and I’ve produced her from there. She’s had a few 1.10m show jumping starts and is ready to step up to 105cm eventing and then consolidate. She’s very spicy and loves her job; she will be really cool in a few years.”
Now, Brodie’s goal is to expand her team and find some young horses to fulfil her dreams of making it to the top.
“I want to find horses that can take me all the way and build my horsepower - I want to expand to three competitive riding horses - I need to do that to get back on the squads. My homebred horses should then be coming through, and hopefully,
I’ll have a good stream of horses behind me.
It takes time, and I have to make them myself – but that’s what I enjoy, getting a horse and producing and bettering it, rather than buying something already going.”
The dream is to have a horse that’s good enough to take to the UK. “It’s so hard to predict with horses, but I’d love to represent New Zealand on a team or get to a big event like Worlds. I’m trying to enjoy the ride and know that plan A usually never works. I’m aiming for the top, and hopefully, I can get there. But also remembering that horses are horses, and it’s finding the right one.”
The next step in her plan will be a stint basing herself next winter with husband and wife team Tim and Jonelle Price, ranked numbers one and two in the world. That opportunity came about through Brodie’s jumping coach, Andrew Scott, with whom she has trained for years.
“Andrew has been great, and Penny Castle, whom I train with for dressage. It’s insane how she can change the feel of a horse.”
Brodie hopes training with the Prices will be a step in the right direction and give her a taste of what life in the UK might be like, should she take the plunge.
“I’ll be able to see if it’s something I truly want to do. I think it will be a whole lot of fun and an eye-opener, especially the quality of the horses. If I were to make the leap, it would be to the UK, so I want to see what it’s like over there. I’m ready for it.
“But for now, it’s about keeping the enjoyment, having horses I enjoy riding, and that try hard for me. I want to keep the fun instead of it just being a job.”
Brodie is grateful to be sponsored by Dynavyte and Canterbury Equestrian. n
Left
Below - Brodie and SKYHI SENSEI competing at Canterbury Eventing 2DE this year.
“My love for horses appeared at a very young age. Luckily for me, my grandfather saw this and, with absolutely no experience, purchased my first pony, Flash. He was a bit of a demon pony, and I spent a huge amount of time on the ground,” Renai laughs. “I was very fortunate that many of my friends had ponies too, so I tagged along with them a lot on rides. Even with all his antics, Flash certainly taught me a lot – he also made me never afraid to hop on any horse!”
For many years, Renai’s equestrian focus was on Arabian showing - both in-hand and ridden. During this time, a very close friend owned a stud farm, and it was here that she would ride her first-ever stallion and begin to take an interest in breeding. “It was a really fun time in my riding. We were all happy hackers and did a lot of forest and beach riding; there were certainly no dressage competitions in sight, although I did some very low-level Pony Club eventing. A big highlight of that era was having the opportunity to ride my friend’s gorgeous stallion; he was amazing and so very kind for such a powerful creature.”
After a few years away from horses focusing on her career as an inbound manager for a freight forwarding company, Renai returned to her passion. Breeding horses was still something she
was very interested in trying; a friend nearby bred Hanoverians, and so Renai decided that this was the direction she wanted to go in.
“I got back into horses when I was around 30. A friend who bred Hanoverians convinced me it was the way forward, and I was hooked. I was fortunate to live close to Gary and Wendy Freeman at the time, who stood the wonderful Anamour at Bilbar Lodge. Gary was the most amazing horseman, and he helped me so much.”
At the start of 2012, the gorgeous Worldly made the final leg of his import journey to New Zealand to become the foundation stallion of Renai’s stud, River Park Farm. He was born in 1997, bred by Rolf Böndel in Germany, and finished second in his 100-day stallion test performance in Adelheidsdorf. Aptly named, Worldly was quite a world traveller, first owned by American Elizabeth Page-Lewis, who leased him to the Celle State Stud in Germany. He was then sold to Haras de Hus in France before making his final journey to his forever home with Renai.
“Stallions are very special, and I have loved having the pleasure of owning them. My first was the absolute gentleman, Worldly. When looking for a stallion, I wanted to choose one with plenty of foals on the ground and an amazing temperament
It became apparent from an early age that Renai Hart had a passion for horses, and being born and raised in ‘horse capital’ Cambridge until she was 10 only served to foster that passion.
THE PROUDEST MOMENT OF MY HORSE CAREER HAS GOT TO BE OUR WONDERFUL GIO; WHAT AN ABSOLUTE JOURNEY WE HAD, ONE THAT WILL BE VERY HARD TO COME CLOSE TO REPEATING!
Above - In 2012 WORLDLY arrived here in New Zealand, and it started a love affair that Renai will never forget. He was the perfect gentleman at all times. Image - Kimi Knight Photography. Left - SMILLA (Mia) is now under saddle and doing well with Renai at the helm.
Below - Renai purchased Fiona ( FLORISCOUNT/QUASAR DE CHARRY) as a foal in Germany. She has had a Jameson RS2 colt and is now being started under saddle.
EVERYONE HAS THAT ONE EXTRAORDINARY HORSE, AND WORLDLY WAS THAT FOR ME; I HAVE HAD MANY BEAUTIFUL HORSES, BUT NOTHING QUITE LIKE MY DARLING WORLDLY.
who would improve what mares I had – Worldly most definitely ticked all those boxes. He taught me so much, and I did my first ever Prix St George with him. I first spotted him on Eurodressage after a friend in Australia shared his ad. I somehow managed to convince my ever-supportive husband, Ian, that purchasing Worldly would be an excellent idea. After a few logistical hiccups, he arrived safe and sound in New Zealand. Devastatingly, after ten years together, we lost him at the end of 2021 due to a bout of severe colic. I still haven’t fully recovered from losing him; I don’t think the hole in my heart will ever truly close. Everyone has that one extraordinary horse, and Worldly was that for me; I have had many beautiful horses, but nothing quite like my darling Worldly.”
(Sandro Hit x Don Gregory II x Rubinstein
I) joined the River Park family. Swarovski was an IB Premium licenced, performance-tested stallion for the Oldenburg, Hanover, Westphalia and Rhineland studbooks. He was the Champion Stallion in Dressage at his 30-day test.
“With Wally, I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. I was in Germany for a board meeting, where we visited Gestut Sprehe, and there, standing under the solarium, was the handsome boy. So, it was a call to wonderful Ian to convince him that I (yet again) had an excellent idea! I love the S line cross over the W line, but first and foremost, his nature was absolutely amazing. Anybody could ride Wally, and we had many a young girl riding him around the arena at home; he was a wonderful horse to carry on riding once Worldly was retired. It was heartbreaking to lose him just a few months ago, but I’m sure he’d be very proud of his progeny, who are really starting to excel in the dressage ring.
“We also have the beautiful gentleman Limonit here; he has been with me for around four and a half years and is enjoying his well-earned retirement.” Renai’s breeding program currently has four active breeding mares, a manageable number as she also has to consider the time spent collecting during the breeding season. She also has youngstock mares from all three stallions, who will, with time, enter the breeding program. Her goal is to
Above - The new house was inspired by places Ian and Renai had seen in their travels throughout Europe and has equestrian features everywhere.
Right-hand page - SWAROVSKI (Wally) was the second stallion acquisition and Renai knew his bloodline would be an asset to the breeding lines she already had. As the photo demonstates, he was such a kind boy and Renai adored him. Image - Kimi Knight Photography.
breed amateur-friendly horses while still maintaining topquality competition traits, using the best bloodlines available in New Zealand. While focusing on her own breeding, Renai has held board and committee positions worldwide concerning dressage and Hanoverian breeding.
“I was the Vice President and Show Secretary for quite a while at Dressage Waitemata but stood down when I started building up River Park Farm. For many years I have been involved with the New Zealand Hanoverian Society, most recently as President. I was also Vice President of Hanoverian International, and last year I was asked to stand for a position with the WBFSH (World Breeding for Sport Horses) Disciplinary Board which I accepted. At the end of 2021, I was then nominated as the Vice President for the Department of Development, an area of the WBFSH with the goal of carrying out initiatives to aid industry
development and provide member services that will facilitate collaboration and exchange of knowledge, and strengthen the position of breeding in the equine industry; it’s a great position, and I am very proud to have been nominated and accepted.”
In 2014, Renai met world-renowned rider Charlotte Dujardin when she was brought to New Zealand for a six-day dressage clinic by Renai’s close friend, Greg Smith. Renai and Charlotte quickly struck up a close friendship, and in 2016 Charlotte approached Renai to buy a half-share in a talented little horse she had just purchased. The rest is history, with Charlotte and Gio winning Bronze medals at the 2021 Olympic Games and Silver and Bronze at the European Championships the same year.
“The proudest time of my horse career has to be our wonderful Gio; what an absolute journey we had, one that will be very hard to come close to repeating! I was devastated not to get a spot in MIQ for the Olympic Games or the European Champs - how amazing that would have been. However, I can be certain the memories of that chapter will definitely never fade.”
After eight years away from the competition arena, Renai decided to focus more on her own riding and imported the gorgeous mare Smilla (San Amour x Bergamon x Walt Disney) from Germany. With solid scores already achieved at Advanced Medium level, including Reserve Champion Bronze Advanced Medium at the recent Bates Nationals, with many people cheering them on from the sidelines, their future together looks very exciting.
“I have some fantastic friends in Europe, and through them, I found my beautiful Mia, who belonged to a friend of a friend. She was a broodmare until she was nine and then turned to dressage. She is the best mare and by San Amour - another S-line horse to add to the collection!
