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Things have
been very busy leading up to Christmas, especially the weekend of 11th
and 12th off December.
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Australian Stockhorse Society
Level 2 Judges Examinations
Maureen, who is one of the Panel of Three people appointed by the
Australian Stockhorse Society of Australia to examine candidates for the
new Level 2 Judges List went to Gilgandra on 11-12th December, where the
first exam for this level was held.
The
other Examiners are David Wilson of Gilgandra and David Ross from
Victoria. David Wilson did a wonderful job collecting together suitable
horses and riders for this exacting weekend.
Eight
Level 1 Judges came from Queensland, Victoria and NSW. They were
evaluated by the Examiners Panel over two days of judging Led, Hack and
Working Classes and questioning. Meetings were held for feedback and to
discus future exams, the curriculum and to formulate procedure.
All
participating in this historic weekend should be congratulated;
such keen & dedicated people all working
for the good of the Australian Stockhorse.
The
participants are pictured at top right:
Back Row - L to R - David Nash, Malcolm
Field, Michael Wilson, David Ross (Examiner)
Second Row - Maxine Brooks, Joy Poole (Chairperson), Sue Lind, Judy
Rankin, Alison Hall, David Wilson (Examiner)
Centre Front - Maureen Walker (Examiner)
Below
right - Maureen and hard working Michelle Orman from the ASHS office. |
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Allan Wallen Clinic for
Stockhorses and Performance Horses
On
Saturday and Sunday 11th and 12th December, 2011
an enthusiastic group assembled once again for a 2 day Clinic with Allan
Wallen, one of Australia’s top ASH competition riders and trainers,
assisted by Lindy Walker the weekend was voted a great success.
Allan
has moved to Emerald in North Queensland, where he is the person in
charge of supervision and training of the Agricultural College’s horses
and pupils. Allan is a wonderful teacher and is appreciated by adults
and juniors alike at our Clinics.
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Above - Alex Jones receiving
instruction
from Allan
At Left -
Alex Jones, Nell Evans, Will Evans
and Emma Hollows |
Above -
Luke added his "Space Goggles"
to his equipment for some added "Fun". |
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At left -
Tracey Wootton
working her horse
Centre -
Emma Hollows
on
Marena Outback,
Right -
Helen Batterham |
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Allan Wallen Mini Clinic
Our
beginner pupils wanted to join in the Allan Wallen Clinic as well – so
we always run a Mini Clinic in conjunction with the Clinic for the more
experienced riders. These are good fun for pupils and allow them to put
to test the skills they have been learning in their lessons.
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Above - Elijah Forsythe on
Marena Trade Winds and Maddy Weeks on Bindi
At Left - Elijah, Maddy,
Molly Corbett,
Claire Levenspiel, Kathryn Hood,
Brooke Farr, Olivia Russel |
Above - Our Mini-Clinic
Instructors,
Lindy Walker and Kristie Morris |
We are now on
Facebook so look up Marena Stud for lots of photos of our pupils and horses and
all the latest news.
The Two Day
School on Monday and Tuesday, 19th and 20th of
December will be the last lessons for 2011 and we will finish with our Annual
Christmas Party at this School.
The
Instructors and the horses are having a well deserved holiday until the 9th
January 2012 .
You may book
lessons from that date and don’t forget the School on
Monday, Tuesday 16th & 17th January,
2012 to start the New Year off with a bang. If there is enough interest,
we will expand this School to three days - please contact Lindy.
Regular lesson
times will begin again when school resumes, book early to ensure the spot you
want.
We wish all
our friends and riders a very happy Christmas and we appreciate your continued
support. Without all the Mum’s and Dad’s and other members of the family’s
input, riders could not enjoy such a demanding and rewarding sport.
Your happy
faces are our reward. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
From all at
Marena Stud – Lindy, Maureen, Bruce, Melissa, Dave and Les -
A Merry
Christmas and Happy New Year
Maureen Walker
Quote of the Month
“If
you want your dreams to come true, you mustn't oversleep.” - Unknown
In spite of the
prolonged wet weather this Winter, we have been very busy with our riding
classes and activities. The School Holidays saw people enjoying out
Training Schools and the 4th Annual Marena Show. This Show
give our pupils the opportunity to test the skill they have learnt in lessons
over the year and to participate in fun games.
Bronte Talbot
continues to have a good year in Show competition. The Talbot family moved
to Wyong Creek two years ago and Karren, Bronte and Alexa commenced lessons here
on our horses. As the girls improved, Mum & Dad bought a galloway,
Dashing, for Bronte and a pony, Mr. Darcy for Alexa. In August Bronte did
her first ever Dressage Test against strong competition from 30 riders and came
first. This family has a strong commitment to the sport of riding and a
determination to achieve excellence.
