Equestrian Life’s October issue is out now!
If we need reminding that the Paris Olympics and Paralympics are getting closer, consider this – we are getting to the midway point of the qualifying periods for the Australian team. The window now gets smaller, not larger!
The contenders have a fair idea who they are, but if they don’t, they only need to check in on Heath Ryan’s evolving top 10 shortlists! While the list is unofficial, Heath’s sharp eye and personal Olympic experience put him in good stead to share his observations. His lists for eventing and dressage are already attracting much discussion and correspondence, and he is inviting more! If you think he is not reading the market correctly, drop him a line – but be prepared to back up your case. As Heath says, Australia is littered with riders who have thrown their lives at riding for Australia and then been brutally burnt at the final cut.
All eyes are now on the next Olympic and Paralympic selection qualifier, the Australian Dressage Championships at Boneo Park. Nine of Heath’s top 10 dressage contenders will be there, plus those who were bumped from the list after Brisbane CDI. They will be pushing to get back in, along with some outsiders that Heath believes are capable of challenging. This added selection pressure makes for a high stakes atmosphere at Boneo Park, and Roger Fitzhardinge also offers us a preview, with a particularly close eye on the horses.
Our cover story this issue features Jamie Winning-Kermond who has nailed two of Australian show jumping’s biggest comps, the GDP Classic Grand Prix and the Willinga Park Grand Prix, both on her mare Tulara Stolensky. “I seem to have good success with Tulara horses,” she tells Adele, as she also elaborates on the teamwork behind their success and the overall supportive spirit of the jumping community.
That sense of equestrian community can be an embracing experience anywhere in the world, as young West Australian rider Emily Reudavey discovered when she headed overseas to chase her dreams. She found her true vocation as a groom for Simone Pearce, and has become an indispensable member of her stable in Germany. Emily opens up to Katrina Lodge not only about her friendship with Simone – and whether she prefers Millennium or Destano – but also the huge responsibilities and logistics her work entails.
Back home, we learn from pony enthusiast Toni Webb that the dressage world is starting to wake up to the Welsh Cob. Toni has had plenty of success with her two Welsh Cobs, both of whom are scoring in the high 60s and mid-70s. Her enthusiasm is catching, and she has high hopes for the Cobs as well as crosses with Warmbloods that she is breeding.
With foaling well under way, our resident vet Dr Maxine Brain discusses one of the most prevalent pregnancy issues, endometritis, and how it can be managed. And our Training section this issue is chockers, with Roger Fitzhardinge taking us through the simple change, Kerry Mack unpacking the short side and Rohan Luxmoore sharing his insights with Adele on how to introduce young eventers to water jumps.
After training, there’s plenty of reading for your entertainment. Movie aficionado Suzy Jarratt looks at the rustic Icelandic award-winner, Of Horses and Men; David and Victoria Beckham tell Bernard Bale how much they and their children love riding around the world; and Phoebe Oliver has a fascinating interview with an adventurous English rider who has built a unique riding and cultural experience in Egypt from scratch.
Happy reading!