“I have been lucky to have had some amazing coaches over the years. Each one of them has hugely influenced my riding, and of course, I also had the amazing Worldly as my teacher. Anything to do with horses is such a journey in every way, and I’m so grateful to all those wonderful people I’ve met throughout the years. I’m very excited to be back on a riding and competition journey, this time with Mia, and can’t wait to see what the next few years bring for me and the River Park Farm team.” n
of the 100,000 estimated number of maybe a third have good identification. r this is that there is no over arching ently in place to capture the entire ation in NZ Hence the Equine & Traceability Project.
nderstanding the entire , where horses are located and tact horse owners, we lose me in a disease response.'
at though, horses are precious in their d their existence deserves being ust as records of birth are recorded for
Introducing a new era of Equine Identification and Traceability in New Zealand.
Although the New Zealand Equine Health Association’s goal on behalf of all equine owners is to quickly and efficiently trace and identify the horses to limit the spread of disease and more successfully manage potential disease responses, owners will reap other benefits from an equine identification system.
Over the past 40 years three equine diseases of international significance have entered New Zeala and NZEHA’s efforts have been pivotal to eradicat them
By looking at past outbreaks in both our own coun overseas we know that having the tools to unders the complete population is one of the best assets can have for a response
This is why the NZEHA, on the equine industry’s b have initiated the Equine Traceability & Identific Project, with the ultimate goal being to protect t and welfare of all New Zealand horses
To stay informed on the progress of this project the New Zealand Equine Health Association on F or subscribe to our newsletter
From sport horses to racehorses, Emma Wyatt is making her mark on the racing scene. Notching up some impressive results early in her training career, she has ambitions to win a black-type race one day.
When Emma and her husband Luke started their Foothills Equestrian business, the focus was on breaking in. However, that has evolved into the sport of kings – horse racing.
Emma got her trainer's license in April last year and, since then, has recorded three winners and several placings from 13 starters, a strike rate she is quietly proud of. Their own horse, How Unusual (by Unusual Suspect), recently won
her first race start at Timaru.
"We're a young team, and I'm still getting to know their abilities. It would be cool, down the track, to win a Listed or Group race - that's any trainer's dream. But let's just start with a Listed race!
"It's such a hard industry, but I love the speed and, like show jumping, seeing the improvement in each horse. It's the thrill of it."
WORDS Rebecca Greaves IMAGES Michelle Clarke Photography
IT’S SUCH A HARD INDUSTRY, BUT I LOVE THE SPEED AND, LIKE SHOW JUMPING, SEEING THE IMPROVEMENT IN EACH HORSE. IT’S THE THRIL L OF IT.
Emma has ridden trackwork from the age of about 17 in both New Zealand and Australia and says it's something she's always loved.
She has been employed outside of horses but always gravitated back to them.
Emma attended Polytech to study architectural drafting and then worked for a local architect for four years. This was followed by a stint in Aussie polo grooming and then riding trackwork in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia.
"I enjoyed the trackwork but had never envisaged becoming a trainer. When I came back from overseas, I worked for a trainer, Ross Beckett, in Christchurch, and he pushed me to do my jockey apprenticeship. I lasted about six months before I decided being small and hungry wasn't that fun. I loved race riding, but I also love my food too much!"
She then picked up a job working in the office for a Portaloo company before moving to a livestock company, where she stayed for about four years.
When Luke finished up share-milking, he was keen to have a crack at working with horses full-time, and they started Foothills Equestrian. Emma continued to work for the livestock company until things were up and running, and in 2019, she left her job and joined Luke.
Now, they work together in the business based on their 12.2-hectare property at Ashburton.
Currently, the mix is about 50:50 between sport horses
Left -There’s a huge variety of bits to suit each horse in training.
Emma is holding her first race winner, ONCEACONNER.
Right-hand page - Emma and Luke are a united team covering sport horses and racehorse training on the Ashburton farm.
I LASTED ABOUT SIX MONTHS BEFORE I DECIDED BEING SMALL AND HUNGRY WASN’T THAT FUN. I LOVED RACE RIDING, BUT I ALSO LOVE MY FOOD TOO MUCH!
and Thoroughbreds. However, they would like to move away from having so many breakers and focus more on racing. The couple owns one racehorse of their own in conjunction with Emma's parents, as well as training for other people.
There are currently six racehorses in training and seven breakers on the property, and they can have up to 13 in work at once.
"Luke and I bought this property just over a year ago. It was pretty run-down and overgrown. We've been setting it up, bit by bit, as we can afford it. We take the race horses to the Ashburton racecourse, and the rest of the horses get road ridden."
Emma and her sister Georgie both still show jump, a sport they were introduced to through their mum's love of horses.
"I spent most of my childhood at Little River, on Banks Peninsula. I started riding ponies and hunting with Mum (Sarah Power), and it
evolved from there. We went to Pony Club and mostly went show jumping because that's what Mum took us to, and that's what I learned to love."
Her good Grand Prix pony, Jiminy Cricket, was bred by her mother and Emma enjoyed plenty of success with him. "He was a little firecracker of a pony, he was hot, man, but I loved him. And he was slick in a jump-off."
As well as show jumping, Emma did a bit of Pony Club eventing but admits she hated dressage too much to ever pursue eventing seriously.
Emma also had a good Grand Prix horse, Longridge Maverick, who they purchased as a four-year-old, and Emma produced up the grades. "We had him 20-odd years. He had lots of wins and placings up to and including Grand Prix and was second overall in the NZ Grand Prix Series. He was very special; everybody knew Mav."
Life is busy with the breaking and training. Emma still show jumps; however, she limits her competition team to just one or two.
THERE ARE PLENTY OF PEOPLE WHO CAN GET ON AND RIDE , BUT FEWER AND FEWER PEOPLE WHO HAVE STOCKMANSHIP SKILLS.
Currently, she has just Sazerac GNZ (Charlie), a six-year-old mare she and her mum bred. Charlie is by Cassini II, out of Bree (by Lansing).
"I broke her in, and she had her first season last season. Her rideability was a bit questionable, and we stuck around 70cm90cm with limited outings. Luke and I did a lot of work over winter, and she's now jumping around the Six-Year-Old and Amateurs. The jump was never an issue; it was just the inbetween part!"
Emma doesn't have any huge expectations of the mare at this point. She says that unfortunately for Charlie, she's the one who goes on the back burner when things get busy. "She doesn't pay the bills. I do want to keep show jumping because I enjoy it, and I'd rather have one or two and do a decent job of them.
"Mum's been busy breeding horses, so at some stage, something will have to go, but at the moment, I have no intention of selling Charlie. Mum has a wee collection of nicely bred youngsters, which is great."
For now, Emma and Luke are both enjoying the racehorses, and the short-term goal is to establish a racing team and cut down on
the number of breakers.
"We'll always have breakers, but when we get bucked off, we don't recover like we used to," she laughs.
"I enjoy working with different horses and their personalities, and I love being outside. It's very rewarding, and it's cool following them after they leave here, talking to the owners or other trainers, and hearing how the horse is progressing.
With horses, you never stop learning. From week to week, you are always learning something new."
She decided to get her trainer's license after pre-training Onceaconner for her friend Sara Fisher. "She said to me, 'If you get your license, you can train him.' He was my first winner; he won second up for us – my second race start as a trainer."
Emma says her mum has been her most significant riding influence when it comes to show jumping. "She's the one I call when my riding needs a tune-up."
In the racing space, Neil Ridley was the first person she rode trackwork for and where she learned to break in horses.
"He's an awesome horseman. Also, Ross Beckett is someone I learned heaps from, not just racing but horsemanship and horse skills."
Emma says she has learned something from every trainer she's worked for and believes the fact she works the horses she trains is an advantage.
"The big bonus for me as a trainer is I ride the horses myself and get a real feel for what the horses are doing. I'm not relying on feedback from trackwork riders."
She says horse sense - recognising how far to push a horse, having a feel for the horse, and being able to ride - is very important. It's about using your eye and gut instinct rather than relying on technology.
"There are plenty of people who can get on and ride, but fewer and fewer people who have stockmanship skills. People often look for a quick fix, which is like putting on a band-aid, but that's only a short-term solution. There's no substitute for good oldfashioned horsemanship." n
Left - Emma is competing SAZERAC GNZ in the six-year-old class at Labour Weekend SJ (Canterbury).
Although the farm is a priority, Emma is never far from her love of competing and riding the paddocks on the farm. She is riding Sazerac GNZ, a six-year-old mare bred by Emma and her mum, Sarah Power.
For Bay of Plenty horsewoman Georgia Wiltshire, the days are long and busy but rewarding. Her business, Torrent Farm Equestrian, specialises in training young horses, and those with various behavioural issues, for her clients.
There’s plenty to do on Georgia’s 30acre block, and working alone often means early starts and late finishes to get everything done. On average, she has around 15-20 horses on the property, four of which she owns, with partownership in another.
Number one in Georgia’s own team is her self-produced seven-year-old mare, Sandali GNZ (Cartell x Corlando) - Dolly to her friends.
“I got Dolly as a young filly from a guy who was selling up. I got three horses from him at the same time, and they were all malnourished and underweight. Dolly was on death’s door, and I didn’t know if she would even survive the trip home,” she explains. “I had already seen her as a weanling, and she looked even worse after another six months.” It took a long process and a lot of TLC to get her right, but now she is full of life and brings Georgia a lot of joy every day with her little quirks. “She loves to move, and it’s like she has little springs in her feet,” Georgia laughs.
