The New Stars classes at Equimillion this year were a fresh innovation designed to showcase the next wave of equestrian horses emerging from the racetrack and to be eligible the contenders needed an official retirement date with Racing Australia that was within 12 months of the show, so who were the 112 horses and riders that rose to the challenge.
A challenge it surely is with the time frame being tight given the retraining of racehorses to the elite level at any discipline is a process counted in years rather than months.
Unlike the business of racing which is basically harnessing a horse’s natural flight response to gallop, learning to perform a different range of ridden tasks for the competition arena is complex and requires the horse to use his brain every bit as much as his body. All the cues and signals from the rider as to what is required and when have to be learned, remembered and reproduced when there may be any manner of distractions at play.
For that reason, everyone that got a horse to compete in these classes deserves an award, but we’ve gone through and pulled out the Top 5 for each discipline.
Eventing EVA 80cm - 22 in the class
Young Scone horseman Charlie Richardson was one of the favourites to win this class on the former Annabel Neasham trained $11million earner Zaaki (GB), however the multiple G1 winner didn’t make it to the show after sustaining a pesky paddock injury, not that it mattered.
Charlie won on his other entry VH Wingman, who is by Pride of Dubai, the same sire as our newly crowned Australian Horse of the Year Pride of Jenni.
|
Rider |
Horse |
Breeding |
Racetrack |
|
|
1 |
Charlie Richardson |
VH Wingman (Ballet Pride) |
5g Pride of Dubai x Ballet Society |
17 starts for 1 win |
|
2 |
Jessica Grossman |
Duchy of Cornwall |
5g Hallowed Crown x Zutara |
11 starts for 1 win |
|
3 |
Sophie Fox |
I Am Richenuff |
6g Rich Enuff x Glory Be |
19 starts for 3 wins |
|
4 |
Skye McCullough |
Frosted Dash |
5g Frosted (USA) x Dosh Dash |
16 starts for 2 thirds |
|
5 |
Jess Somerfield |
Advantage Point |
5g Fozwedge x Advantage Receiver |
1 start |
Showjumping 80cm – 35 in the class
The world’s fastest horse when he was racing, Nature Strip jumped beautifully for his new owner Kathy O’Hara to finish 12th overall in a very competitive class, while his sprint rival Lost and Running was also making new fans in the jump arena with Aria Baker on board to also finish in the Top 20.
|
Rider |
Horse |
Breeding |
Racetrack |
|
|
1 |
Alison Ostenfeld |
Optimizzer |
8g Not a Single Doubt x Twizzler |
40 starts for 4 wins |
|
2 |
Zachary Thorne |
Mighty Willie |
6g American Pharoah (USA) |
17 starts for 3 wins |
|
3 |
Tinky Konechny |
Hot n Handsome (Tutelage) |
8g Medaglia D’Oro (USA) x Harpers |
39 starts for 8 wins |
|
4 |
Charlie Richardson |
Saturn Star |
5g Zoustar x Saturn Rock |
6 starts for 1 win |
|
5 |
Carla Gerigk |
Imposing Star |
4g Zoustar x Imposing Lass |
2 starts |
Dressage –30 in the class
|
Rider |
Horse |
Breeding |
Racetrack |
|
|
1 |
Hazel Shannon |
Just a Nickel AMC (Sizzle Nickel) |
5m Sizzling x Del Lirio |
8 starts |
|
2 |
Sarah Farraway |
Fireman |
6g The Factor (USA) x Siren |
21 starts for 1 win |
|
3 |
Nicky Lyle |
Birrie Hill (Birriecart) |
6g Husson (Arg) x Nivali |
11 starts for 5 wins $233,800 |
|
4 |
Rebecca Dunn |
Iama Princess |
5m Super One x Mallaco Princess |
7 starts |
|
5 |
Leeann Olsen |
Pantsman |
4g Showtime x She Loves You |
11 starts |
Led Showhorse – 18 in the class
|
Rider |
Horse |
Breeding |
Racetrack |
|
|
1 |
Cassandra Schmidt |
High Class (Your Serve) |
6g Your Song x Advantage Receiver |
Unraced |
|
2 |
Annika Kunert |
Wicklow (IRE) |
7g Twilight Son x Wake Up |
SW - 24 starts for 6 wins inc Wagga Cup and $555,000 |
|
3 |
Jess Martin |
Major Murphy |
7g Press Statement x Night War |
40 starts for 3 wins |
|
4 |
Mandy Hamilton |
Special Reward |
9g Demerit x Special Kiseki |
G3 winner- 34 starts for 10 wins and $1.3million |
|
5 |
Paul Warhurst |
Different Strokes |
7g Hinchinbrook x Khepri |
16 starts for 3 wins |
Ridden Showhorse – 7 in the class
|
Rider |
Horse |
Breeding |
Racetrack |
|
|
1 |
Joshua Clarke |
SLM Styles (Steel Gaze) |
5g Pierro x Gaze |
7 starts |
|
2 |
Adam Oliver |
Hades (Atheism) |
4g Shalaa (IRE) x Sense and Reason |
3 starts |
|
3 |
Leanne Bordin |
Harrison LD (Apataki) |
6g Darci Brahma x Polynesia |
15 starts for 2 wins |
|
4 |
Abbey Lonsdale |
Costa Maya |
9m High Chaparral (IRE) x Kesari |
55 starts for 3 wins |
|
5 |
Isabella Tyson |
Scallopini |
10g Snitzel x Rose of Mulan |
G3 winner – 45 starts for 13 wins and $1.1million |
