Latest News from Bangalow Creek Warmbloods
The Bates Australian Dressage Championships were held from the 27th to the 30th of October at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre. Fantastically, it did not rain. Katina, together with her mum Coralie, took Just Dance down to compete in the Elementary Championship. The quality of competition was very high, yet the judging was very tough. To qualify for the Nationals you needed an average of 66%, but in the 3D only first place, which was Rodney Martin on Sonata Hit, were able to achieve a score of 66%. Champion Elementary Horse went to David McKinnon and Bradgate Park Jatzz, a very elegant horse by Jazz, and Reserve Champion went to Rodney Martin and SS Sonata Hit, a lovely Sandro Hit gelding. Just Dance had a great result coming 7th in the 3C. Unfortunately a couple of mistakes in the 3D had him in 18th position, but that was still a big achievement when you look at all the fantastic horse and rider combinations that placed lower than that.
The following week Bangalow Creek Lexington was loaded onto Southern Cross Horse Transport, where he set off for a new life in Brisbane with new owner, Chris Neal. Chris tells us that Lex has settled in well, is very relaxed and is getting on well with his new paddock mate, Reggie.
Then it was onto Equitana week. Bangalow Creek Warmbloods enjoyed a visit from Sally Evan’s and A’seduction as they made their way down to Sydney to compete in the dressage phase of the Equestrian Grand Final. Sally, Basil and their entourage, Sue and Jennifer, stayed the night to break up the rather long journey from Ballina. As an extra surprise, Pepeliashka, chose to have her foal that night. At 4.30am the whole house was awake and outdoors to greet our new arrival. Welcome, Rosie, a beautiful chestnut filly with four white socks by Revelwood Stud’s Riverside.
On Friday Katina and Coralie headed down to Equitana for some shopping, to watch the wonderful Edward Gal / Hans Peter Minderhoud clinic and to experience the Dressage Grand Final. The most exciting addition to our shopping cart was a Rapid Rain arena waterer. This should arrive by courier next week and will mean the end of riding in heavy sand and dust. We also took advantage of Revelwood's Equitana 15% discount on service fees and have reserved a service to the recently imported Quando Quando.
The dressage clinic was very inspiring. The horses were all ridden very softly, but with a big emphasis on having your horse reactive off your leg and staying in rhythm. The majority of the work involved the horses moving forward and then coming back, constant transitions, while all the time maintaining a soft contact. And congratulations to Heath Ryan on winning the Grand Final Freestyle. The test was relaxed, but expressive, and Heath’s new music was a big hit.
So now it is mid November and we are busily working on qualifying JD and Raven for the Young Horse Classes at the CDI next year. We are off to a Qualifier at Alexander Park on the 20th of November and then another on the 3rd December at DNSW. We will keep you posted.