The partnership has competed in 1.15m classes, and Georgia hopes to move up to Amateur level in the not-too-distant future. “She has plenty of scope to do it, but she is a little horse-shy in the warm-up, so I’m working on that. I’d love to get back into ring one and do a Grand Prix if Dolly
has the heart for it, that would be amazing, but I will love her no matter where we end up. She’s a really rewarding horse. I’m happy no matter what we do because of what we have been through together. She’s just so cool.”
While Georgia has big goals, she stresses that it’s not her mindset to sell a horse just because it might not do Grand Prix. She has always valued riding what she has and doing her best with what she has. “For me, it’s about the learning - working on all the fine-tuning and setting goals that will get you there, building that partnership. It’s a journey.”
She also has Cassius LA (Casalco x Gym Bello), a rising four-year-old that she is looking forward to producing. “He is just so lovely. I’m such a mare person, but I wanted a gelding because they give you a different feel and are so consistent. I’m looking forward to seeing where he goes,” she says.
Georgia also part-owns Sunny, a seven-year-old Stationbred gelding. While he is sadly for sale, he is still a firm favourite. “I got him at the beginning of the year for training, and he hadn’t done anything for four years,” she says. Since then, he has gone from strength to strength, and now Georgia even uses him as a buddy for the young horses for floating and outings. “He’s a funny-
SHOW HUNTER IS A GREAT STARTING POINT AND TEACHES AMAZING DISCIPLINE, WHICH MAKES YOU AS A RIDER.
looking thing, but there is something about him. He’s like my best mate!
After some time away from competing on the circuit while she focused on working and building her team of horses, Georgia is looking forward to returning to regular competition. “It has been a while away, but I aim to compete in the Amateur series and try to get to more shows this season.” She also aims to get out of the wet next winter and head overseas to work. “When I was 17, I rode show jumpers in Ireland for three months at Mosstown Stables. I would love to go and ride in Canada or the States and focus on the Equitation classes there at a higher level. Over there, the jumps are bigger, but it’s still judged on style.”
While she loves show jumping, Georgia also loves the challenge and perfection of show hunter. “Over there, they are so good at it. Their criteria are a bit different to here in New Zealand. You
can really ride them up to the hand and manoeuvre them a bit more,” she explains. “Show Hunter is a great starting point and teaches amazing discipline, which makes you as a rider.” The other benefit of competing in show hunter for Georgia is winning prize money and paying her way. “Because I have always been on self-produced horses, it can be expensive to go and ride in ring three show jumping and not win anything back, so I’ve gone back to show hunter for that reason too.”
Long-term,
goal is to compete in Lady Rider of the Year. “I could never afford to buy a pre-made horse, and to be honest, I wouldn’t want to. I love bringing them on and knowing them inside and out. It’s all I know, but I do love it.” Although she has goals, Georgia’s primary source of success is being content with what she is doing. “Most of all, I want to live my life doing everything I want, and I
go all in or not at all,” she says.
Many of the horses Georgia has in training are young horses being started or horses that have come to her because they have behavioural issues. “I do a lot of groundwork with them all before I begin working them under saddle. I really value my round yard for all types of horses, whether they are with me for starting, restarting, behavioural issues or even well-established horses.
Groundwork is a great way of building the foundation for soft, supple, well-balanced, and confident horses. It means I can see any weaknesses and how they are moving.
“I like to include a lot of variety in training. I take them out of the arena, to the beach, and treat them all as individuals.”
Bucking, rearing, floating/ trucking issues, and napping are some common problem areas she works with. “Normally, once I have a horse for a week, I have a bit of a picture of the cause of the issue. I enjoy the technical side of working with behavioural issues and prefer a holistic approach to get to the root cause through a process of elimination. Of course, sometimes a horse might need
some help from a vet, but either way, it’s always helpful to see what is going on in the work to help the vets pinpoint the exact issue.”
and rewards of working with these horses. “There’s always one step forward and two back, but the one step forward is always so rewarding. I enjoy taking the time to figure the horse out and understand what is happening,” she reflects. “When I get the horses, I don’t know them, so it’s a puzzle. Sometimes I go inside at night and sleep on it, and then often I will figure out a new approach we can go forward with the next day.”
Georgia’s mum Jeanie Clemence has been her biggest mentor since she first began riding when she was three years old. “She taught me throughout my Show Hunter years when I was on ponies, and she still comes over once a week and helps me, making sure I am not getting sloppy, especially with riding
young horses and all the fine-tuning.”
When she was younger, Georgia produced a lot of ponies with Jeanie, and she first found success on Cat A Show Hunter ponies. Her most notable pony was Twiggy; together, they won the Cat C Show Hunter Title Class at Horse of the Year, the Equitation Series a few years in a row, and the High Points series as a young teen. Their most successful ponies went on to other young riders who have also enjoyed their successes together.
I COULD NEVER AFFORD TO BUY A PRE-MADE HORSE, AND TO BE HONEST, I WOULDN’T WANT TO. I LOVE BRINGING THEM ON AND KNOWING THEM
INSIDE AND OUT. IT’S ALL I KNOW, BUT I DO LOVE IT.
“Twiggy was, of course, self-produced, and I was not allowed to show jump until I mastered show hunter,” she reflects.
Georgia emphasises flatwork in her training, which started from her pony days with Twiggy and the other successful ponies she produced with her mum. “I am always about building them up from that solid foundation on the flat, having them going well and feeling good. It means they can jump out of their canter easily rather than gallop to the fence to make it,” she explains. “When you develop the flatwork, they are much more confident and athletic. I think there should be some qualification to compete in the bigger heights because it would mean riders have to focus more on the flatwork to compete successfully. It would make for better riders and be better for the horses’ longevity as well.”
she does admit to experiencing her fair share of challenges. “I do go through difficult times sometimes when I have a lot of horses in, and I feel pressured, which doesn’t leave any time for my own horses. I also put a lot of pressure on myself being a perfectionist,” she reflects. “Running a business is a huge struggle. I have had to learn a lot, and some of my clients have been the biggest help with that side of things. Being self-employed is hard, and it is such a grind. When you start out, you don’t realise how hard it is until you get into it, but I do love working for myself, and it is totally worth it.”
When times are tough, Georgia perseveres, working through the issues and trying not to overthink things. “I am a big thinker, so I try to work on what matters most and what I can influence at the time rather than focusing on things that I can’t change; otherwise, I get stuck. Letting myself have time to process my thoughts helps.” She often questions what she is doing, especially when it’s hard, but her dad always told her to ‘never, never, never give up. That quote was on a magnet on their fridge to reflect on, and Georgia holds to it.
“I try to push through and focus on my goals when I question whether it is worth it. Sometimes that lasts a few days, or it’s just a fleeting moment in time, but at the end of the day, I never let it win,” she says. “I remind myself that this is what I want to do, and if you love it, then the answer at the end of the day is always a resounding ‘yes!’” Her dad is an inspiration to her, too, when she is questioning herself. “I see him out there working full time as a contractor, doing long days, so I think. ‘pick up your feet Georgia and keep going.’ There’s no way to work smarter, not harder, with horses because there is no way to shortcut the hard work. You still have to be doing the time, riding and building your skills.”
In the future, Georgia would still like to be doing the horses, but maybe not on such an intensive scale. “I have taken the opportunity while I’m younger and fitter to grow my business, but one of my passions is coaching, so it would be great to focus more on that in time. I would love to be available more for mentoring other riders and take a step back from the hard yards and focus on supporting them,” she explains. “I’m grateful for the support I have had over the years, so I would love to be able to give that back to others.” n
I AM ALWAYS ABOUT BUILDING THEM UP FROM THAT SOLID FOUNDATION ON THE FLAT, HAVING THEM GOING WELL AND FEELING GOOD. IT MEANS THEY CAN JUMP OUT OF THEIR CANTER EASILY RATHER THAN GALLOP TO THE FENCE TO MAKE IT.
I TRY TO PUSH THROUGH AND FOCUS ON MY GOALS WHEN I QUESTION WHETHER IT IS WORTH IT. SOMETIMES THAT LASTS A FEW DAYS, OR IT’S JUST A FLEETING MOMENT IN TIME, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I NEVER LET IT WIN.
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IT’S A HUGE DREAM OF MINE TO BE ABLE TO GO OVER AND BASE IN EUROPE TO CAMPAIGN AND TRY TO QUALIFY FOR SOME OF THEIR BIG SHOWS, WHICH HOPEFULLY WOULD START MY JOURNEY TOWARDS THE WORLD GAMES AND THE OLYMPICS – I LOVE TO DREAM BIG!
A rising star in the dressage world, 15-year-old Piper Crake has a mass of pony dressage titles to her name. This talented teen is one to remember for the future.
Growing up in Helensville on the northern outskirts of Auckland, Piper caught the horsey bug early on in life. Her Nana had competed from a young age, representing Mt Roskill Pony Club with the well-known piebald pony, Gaytime, and her mum, Misty, had competed in eventing until a few years after Piper was born.
“Mum learnt to ride on a donkey called Joshua rather than a horse,” Piper laughs. “When she was 13, she got her pony, a little Appaloosa called Sam that used to dump her every time she rode him. She never told my Nana or Grumps that, though, because she was too scared they would sell him! Mum eventually moved to eventing and was supersuccessful with her pony Peppermint Twist. She was an eventing groom for a few years, and her boss knew Mark Todd quite well. One year, when I was a baby, Mum was at Puhinui spectating, and Mark had his saddle sitting on the fence; she sneakily sat me in the saddle, hoping some good vibes would rub off on me – I hope it worked! The first horse I ever sat on was one of Mum’s eventers, Nova; I was three years old and used to ride Nova from one paddock to another in her rugs and halter. Mum bought her as a threeyear-old, and she’s still with us now at 29.”