Facebook - We
will be building Marena Stud a presence on Facebook over the next few weeks.
You will be notified by Newsletter.
Whilst we were in
England we helped in the preparation of Dressage to music that Murrum Park
Phantom performed recently to the rousing music of "I am Australian". His
entrance was to the music of Waltzing Matilda with a voice-over by Bruce Walker.
There is a wonderful video of the performance with glowing references to Marena
Stud by the announcer on Facebook.
Show Results - The first for the season
Penrith Show - 27th August '11
Bamborough Talent
Time: 1st Novice Pony Hack, 1st Open Pony Hack
Marena Twilights: Reserve Champion Show Hunter Pony
Sandown Matinee Idol: 1st Open Galloway Hack
Majestic: Sarah Hooke's new mare, at her first Show won 1st in Novice
Hack.
Marena Outback: 1st Child Show Hunter Galloway,
Marena Macquarie: Ridden by Nell Evans won 1st and Champion Show Hunter
Hack
St.
Ives Show - 28th August '11
Breezy Street:
Won 1st Novice Hack, Champion Led TB Mare & Champion Ridden TB , Supreme Led
ANSA, Champion Ridden ANSA
Bamborough Talent Time: 1st Led Welsh B Gelding, Reserve Champion Led
Welsh Exhibit, 1st Ridden Welsh B
Alexa Talbot: Riding her pony Mr Darcy for the first time in a Show, won
1st in her Novice Rider,
2nd Novice Pony Hack and 3rd in Childs Pony.
Bronte Talbot: 1st Open Show Hunter Galloway, Reserve Champion Show
Hunter on Stillbrook Dashing
Karren Talbot: 1st Lady's Show Hunter on Marena Outback
Sandown Matinee Idol: 1st Open Galloway Hack
Marena Twilights: Reserve Champion Led APSB & Champion Ridden APSB
Marena Show
- 2011
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Keeley, Elijah, Charlotte & Ashley |
Samuel, Catlin & Imogen |
Ellie, Bronte & Maddy Hodgetts |
Anne, Alexa & Amy - the A-class |
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Courtney, Emily, Tailah & Maddy Weeks |
Ella, Jacinta & Claire |
Imogen, Samuel & Catlin - The Bubbas |
Luck Entry prize was donated by Stable 8 |
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Saturday
16th July was the special
day for families of our pupils. Many enjoyed a picnic during the lunch
break. .
It is wonderful to
see a succession of young riders coming for lessons but we must pay
tribute to the older girls who find the time to help us and the younger riders
as they were helped in their turn by older riders. Our thanks go to Emma,
Carlie, Maddy, Ellie and Alexa.
Thanks to our generous sponsors for their continued support -
Stable 8, Saddleworld - Wyong, and Horseland Tuggerah.
Kimberly
Jones of Stable 8 attended to make her presentation. Our thanks to
Leanne Button for judging the day. At right - Meegan,
Lea (judge), Karren & Sharron
The
programme is divided in to 5 groups - The Mummas, Show, Intermediate,
Starters & Bubbas (above) groups. |
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Mummas - Meegan , Karren & Sharron |
Show - Ellie, Bronte & Maddy |
Intermediate - a group of happy kids! |
Starters -a bigger group of happy kids! |
Our Fancy Dress competition
was enjoyed by all
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Bronte Talbot |
Elijah Forsythe |
Samuel "Yeeha" Forsythe |
Keeley - 2nd |
Winner - Humpty Dumpty (aka
Ella) |
A Two Day School
will be held in the October School Holidays and a
Three Day School before Christmas.
Click here to see the latest dates of our
various Schools & Clinics.
Be quick if you have not booked yet
so you can secure your favourite school horse. Ring Lindy.
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Our Trip to England –
2011
Bruce & I have just arrived home from a
wonderful trip to the UK to stay with our friends the Marfleets.
The Marfleets lived and showed horses in
Australia for 8 years then moved back to England in 2006. Since then a
constant flow of Aussie visitors have crossed their threshold. Whilst
we were there, Kerry & Kim Adby of Sydney and John Thompson of Mt
Gambier stayed with them and added to our enjoyment.
There were lots of Australians in
England at the time also and we caught up with a few including Allan
Dillingham and Kier Ferry.