Piper began her riding career in earnest a few days before her sixth birthday when she was given her first pony, a Welsh pony called Tommy.
“We called him Tommy Tomato Sauce because he was a very red colour. He was also super-cheeky and was always trying to get me off as soon as I let my guard down. We ended up being his forever retirement home until he got a nasty choke after a respiratory issue. Sadly, we had to put him down. My next pony was a very green 12.2hh palomino called Tua, who gave me the dressage bug. I started to focus on dressage when I was around ten and haven’t looked back since.”
Still based on the 11-acre lifestyle block that she grew up on, Piper has the incredibly good fortune of having great horsey friends nearby, with Bella Cornelius, Lexie Orange and Alana England all living within two minutes of each other.
“We have all known each other from around four years old, and now we all go to college and ride together. We’re lucky to live next to a farm with the kindest farmers who let us venture out over their 980 acres to hack, do hill work, and be kids with our ponies. We’ve made a couple of day trips where we hack,
mess around with our ponies, and have afternoon tea sitting and looking over some incredible views. We can spy on the wild red deer while we eat and the ponies graze.
“At home, we have six horses, three dogs, some sheep, a possum called Boo and a goat called Bam Bam, so you could say it’s a little crowded,” she laughs. “The only thing we’re missing at home is an arena, but my grandparents bought a place which happened to have one, so almost every day after school Mum picks us up, then we grab the ponies and head to Nana and Grump’s place to school or jump.”
In year 11 at high school, Piper is busy planting the seeds for what she wants to do when she leaves school. Her timetable is looking increasingly busy next year with biology, chemistry, physics and maths with statistics on the cards, to hopefully put her in the best position possible to achieve her goal of becoming a vet. Balancing such a heavy workload with riding is difficult, but Piper is fortunate to have a family who supports every one of her academic and dressage dreams.
“I have such an amazing family to whom I’m so grateful. My parents own a cabinet-making business, and my dad works huge hours at the moment catching up after the Covid lockdowns. Still, he always takes us to the beach during the holidays to fish. Mum runs the admin side from home, ensuring the farm and house don’t go up in flames 24/7. She takes care of all the animals while I’m at school and can’t wait until I can drive so she can retire from being a constant taxi service for me,” Piper laughs. “I have a younger brother called Gibson, who I have a very weird sibling relationship with as he’s super sweet, so we rarely argue. He’s always the first to ask me how my ride was or how my competition went when I get home, even though he’s not horsey. He loves animals, and I often see him outside giving Cinders a
Above - Piper and GLENVAR BRAMBLE, Level 1 Pony Champion at Auckland Champs in 2019. Piper with her wonderful East Coast bush pony RHEINHART’S STEELE competing at Bates Nationals in November 2022.I HAVE SUCH AN AMAZING FAMILY TO WHOM I’M SO GRATEFUL. MY PARENTS OWN A CABINET-MAKING BUSINESS, AND MY DAD WORKS HUGE HOURS AT THE MOMENT CATCHING UP AFTER THE COVID LOCKDOWNS. STILL, DURING THE HOLIDAYS, HE ALWAYS TAKES US TO THE BEACH TO FISH.
hug and the ponies a carrot or apple. He’s also the chief horse feeder when we’re away competing. I’m fortunate he’s so lovely - but don’t tell him I said that! My Nana loves to sit and watch my lessons, graze the ponies and tag along to local day competitions to give me support. My Grumps is a bit of a softy for Steiny as he loaned me the money to buy him.”
Piper has two gorgeous ponies in her team currently. Cinder Strike is a six-year-old mare by Golden Strike, and Rheinhart’s Steel is her East Coast bush pony bred in Ruatoki at the base of Te Urewera.
“We purchased Cinders as a three-year-old in February 2020, and I started training her in December of that year. We’re feeling a little behind on our plans, as last season was meant to be our Novice season, but we could only get to two competitions due to Auckland being locked down. We were meant to be having a crack at the Pony FEI tests at the Bates Nationals, but due to a pulled shoe, amongst other things, I had to scratch, which was disappointing, but that’s just horses for you. She’s so clever and learns quickly; sometimes, I have to remind myself that her first competition was only two years ago. “Steiny is the sweetest little guy. At this stage, I’m just sticking to Prelim with him as he’s very sensitive when ridden and gets upset if he gets something wrong. I’m hoping to get to Medium with him next season. I don’t want to take that level of tension forward with me, so we’re just focusing on the basics of the training scale; rhythm and relaxation. I think he will start to shine in the higher levels, so I may
I N N O V A T I V E E q U I N E W E A R
ride him after next season, which is my last season on ponies.”
Sadly for Piper, her stable star Glenvar Bramble, a 13.2hh English Riding Pony by Glenvar Blue Peter, was injured last season, which meant that she couldn’t achieve her goal of competing in the FEI pony tests. Broken in quite late as a six-year-old, Bramble was suggested to the Crakes by Krista Treneary, and they jumped at the opportunity. Thanks to Piper’s fantastic coach Sharlene Royal, she and Bramble went on to achieve a considerable amount in pony dressage.
“Bramble and I trained together from Prelim through to Medium level, and she’s been the most successful pony I’ve had. Together our big wins were the Novice Pony of the Year in 2020, the Elementary Pony Young Rider Champion in 2021 and the Pony Zilco Freestyle Series in the same year. While I was away on holiday over New Year, Bramble managed to do her check ligament in the paddock; it was devastating to come to terms with knowing that I would probably never get to ride an FEI pony test on her because I was getting too tall. She’ll stay with us forever, though, and is still my favourite pony in the world.
“Sharlene has been my coach since I was about 10; Carron and Georgia Gibbons suggested we call Shar, and we clicked. Shar never
treated me like a kid and has always pointed out the drawbacks of taking shortcuts in training, so we’ve never been tempted to take them. She has always encouraged me to get training from any of the top trainers I can, so I feel fortunate to have found her. I always feel so supported, and I can’t imagine not training with her; she’s never allowed to retire!”
on the horizon for Piper, this ambitious teen has big goals to achieve in the dressage and academic world, but with an incredibly supportive team around her and the talent and drive to go along with it, those goals certainly seem achievable.
“I want to be competitive with Steiny and Cinders at Medium/FEI Pony level next season and would like to start riding a nice hack in the next year or two. I’d love to do some FEI Junior or Young Rider tests, possibly on Steiny or with a hack in the years to come.
“In the long term, it’s a huge dream of mine to be able to go over and base in Europe to campaign and try to qualify for some of their big shows, which hopefully would start my journey towards the World Games and the Olympics – I love to dream big!” n
ZIROCCO BLUE VDL
(MR. BLUE X LINCORNE DES FORETS)
1.70m, Grey, KWPN. WFFS - Non carrier
Approved for KWPN, SF, Holst, Unire, Hann, Old/OS, BH
Wherever Zirocco Blue competes all eyes are upon him with his scope, jumping style and efficiency. Under Jur Vrieling he has achieved several very impressive international results
CARRERA VDL (CARDENTO X VANTIELS ESPRIT)
170cm, Bay, KWPN. WFFS - Non carrier
Approved for KWPN, Zangersheide, Old/OS, Hann., BH
Carrera is a striking and interestingly bred horse from a combination of two Olympic stallions. Sire, Cardento, won three silver medals under Peter Eriksson at the Olympics, the World Championship and the European Championship.
GLASGOW VAN’T MERELSNEST VDL (NABAB DE RÊVE X WENDELINE VAN ‘T MERELSNEST)
174cm, Black/Bay. WFFS - Non carrier
Approved for NRPS, AES, BH, Hann., SF, Holst. Glasgow van ’t Merelsnest is an exceptional and interestingly bred stallion. Sire Nabab de Rêve and grand sire Darco have both had successful careers in Grand Prix competitions to include World Cups and World Championships.
COMTHAGO VDL (COMME IL FAUT X NASTASIA V)
170cm, Bay, Holstein. WFFS - Non carrier Approved for AES
Comthago unites the genes of show jumping phenomenon Comme Il Faut with a performance dam line from Holstein. With Comme Il Faut, Carthago, Caretino, Constant and Roman all in a line, Comthago has the complete package of genes to succeed in both sport and breeding.
CONTENDRO I*- GFE
(CONTENDER X BRAVO)
Holsteiner, Dark bay, 168cm.
WFFS - Non carrier
For the fourth year in a row, he is the world’s No. 1 sire of winners in Eventing and has ranked among the world’s top 25 sires in show-jumping for the past 7 years!
KWPN, Grey, 168cm. . WFFS - Non carrier The success of his offspring both in the arena and on the commercial scene make it one of the most sought-after stallions in Europe in 2018. He brings strength, an outstanding canter and a winning mindset. Crowned Elite Stallion for BWP.
170cm, Black, Hannover, KWPN, Oldenburg, Westfalen / RPSI
WFFS - Non carrier. 2018 FEI World Champion 7-year-old dressage horses. Glamourdale is the undisputed champion of the 2014 Stallion Inspection, the Reserve Champion of the 2014 KWPN performance test and the 2018 “sovereign” FEI World Champion of 7-year-old dressage horses.
170cm, Black, KWPN, Hannover, Oldenburg, Selle Francais, Rheinlander, SWB, DWB, Bavar. WFFS - Non carrier. Sire of Olympic, World Equestrian Games, and World Cup winner Valegro, Negro has certainly confirmed his value as a sire of top dressage talent. Negro offspring have proven tire and again that they have the talent for the FEI work and he is currently ranked 8th on the WBFSH Dressage Sire Rankings. Negro has been awarded the coveted Preferant status by the KWPN and was the 2017 KWPN Stallion of the Year.
169cm, Black. Hanoverian, SF, Hann, OLD, BAV, RHEIN. WFFS - carrier. This stallion is considered as the best son of the world famous dressage legend SANDRO HIT by German breeders and has seven licensed sons. Winner in 2007 of the famous 2-year old Hanoverian approval in Verden and within the Top Ten of the German 6-year-old Bundeschampionatefinals, this jet black licensed stallion is, at age 11, the proud father of over 400 foals.
Talk to our amazing team or with our registered specialist, Dr Lee Morris 07 8701845 or email info@equibreed.co.nz
GLAMOURDALE
How do we build a sustainable breeding programme to reliably produce the horses we need to compete internationally with success?
In August, I had the privilege of attending the 2022 World Equestrian Games in Herning, Denmark and supporting the New Zealand Dressage team. The event was particularly special for me as I had bred the two New Zealand-bred horses competing in the Kiwi team, and both of their riders have become good friends of mine.
As I watched the top horses in the world warm up and compete, I was in awe of the quality of the horses and training in front of me - as I often am when I attend the top shows in Europe. Our horses and riders compared very well - I believe better than their scores indicated - and I consider we have made colossal improvements in the riding, training and quality of our horses since a national Dressage team last ventured out on the world stage in 1998. That said, the depth of the riding talent and the horseflesh in Europe are
After a lifetime of involvement with horses, David started breeding dressage horses just under 15 years ago. He now breeds up to 5 foals a year from his homebred mares using frozen semen from Europe. He is driven to be part of a movement to provide international quality horses for our top-level and emerging riders based here in NZ.
His first three horses are now at Grand Prix level. They include Winderemere J’Obei W and Jax Johnson, who recently represented NZ at the World Equestrian Games along with Windermere Johanson W. Younger horses such as NSC Furst Rock DW, Windermere Zephora W and NSC Jolie DW are also starting to hit their straps at Advanced level.
always mind-blowing to me. I couldn’t help but wonder what we could do to catch up and then keep up with the top equestrian countries. It made me reflect on discussions I had been involved in shortly before I left New Zealand to attend the Games.
In July, I attended a high-performance strategy luncheon with several upper-level ESNZ executives and managers, breeders and owners of highperformance horses, and a mix of other stakeholders and sponsors. At this meeting, Jock Paget, ESNZ High Performance Director, gave a presentation about what is required for New Zealand to achieve international success across the equestrian disciplines.
One of the first things Jock mentioned was horsepower. It seems evident that to be competitive internationally, our riders need top-quality horses. I think there are several reasons sports administrators have somewhat overlooked this critical factor in our success as an equestrian nation
1. Firstly, New Zealand has a long track record of international success in eventing, essentially using Thoroughbred horses that are a byproduct of our racing industry. This has created an impression that purpose-breeding is not essential
2. Secondly, many of our top international eventers and show jumping riders have been based overseas for years and therefore have not had to source horses exclusively from New Zealand. In terms of our riders that compete internationally, dressage riders are the exception and are almost exclusively based in this country.
Jock’s comments got me thinking about where these horses might come from and how they could be made available to riders, particularly the emerging riders based here. With most of our top dressage riders based domestically, our future top international dressage horses will need to either be bred here or imported.
The cost of travel alone when importing a horse from Europe to New Zealand is now around $45,000, which does not include the purchase price!
This option is almost cost-prohibitive and is definitely out of the reach of most Kiwi riders.
It would be better to breed these horses here in New Zealand, which would help to create a sustainable model for our future riders.
This leads me to another conversation I had at the same luncheon with an ESNZ board member. She asked me, “What can we do to encourage breeders?” I thought immediately about what is being done now and, perhaps more importantly, what is not being done and how this affects how breeding is regarded in New Zealand.
I’m lucky that I’ve had some breeding success, and I have received a lot of recognition for that, but I generally see a lack of recognition and awareness of the importance of breeding in New Zealand. For example:
1. An accurate record of breeding is not a requirement for ESNZ registration.
2. Details of breeding and breeders are not required on entry forms.
3. Breeding and breeders are seldom mentioned in start lists, competition programmes or results.
4. In age classes, breeders and breeding are often not highlighted.
5. For several disciplines, the horses do not have to be registered with a breed society that verifies the horse’s age and breeding.
I believe we are way overdue for a cultural change in sport horse breeding in New Zealand if we intend to keep up and compete internationally in any meaningful way. We need to rise above the parochial attitudes of individual breeders and separate breed organisations and work towards the common goal of breeding the best horses we can.
Why do the requirements of New Zealand’s equestrian sporting body differ from those of other countries where there are booming sport horse breeding industries? It is not a coincidence that these countries are also the most successful equestrian nations in the world - countries such as Germany, The Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Breed registration is almost universal in the top equestrian countries as the considerable benefits of this structure for breeders, riders and administrators were recognised many years ago. It is a well-proven model that has been fine-tuned for decades and creates a depth and reliability of success that is impossible otherwise. These countries have solid national breeding organisations and are at the top of world rankings, particularly in dressage and show jumping. In these countries, 90-100% of horses registered with the FEI are also registered with a breed organisation. Indeed, in many European countries and Great Britain, all horses must be microchipped and have a passport that conclusively identifies them.
The development of sport horse breeding and
I COULDN’T HELP BUT WONDER WHAT WE COULD DO TO CATCH UP AND THEN KEEP UP WITH THE TOP EQUESTRIAN COUNTRIES. IT MADE ME REFLECT ON SOME DISCUSSIONS I HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN SHORTLY BEFORE I LEFT NEW ZEALAND TO ATTEND THE GAMES.
competitive success go hand in hand.
We need to build recognised and verified performance pedigrees and celebrate the achievements of our domestic mare lines. We need breeders to look at which horses are achieving success internationally and what is being bred overseas. Then we need them to breed bravely, in a calculated and intelligent way, the horsepower our riders need to compete internationally.
It seems to me that in New Zealand, show jumping breeders are ahead of dressage and eventing breeders in terms of the above.
So how do we get from where we are to where we need to be?
1. Encourage registration of progeny to verify pedigree and record performance.
2. Recognise breeders more through registration, entries, results and awards.
3. Educate breeders that registration is a highly beneficial marketing tool through pedigree building and verification.
4. Inspire intelligent breeding activity based on top-level performance.
5. Ensure that through registration, the foundations of a national breeding programme are developed that outlive the individual breeder’s activities. This longevity can only be achieved if registration of breeding stock and their offspring becomes the norm.
Why are organisation and registration essential in New Zealand?
For riders and owners, registration papers provide the ultimate guarantee that the horse you buy is not only the correct horse but that
it comes from the specific mare, stallion and family that the seller says it does. When purchasing any horse, particularly young horses, buyers should insist that the seller provide independently verified proof of identity and pedigree via breed registration papers.
For the sport and administrators, a more organised breeding landscape will improve the quality of horses being bred and help to facilitate the suitable horses reaching the right riders.
New Zealand is so geographically isolated that the only economically viable way to improve our horsepower is to encourage breeding that horsepower in New Zealand.
As an equestrian nation, we must develop a long-term vision and ensure that pedigrees and performance are recorded and linked as they are in Europe and successful lines are exploited and developed to their full potential.
Changes need to be made to sport administration processes to improve the accuracy of breeding records and give breeders greater recognition on entry forms, event programmes and result lists.
For breeders, registration creates a third-party verification of offspring and pedigrees that can be leveraged to create long-term value for their horses and specific breeding lines. Aligning with a strong brand adds significant value by being seen as a discerning stamp of quality.
Here in New Zealand, our early success internationally in eventing and show jumping has, in some ways, created a degree of arrogance which causes us to believe we can do things differently yet get the same results. We cannot, and I look forward to a time when equestrian sport in New Zealand comes of age with the realisation that we must embrace this type of structure to keep up with the leading equestrian nations globally.
AS AN EQUESTRIAN NATION, WE MUST DEVELOP A LONG-TERM VISION AND ENSURE THAT PEDIGREES AND PERFORMANCE ARE RECORDED AND LINKED AS THEY ARE IN EUROPE AND SUCCESSFUL LINES ARE EXPLOITED AND DEVELOPED TO THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.
The equestrian world is a busy old place at this time of the year. Everyone is freshly excited about an entire year of sports and events all over the country. And there are many reasons to celebrate. Events have been coming along thick and fast, and whilst COVID-19 is no longer the most significant threat, the weather has turned it up. Cyclones, thunder, stuck trucks, mud, mud, and did we mention the mud? Thank heavens for some indoor arenas for at least some disciplines to keep going.
The inaugural Secondary School Equestrian Championships held simultaneously in the North and South Islands were a brilliant spectacle of a team approach to show jumping. It was lovely to see riders competing in disciplines they wouldn't usually have a go at. This has been in the wings for a few years, but when the parent body was trying to be frugal and deliver some key projects, it realised something would have to give. In hindsight – perhaps it might agree - this would have been a good one to get going a bit earlier because it had a real feel-good factor.
Internationally the Price powerhouse is on fire. Not only are the pair sitting on numbers 1 and 2 in the FEI world rankings, but following their bronze placing in the World Equestrian Games, they have continued to win major competitions in Europe and the States. Most recently, their groom Kerryn Edmans also picked up the coveted FEI Groom of the Year award, which is very much deserved. Let's hope we are returning to a time when NZ was at the top of the world and was a force to be reckoned with.