The English Show season was in full
swing and we accompanied Amanda and Kate with their horses Captain
Hastings, Valentino, Arthur, Twizzle and Murrum Park Phantom to many
Shows including the Greater Yorkshire, Kent County, Gatwick, Royal
International at Hickstead, New Forest, Bakewell, Malvern, Grantham,
Veteran Qualifier in Surry and The Ponies UK at Newark. It certainly
was a feast of Shows and quite amazing how much travelling there is to
do in a country a smaller than Victoria. The heavy traffic on all roads
made longer hours to reach a destination. We saw some very nice horses
and the professional competitors were - very “professional.” From an
Australian’s point of view the results of the judging were sometimes
mystifying, probably compounded by the classes being judges by two
judges and mostly in four parts:
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Selection off the ring by the two
judges – every horse is called in and gets a work-out,
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The rider does a work-out,
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The Riding judge rides the horse,
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The Conformation judge sees each
horse led.
And then the points are tallied to
achieve a final result – the judges confer throughout.
The schedule is made up a full programme
for each Breed, Show Hunter Ponies, Riding Horses, Hacks and big
Hunters. The Hacks & Riding Horses are the most like our horses.
I
gave a few lessons whilst I was there and enjoyed the Marfleet’s
wonderful garden, relaxing between shows.
The best Show experience was the Game Fair held at Blenheim Palace this
year. It is like a Field Day with a difference – a wonderful day
in the extensive grounds of the Palace – it was quintessential rural
Britain. We met up with Kier Ferry from Wyong Creek (at left with
Bruce) and enjoyed a wonderful day on the Green. Kier is loving England
but missing her riding, she is going to catch-up when she is at home
over Christmas. |
Kate Marfleet ridding side-saddle on Captain
Hastings at Royal International, Hickstead
Kate riding Valentino -
First in the Show Hunter Pony at Greater Yorkshire |
 The
week before we came home, Bruce and I went with Amanda and Freddy Marfleet
through the Euro Tunnel by car to visit the WW1 War Cemeteries in France and
Belgium. From Calais we journeyed
through the Somme valley to
Villers Bretoneau and the very
impressive the Australian War Memorial.
In
the small town of Querrieau
we found the grave of Bruce’s
Uncle Bert. It was hidden away on a small block in the middle of suburban
houses. It would appear that he died in a casualty station behind the lines of
wounds he had received in battle.
We
then went onto the British War Memorial at
Thiepval;
its huge arch can be seen for miles around. This was close to
Mouquet
farm and Poisierres – the
scenes of huge battles.
On
our journey we passed lots of cemeteries, it was a shock for us to realise that
there were so many poor souls buried across France – all the British forces;
Australian, New Zealanders, Canadian, Indian, etc. All these resting
places with their rows of white headstones and gardens are immaculately
maintained.
One
of the Memorials that had a big impact on us was a simple plaque in front of a
few grassed over mounds of dirt marked on either side by an Australian flag and
a British flag. The plaque said that more Australians were killed there at the
one time than any other place; that the earth was soaked with Australian blood.
Some of that earth was taken to the Canberra War Memorial and sprinkled over
the Unknown Soldier's Grave.
 We
spent that night in Arras. The next morning we set off for
Formeilles
and Pheasants Wood and the new Cemetery where 250 Australian and British bodies
in mass graves have been recently recovered and identified. That was the most
harrying of all, by this time our feelings were close to the surface.
Our
next destination was in Belgium at Ypres to view the
Menin
Gate. This Gate, on the road to
Menin,
was destroyed and was rebuilt after the War as a magnificent Memorial to all the
British Empire soldiers with no known graves.
On the new
Menin
Gate, more than
54,000 names have been carved on stone panels.
We
achieved our mission to find Uncle Bert's grave (at right) and felt the tragedy
of his loss and all those others who fought for freedom. Wherever we went we
thought of Bruce’s Dad -- David John Walker -- spending years in that hell. He
came home safe to lead a good and productive life never asking any special
treatment for the sacrifices he and others had made for our continued safety.
Tired and saddened we headed for home. This was a trip that we are glad we have
been fortunate enough to make. Little do we know how lucky we are to live in
Australia.
At the end of that week we went to Covent Garden
to see the stage production of War Horse. Quite appropriate after our
continental trip as the subject was Horses participation in WW1. It was a most
magnificent and moving play and not to be missed if it comes to Australia. We
also visited the Stand in London to see Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s “Love never Dies”,
the sequel to the Phantom of the Opera.
On the last day we capped off a truly wonderful
holiday by visiting Buckingham Palace to view the State rooms, see Kate’s
Wedding Dress and have lunch in the Palace gardens. How’s that?”
The best part? Putting our feet on Australian
soil again and looking forward to the next time.
Good Luck to you all,
Maureen Walker
Quote of the Month
“Kind hearts are the garden; kind thoughts are the roots; kind words are the
blossoms; kind deeds are the fruits.”
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