It is heartening to see the team working in a much more cohesive way - the NZ and UK-based riders are growing a better team culture and respect for each other. Love it or hate it – our reputation on the international eventing stage provides inspiration and aspiration for all those Pony Club beginners right through the grades and the disciplines.
Our jumping fraternity kicked off the first of five World Cups in
Hawke's Bay just before Labour Weekend and held round two at the Waikato World Cup show at Takapoto. Both events were wellsupported and excellent examples of well-run shows.
The team at Auckland Showjumping ran the North Island Champs at Pukekohe recently. Serious weather challenges and dramas in the arenas meant it was a trying time for them on many fronts, but it shows how amazing it is when you have a great committee and team on the ground because they just got it done. Entries at the North Island Champs were disappointing in the higher-level classes but enormous in the lower levels, which shows an excellent middle and grassroots membership. Some may be yet to realise that an Island Champs class is at the upper end and more challenging than pre-Christmas Grand Prix levels.
There were also shows at Hawera, Whanganui and Waipukarau on the same weekend, which still begs the question of how the Jumping Board is approaching the planning of the calendar. It has long been lamented that the calendar is very ad-hoc and causes much frustration across the country. Perhaps it is time for a concerted conversation on the calendar and its various challenges: What's important? How do you prioritise area groups over RAS shows –should you do that? Is there a more streamlined, efficient way to do this? How do series points relate to better calendar planning? How does that support sports pathways, and what is the best opportunity
for the grassroots sport to grow? People don't just arrive at the upper end of the sport; they all need to start somewhere. So many questions, and whilst the Jumping Board is not doing a bad job, is it facing the emerging issues of a high-cost sport in a challenging social and financial landscape?
Not sure how many attended the ESNZ AGA – a "hybrid event" - a disappointing affair if ever there was. No one knew who was speaking and in which order; there was no overview of the year's activities, measured outcomes, and no financial report. From an economic perspective, there are some red flags in the annual accounts and the membership stats. Still, as COVID-19 will have played such a large part in the year's activities, it would be prudent to wait another year to see how this is tracking. Someone needs to keep a watch on the finances over the next twelve months, though - as we know, it has been a challenge previously. In addition, it's been noted there have been no Board minutes (or bland summaries thereof) on the ESNZ website since 2020 and no regular financial update for members to view.
It behoves the National Board to communicate better with its membership - what some of its strategic measures mean, what are its Sport NZ targets, and how it will meet those to retain its funding. And, what will it do about its Board gender target now that there are no men on the board (following the resignation of Scott McKenna), which no one was informed about; this following Canterbury-based accountant Don Robertson deciding not to re-stand for his appointed role. Sport NZ targets say there must be a 40:60 ratio of gender balance on National boards, and you may have seen NZ Rugby lose some of its funding due to this very issue. We will be interested to hear how ESNZ will work through this.
In this time when people are assessing their financial commitments due to inflation and the cost of living, we cannot expect that memberships will rise and the sport will flourish. When it costs $800 or more to fill the truck up, there's a real risk that the sport only provides for those who can afford to compete. There's a need to think about the grassroots levels; how more people may be encouraged to get on their horse and have a go, and what support can be given to promote this.
A positive outcome from the AGA was the presentation of life memberships to a group of sensational volunteers - Judy Haskell, Ray Egarr, Audrey Cameron, Tinks Pottinger and Gerrit Beker were all celebrated for their incredible contributions to the sport over many, many years. An outstanding effort.
Other AGA topics included a lack of progress on the constitution. This work has been in the pipeline for many years. The word is that it had a less-than-ideal start when a board member got slightly off-side with the discipline boards due to some controversial ideas. It appears that the constitution review has now hit another impasse because some at the central level want to do away with discipline boards in what could be considered a manipulative move to gather discipline funds to the central organisation – somewhat resemblant of a Labour asset grab.
Now you might think that doesn't sound that bad, specifically if you're one of the many who thinks there are too many staff anyway, and they all get paid too much. But, the discipline boards fulfil so many roles voluntarily; they are the competition organisers, the technical rules people, the volunteers, the ones who sort out the dramas, and the people who keep the sport
going with passion and pride. They also hold a wealth of institutional knowledge and expertise. Dissolution of the discipline boards would mean more staff would have to be employed. Indeed, the answer is better relationship management, trust and credibility.
The hilarity is that any change to the constitution requires a vote by the voting delegates at an AGA, and the voting delegates are usually - wait for it - nine delegates from each discipline, usually the discipline board members. The proverbial turkeys (proverbial only –not suggesting they ARE turkeys) might take some convincing to vote for an early Christmas.
More concerning is the "social licence to operate"? A lot of effort is being put into this aspect, led by our slightly-disconnected-from-thesouthern-hemisphere friends at The FEI .
Anyway ... The FEI has commissioned a 10-person group chaired by New Zealander Professor Dr Natalie Waran, an internationally respected equine welfare expert who is a Professor of One Welfare and Executive Dean at the Eastern Institute of Technology (Te Pūkenga) in New Zealand.
The social licence to operate will become more and more a part of the equestrian sports landscape moving forward, and in all seriousness is the FEI approach to ensuring equestrian remains at the highest level of world sporting events and free of scrutiny by protestors and splinter groups – which is understandable when you think about what the rodeo chaps have been through. No one disagrees that horse welfare is at the core of what we do; we need to be very aware that welfare of our trusty steeds is paramount. Just not sure we need to spend more time navel-gazing about it.
That's it for this issue; plenty to think about and more to come in future issues from A Musing. n
WHEN IT COSTS $800 OR MORE TO FILL THE TRUCK
UP, THERE IS A REAL RISK THAT THE SPORT ONLY PROVIDES FOR THOSE WHO CAN AFFORD TO COMPETE. THERE IS A NEED TO THINK ABOUT THE GRASSROOTS LEVELS, HOW MORE PEOPLE ARE ENCOURAGED TO GET ON THEIR HORSE AND HAVE A GO – AND WHAT SUPPORT CAN BE GIVEN TO ENCOURAGE THIS.
Extra thin leg for close contact to the horse with apadded ankle and heel protection. 65% cotton; 32% nylon; 3% elastane. Colours: Black with white logo or light grey with dark grey logo or navy with turquoise logo. $25.00 a pair. www.classicequestrian.co.nz
Get organised over summer with MAGNUM® products!
Magnum® Tie Up Ring – Heavy duty, Zinc plated, Suitable for indoor or outdoor. Magnum® Over Rail Bin – Indestructible plastic, External lip, 38L capacity, and stackable. Magnum® Paddock Feeder – Indestructible plastic, 40L capacity, suitable for feed or water. See the full range here: www.magnum.co.nz
Formulated with especially high concentration of active ingredients which protect the horse against mosquitoes, horse flies, flies and ticks, even during perspiration. The sponge included allows the gel to be applied easily without soiling the hands. Size: 500ml. RRP: $66.50. Shop here:www.arionefv.co.nz
Guard & Protect with moisture wicking, anti-microbial lycra guards against irritation & bacterial growth. Low profile, lightweight, breathable & stretchy materials provide protection without the bulk of traditional fly masks. Maximum comfort with easy an on/off. Form fitting, stretchy coverage with soft, extra fine mesh around the eyes & ears. UPF 50+. $79.00. www.maddoxequestrian.co.nz
DUNSTAN ATHLETE has been formulated to provide a concentrated source of nutrients to the diet of the racehorse/performance horse. It is a semi concentrate designed to meet the working horse’s requirements for protein, minerals & vitamins, without the need for further supplementation. Check our their website for the full range of comprehesive feeds: www.dunstan.co.nz
Fashionable and practical 5 pocket denim breeches with 4-way stretch denim for comfort. Practical mobile phone pocket on the sides and full gel seat for saddle stability.
Available in Light Blue in Ladies 8 to 18. RRP $139.99 www.dublinclothing.co.nz
SUMMER SHEET COTTON COMBO
Features a strong 270g outer with 60% cotton content for natural breathability and over 90% UV protection. A wither relief pad to help reduce rubbing and pressure in the wither area and a shaped back panel to better fit the curve of the horses back. Available in New Palm Tree Print and Grey/Light/Blue in 2’9 to 5’9. RRP $139.99 www.weatherbeeta.co.nz
Durable cotton fabric with wick easy lining to keep your horse cool, dry and comfortable. Breathable mesh spine for extra airflow and high wither design to allow extra space where needed. Available in New Butter, New Ice Blue & New Jade in Dressage, All Purpose & Jump. RRP $79.99 www. weatherbeeta.co.nz
POLOS can be used as a supportive wrap during exercise, as well as a cold water bandage. Quick and convenient, you can soak the wraps post-ride for 10-15mins of a cooling effect. Machine washable and dirt and hair repellent too. Shop the entire range at www.anatomeq.com
combines vitamins and minerals in their most bio-available form to deliver a balanced formulation of micro-nutrients essential for your horse’s good health. See the full range herewww.seahorsesupplements.co.nz
This elegant top grain leather field boot is perfect for the competitive or everyday rider. Featuring an elasticated panel and grippy leather calf insert, this boot provides optimal security in the saddle. Colour: black.
Sizes: 37 - 43. Widths: regular and wide. RRP $460.00. Shop here: www.arionefv.co.nz
A high-quality sterling silver ring will make an awesome gift for loved ones this Christmas! Comes in two sizes: 6 and 7 and at an affordable price! $39.99. www.saddlerywarehouse.co.nz
Equilibrium B1 Cool Mix is an all-in-one vitamin and mineral supplement for horses that contains balanced ratios of vitamins, macro and trace minerals and salts (electrolytes). Equilibrium B1 Cool Mix contains high levels of magnesium and vitamin B1 to support the central nervous system and may aid in calming nervous or excitable equines. Available at all good feed merchants or see the range here: www.stanceequitec.co.nz
is a low dose, high fat, cereal grain free feed that promotes lean muscle mass development, enhancing hoof growth and coat shine. Available at your local stockist. For more info and to see the comprehensive range, visit www.hygain.co.nz
Equilibrium Mineral Mix is an all-in-one vitamin and mineral supplement for horses that contains balanced ratios of vitamins, macro and trace minerals and salts (electrolytes). It is designed to correct nutritional imbalances and deficiencies in your horse's diet by complementing its current feeding program. Available at all good feed merchants or see the range here: www.stanceequitec.co.nz
Turmericle is a unique powdered blend of well-researched nutraceutical herbs, including two varieties of turmeric and black pepper. Combined with powdered coconut oil, this easy-to-feed powder is suitable for horses and dogs. Turmericle supports the natural inflammation response and joint function. This supplement may also assist skin health, coat shine and support recovery from work. Available at all good feed merchants or see the range here: www.stanceequitec.co.nz
Eye-catching matt shell with silver shield and vents. Removeable lining for ease of cleaning, Conforms to VG1 and ASTM -F116315 so meets the new 01 Aug 2023 Standards. Available in three sizes: small, medium, large with dial adjustment for a secure fit.
Comes in three colours - black, blue and red. RRP $199.90 at all good retailsers. www.zilco.co.nz
Matching dressage saddlecloths, halters & leads!
Made with shimmer twill fabric featuring 4” horse and hexagon quilting with embroidered glitter horse head. Available in burgundy, peacock, silver, sold separately. Saddle Cloths - RRP $104.90. Halter - RRP $92.90. Lead - RRP $31.90 at all good retailsers or shop online atwww.zilco.co.nz
Quality lightweight summer sheet with diamond weave ripstop, which adds strength. The fully detachable neck attaches with Velcro, meaning you have the option for a combo or rug-only option in one rug! Complete with satin lining in the shoulders and neck, fleece wither, buckle closures on the neck, double front straps, shoulder gussets, removable leg straps and tail flap. 70% Polyester, 30% cotton. Sizes: 3.0”-5.9”. $69.99 www.saddlerywarehouse.co.nz
Your horse’s daily B boost plus other functional nutrients! This supplement is an exciting new approach to optimising muscle function, suppleness and recovery. Smooth Mover effectively supports horses prone to muscle disorders and Tie Up. Starting from just $59.50. www.eliteequine.co.nz
We’re over-worming our horses. But that’s not a bad thing, you may be thinking? Actually, yes, it is, and Dr Holly Blue BVSc from Worm-Ed is on a one-woman mission to educate and support horse owners around New Zealand on the fallout to this: the very real danger of worm resistance to our deworming ingredients.
Holly Blue is a qualified and experienced equine vet, already the much sought-after and successful owner of Blue Blood Equine, a breeding and foaling farm based in Waiuku, Auckland.
She has been consulting on horse health, in particular the effects of worm-related diseases in horses, for nearly two decades and now brings Worm-Ed to the NZ horse world.
Holly has developed this evidence-based, scientific approach to a deworming strategy, and provides longoverdue, worthwhile horse-health services to owners all around the country.
SIMPLY, IF WE LOSE THE ABILITY TO TREAT HORSES SUCCESSFULLY FOR STANDARD WORM INFECTIONS, WE WILL BEGIN TO SEE INCREASED HORSE DEATHS.
A stark reminder of the real-life worm apocalypse we find ourselves in is that since 2010, there have been reports of resistance to every group of wormers, with no new types
available in the foreseeable future. Nothing, nada, that will kill the parasites that can kill our horses. A sobering thought indeed.
Worm-Ed is the ‘new kid on the block’ when it comes to the fight against parasites - if the new kid is a science nerd, highly educated, and steadfast in the battle against drench resistance.
Using the latest in faecal egg counts (FEC) technology, Holly and her team at Worm-Ed can not only detect current worm burdens in our horses but can also identify whether they are genetically predisposed to have a higher worm worry than their paddock mates.
Nope, just science. And it’s the way to go if we don’t want to head down the alarming alleyway the United States and Europe have already found themselves in. That is, with a huge worm resistance problem.
FECs aren’t new. They’re routinely done by horse owners everywhere, for good reason.
FECs pick up the presence of parasites in the horse’s gut, allowing a more accurate deworming system to take place. Traditionally, FECs are done before using a dewormer on the horse and then again two weeks after worming to see if the worm burden has improved.
Vets and horse owners have known for years the benefits FECs bring to the way we look after our horses’ health, right down to offering some understanding of how some horses are higher shedders of worm eggs than others.
Worm-Ed was the first vet clinic in New Zealand to bring the hightech Parasight™ diagnostic system to these shores. It’s up to 20 times more potent than the traditional lab testing methods of manual microscope egg counting.
And - this is where it gets good - using the Parasight™ system, Worm-Ed can actually tell you if your horse is blessed with a natural ability of the immune system to fight off worms and worm infections, using his own genetic ‘stamp’.
This is seen through the number of worm eggs the horse sheds and is given the prosaic term ‘shedder’. Adult horses broadly fall into three categories, labelled high, moderate, or low shedders, depending on their individual FEC results.
And once Worm-Ed has identified your horse’s shedder status, they’ll create a bespoke, individual deworming programme for him, taking out all the guesswork, unnecessary drenchings, and the use of excessive chemicals, all consequences of traditional deworming systems.
1. Complete the free 15 minute consultation before starting the process!
2. Collect a fresh sample from your horse. Tricks for obtaining samples include:
• Taping your animal off from paddock mates for the day
• Pretending to load onto float/truck
• Coordinating with vet/farrier day to have them in and yarded an hour earlier
3. Put sample into supplied container and fill completely to the top and seal well, then;
• Label the container (with supplied labels)
• Name and age are required
• Keep chilled in refrigerator or chilly bin below 5°C after collection to prevent eggs from hatching. Samples can be kept chilled for 5 days whilst coordinating collections of other horses on the farm if necessary
4. Samples should be returned Mon/Tues. Once all samples from the farm are obtained, on the morning of return delivery:
• Wrap sample containers in bubble wrap. Place samples into bio-hazard bag, place into return courier bag and then seal.
5. Submit parcel to local NZ Post store/agent or arrange for your rural delivery postal worker to pick up from your mailbox (flag up).
Faecal egg counts (FECs) are used for assessing the presence of intestinal nematodes in the horse, particularly when detecting adult strongyle and ascarid species. They are useful for the assessment of strongyle egg-shedding status of the adult horse, as a diagnostic tool in clinical cases and as a means of assessing the efficacy of anthelmintic therapy through faecal egg count reduction trials (FECRT). Sample collection must be timed from the last known anthelmintic treatment to obtain accurate strongyle counts. If the sample is being used to survey the egg-shedding status of the horse, it must be collected outside the egg reappearance period (ERP) for the last treatment to avoid false negatives.
As you would imagine, a personalised deworming programme has many advantages over the standard practice of blanket deworming the whole farm or paddock of horses.
1. For one, fewer harmful chemicals go into our horses, paddocks, and ecosystems.
Dr Holly says, “We’re getting a very similar situation to that of production animals in New Zealand already, with devastating effects particularly evidenced in production lambs. Reducing the chemicals we use on-farm has increased benefits for our delicate aquatic and insect ecosystems, particularly toward the humble but vitally important dung beetle.”
2. And, essential in today’s climate, a personalised deworming programme can save us money.
By only purchasing deworming products when we NEED to, rather than when we think we need to, we’re not spending unnecessarily. Horses identified as low shedders actually only need to be treated once or twice a year. Considering the traditional methods of treating every six weeks, three-monthly, or every season, this can result in a considerable reduction in cost, lessening the harmful chemicals we pump into our horses, too.
Better for us, better for our horses, and better for the environment.
Shockingly, up to 50% of horses are classified as low shedders! That means half the horse population in New Zealand could be being over-treated and sending us barrelling even further towards parasite Armageddon.
3. Not forgetting the time and hassle a personalised deworming programme from Worm-Ed can save us. It removes all the guesswork and stress of keeping up with an effective deworming programme.
There’s no guessing what type of dewormer to use when Worm-Ed tells us exactly which one our horse needs.
No wondering whether we should deworm now or wait until after the summer. Worm-Ed tells us when our horses need to be drenched again.
Dr Holly says, “Once we’ve identified which category your horse belongs in, we can recommend a strategic deworming plan to target the higher egg-shedding horse with more frequent treatments, leaving low and moderate-shedders on reduced treatment intervals.”
Interestingly, the 20% of horses classified as ‘high’ shedders make up 80% of all farm contamination. So, the focus is firmly directed at this group to attempt to limit future egg shedding and overall farm contamination, which in turn reduces further exposure of the horse to worm infections.
Dr Holly explains, “We use specific active ingredients at certain times of the year to reduce the incidence of worm-related illnesses in our horses. The two main worm species we target are the small strongyle worms known as redworm and the Ascarid roundworm. These two are the most significant in terms of worm-related diseases in horses at present.”
Redworm disease is the one most familiar in the horse industry. It is responsible for the stereotypical symptoms such as weight loss, diarrhoea, colic, poor coat, and pot belly; a general impression of failure to thrive.
Alarmingly, there’s a 50% mortality rate in clinically-affected horses. And this is only set to increase the further down this ‘path of resistance’ we go.
Ascarids are more prevalent in youngstock due to their underdeveloped immunity. Luckily, the power of the Parasight™ system can pick up on these potentially life-threatening infections in foals and allow us to start a young horse’s deworming treatments safely and effectively. A huge bonus considering foals are more susceptible to worm related disease.
And while FECs don’t pick up on tapeworms, bots or pinworms, Dr Holly assures us there is little to no resistance to these types of worms, meaning your horse can be successfully treated as recommended by Worm-Ed when you receive your personalised programme.
Research shows that removal of faeces reduces the numbers or worm larvae on pasture to only 10-20% of the levels on pastures grazed by horses
So, before we leave ourselves dangerously dangling like a worm on a hook, let’s listen to the experts and change how we think about parasite management.
With up to 70% of horse properties in New Zealand now experiencing some form of drench resistance, it’s time to limit the number of treatments we give our horses and reduce the chemicals we’re putting into them, onto our paddocks and into our waterways before it’s too late.
Using a team such as Worm-Ed and their state-of-the-art Parasight™ system, we can take out all the stress, hassle, and guesswork of a deworming strategy and have a chance of winning the battle against these slippery supervillains.
www.worm-ed.com to find out more!
Are you squirming in confusion? Get in contact -
By definition, shivers is a chronic, slowly progressive neuromuscular condition characterised by quivering of the hind limbs and tail during backward movement. Most horses show no signs of shivers at the walk or trot. Affected horses often show hyperflexion or hyperextension of one or both hind limbs when asked to back, though. With hyperflexion, the horse raises one hind limb up and away from the body in a spastic, trembling motion for several seconds or longer. With hyperextension, the horse places the hind feet further back than normal when moving backwards. The stifle and hock joints become hyperextended, held rigid and spastic. Trembling of the muscles of the hindquarter may also occur, especially in advanced cases.
Shivers is straightforward to diagnose when signs are evident; however, milder cases are more challenging to diagnose. If your horse exhibits muscle quivering, difficulty backing up, discomfort while being shod on hind hooves, or other signs of shivers, have your horse evaluated by your veterinarian.
Shivers appears to be caused by a defect in a brain region called the cerebellum that controls muscular activity. Based on the most up-to-date details, the cerebellum of horses with shivers lacks an “off switch,” causing specific muscles to be active at all times.
It’s impossible to prevent, though research hints at a genetic cause.
Supplementing with Vitamin E is recommended. If the horse has polysaccharide storage myopathy and shivers, feeding a diet low in non-structural carbohydrates and high in fat may be helpful.
A sympathetic farrier who allows extra time will play an essential role in a sufferer’s management.
Most experts agree that the cause is neurological - but theories abound as to how the nerves get damaged.
Shivers is thankfully a rare condition and sufferers can often continue in some form of ridden work
Both hindlegs are usually affected and as progression pf the disease occurs there will be a drop in the level of performance.
Horses with shivers may raise and quiver the tail simultaneously.
Symptoms are often intermittent, making a diagnosis difficult in milder cases.
Usually the bigger the horse, the more likely he is to suffer with shivers.
Shivers is breed-related, there may be a genetic basis or predisposition for the disorder. Do your homework before breeding.
Symptoms are provoked by making the horse move backwards.
Horses with shivers have a tendency to snatch the limb up, which can make accurate fitting of shoes difficult.
Most common in heavier-set horses, from Warmbloods, Cobs and Irish Draught cross-types, shivers is thought to be a nervous abnormality, possibly with a genetic link, hence its predomination in draught-type breeds. “It seems that when the hindleg is lifted, there’s an interaction between the sensory nerves and the motor nerves controlling the muscle, and this results in an involuntary trembling of the nerve in the leg – or shivering,” says Gil Riley from Equine Vets in the UK.
While there’s no definitive known cause, several possible theories abound. These include abnormalities in the horse’s neurotransmitters (the chemicals that help transmit nerve signals), infectious disease creating toxins in the body that have an adverse effect on the horse’s nervous system, abnormalities within the muscle cells themselves (known as myopathy) and trauma from a heavy fall causing osteoarthritis, which impinges on the nerves leaving the spinal column.
“Signs include the horse snatching his leg up high in an exaggerated fashion when he’s asked to pick it up, and snatching his leg up when asked to back up,” says Gil.
The leg will tremble or shiver while in the air. Though it’s usually the hindlegs that are affected, shivers can affect the forelegs and, in rare cases, other parts of the horse’s body too – including the head – with the eye twitching rapidly or shivering of the neck muscles.
As with most shivers-related things, there’s no set pattern regarding its onset, and sadly symptoms can strike at any age and in any breed.
“I’ve read a report of it happening in a Clydesdale yearling,” adds Charlie Biggs from Hale Equine Vets in Wiltshire.
“While most horses are diagnosed between the ages of five and 11, you can’t rule it out in a youngster.
“As well as the leg trembling, in severe cases, there may be muscle wastage related to the shivering, with the horse losing his power behind, eventually becoming incapacitated.”
Asked to back up, the horse snatches his leg up, that can look at little like stringhalt.
“Shivers is a progressive condition and in severe cases can progress to the point where the horse refuses to have his hindlegs picked up at all,” says Gil. “While the condition per se doesn’t make a horse unsound, if it reaches the stage where he won’t pick his hind feet up, this can lead to problems with thrush, which in turn could lead to unsoundness, and how the farrier is going to shoe him. Sadly there’s no treatment, though sedatives can be tried in order to dampen down the reaction of nerves short-term and allow the horse to be shod.”
Obviously you need to be guided by your
“A couple of the tests routinely done as part of a vetting will help detect shivers” says Charlie. “One is that we pick up all four legs; the other test involves asking the horse to back up. Ask a horse with shivers to do either, and the classic symptoms of snatching up the leg and trembling will become apparent.
“The problem is that shivers can be extremely difficult to detect in their very early stages, and they can be mistaken for other conditions that mimic shivers’ symptoms. “These include stringhalt, as this results in a similar action in the hindlegs, but as the horse is moving; upward fixation of the patella, where the patella (stifle) locks; fibrotic myopathy, which is where scar tissue forms in the muscles after an injury; and equine motor neurone disease.”
vet, but plenty of turnout to allow your horse gentle daily exercise is a good idea, while many horses can carry on being ridden as normal if the condition remains mild. Your farrier may suggest your horse goes without shoes behind so he doesn’t have to keep his hindlegs in the air for as long, and you’ll need to be sympathetic in how you handle and pick up the legs as it can be distressing for the horse.
“Sadly, if the condition is the progressive kind, it can reach the stage where the horse is completely unmanageable and euthanasia is the only answer,” adds Charlie.
Thrush is an annoying side effect of shivers.
Heavy horses are more prone to shiversAs shivers is so varied in its severity, vets can only offer two possible scenarios – in the best case the signs won’t alter for several years and the horse can carry on doing everything.
In its early stages, the problem is often picked up not by the owner picking up the feet but by the farrier, who has to hold the legs up for longer and drive nails into the hoof, exacerbating symptoms.
At present, there is no cure and few effective treatments for shivers. The prognosis for affected individuals is generally unfavorable to poor because the disease is usually slowly progressive. In a horse with shivers, the tendency is for the spasms to increase in both frequency and severity.
What works for one horse may not work for another, so take all the management advice you can from your vet and farrier, as well as equine nutritionists, and give it a go, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain!
GRETEL WEBBER FROM DUNSTAN HORSE
Unlike other neuromuscular disorders, including PSSM (Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy), there are no specific recommendations for feeding horses with shivers.
However, it is recognised that stress, anxiety and excitement all worsen shivers. Therefore, the goal should be to establish a feeding regime where the horse is provided with ‘cool’ calorie sources and avoid feeds that may impact the horse’s temperament by becoming more anxious or excitable.
Research in recent years has shown that high grain (starch) feeds can result in horses with elevated parameters for stress and more anxious and vigilant behaviour. Taking this into account, the aim for these horses would be to feed a low-starch diet with calories based on fibre and fats. There are several good quality low-GI premixed feeds that will form the ideal base of low starch, high fat, high fibre feeding regime, designed around keeping a more settled disposition.
Super fibres like non-molassed beet products and soya hulls are fantastic high-fibre, low-starch calorie sources for additional calories.
Vegetable oils provide a calorie-dense supplement, well recognised for ‘cool’ calories and have been a critical component in the diets of horses prone to ‘tying-up’, a separate muscular disorder in the equine athlete. One of the keys to the success of vegetable oils in the prevention of ‘tying-up’ is that removing grain and replacing the calories with oil results in a more settled disposition.
A balanced diet is essential for all horses. For horses suffering from neuromuscular conditions, special attention should be paid to antioxidants, particularly Vitamin E. Vitamin E helps to protect cells from damage from free radicals and is linked to normal muscle cell function and nerve signals.
Supplementation with Vitamin E won’t change the current shivers signs however may slow its progression due to its protective function. Therefore it is crucial to ensure these horses are never deficient in this essential antioxidant. Vitamin E requirement increases with a workload, so this should be considered. In addition, lush pastures will provide good intakes of Vitamin E; however, when pasture intakes are limited, Vitamin E intake may be compromised depending on other facets of the diet. When feeding oils, it is recommended a further addition of 1IU of Vitamin E is provided per ml of oil. A good quality Natural Vitamin E supplement is an essential component in the diet of the shivers horse.
Limiting pasture intake may also be advisable if your horse becomes more highly strung on spring pastures due to the higher sugar contribution and availability of lush pastures. For horses prone to laminitis, providing access to pasture at times when sugars are lowest (3 am – 10 am) would reduce the contribution of sugar to the diet.
Knowing your horse and what causes them anxiety and what situations are stressful will be vital in working with them to manage their shivers.
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