Marena
Stud
Established 1957
Reach for the Stars
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Marena
Stud Established 1957 Reach for the Stars |
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Sydney Royal 2011
Accolade was an impressive horse big and bold, dappled grey, with seemingly endless movement. His mother was Marena Elegance, a rich brown 16.2 mare with the same bold outlook of Accolade and his sire was Sun Puff (imp), who had very expansive movement, so it was no accident that Accolade’s movement was so dramatic. We sold him to Mr Lloyd Scott with a number of other horses when he started his show team. Mark Tarrant worked for Lloyd then and it seemed that Mark and Accolade did not see eye to eye and he became a bit of a maverick. Emma Rudder who was then Emma Slack fell in love with him and bought him. It was love at first sight for both of them and the horse became putty in her hands. They went on to many successes in the showring and he spent the rest of his life in peace and luxury. How good is it for us to sell our horses and find, they not only have a successful career, but live with people who love and care for them. Thank You, Emma.
We have special Birthday Parties here a Marena Stud. Mostly the children have not ridden before or been led on a horse. So we introduce them to the farm and the joys of riding a horse. Blaze Keller brought five of her friends and they had a great time learning to handle, groom and saddle their horses, - a lot of patting went on! The children had a riding lesson and were all in control riding their horses, walking and trotting by the end of their lesson. Pictured at right is Blaze (on the far left) with her party guests and their instructors, Lindy & Mel and enthusiastic helpers, Ellie & Bronte.
We have had a
lot of rain on the Central Coast and Lindy had booked an indoor arena so we
could ride rain, hail or shine. Unfortunately there has been so much rain that
parking of all those big trucks and floats would put pressure on the fragile
grass areas at this time of year. So we will have to wait until after winter. Brett Jones who has attended each of Allan Wallen Clinics had wonderful success at the King of the Mountain competition at Murrurundi in May this year. See more about Brett in the May News. These Clinics are great confidence builders and are producing results in the competition already. There is something for everyone to help you become a more competent rider no matter what your skill level is. Come along and give it a try, your wont regret it. Pictured at right are Campbell and Matilda Jones at their first School.
Saturday 16th July is the date for this year’s Marena Show which has become a looked forward to event on the yearly calendar. This is a great Family Day to get together and a chance for all our pupils to put their learning to the test and have some great fun along the way. There will be Ribbons, Champion and Reserve Champion Point Scores, Prizes and Trophy’s. Please come, bring the Family and a Picnic lunch and enjoy this special day run for our pupils and their families. We thank our generous Sponsors for their continued support - Horseland, Saddle World and Stable-8, all of Tuggerah.
Click here to see the latest dates of our various Schools & Clinics. At left and right, the Wyong Creek kids (all go to Wyong Creek Public School), having a happy time in their lesson. Other News Success of our pupils always thrills us if it is in competition, school or life in general.
Alex Keith has been riding with us for many years. Alex commenced here as a beginner and has competed with us at Royal Show level. All through her Uni Course she would turn up for a lesson or a Show and we were always glad to see her. Alex has finished her Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and passed with First Class Honours and a University medal - Alex was so excited, all the hard work finally paid off. Congratulations to all the above pupils from everyone here at Marena we are all very proud of you and your accomplishments. Zoe is not leaving, as reported before, but is cutting back on her working hours. We were all so happy that she will still be with us and wish her a swift return to good health. Globe Trotters Bruce & I are going overseas at the end of June for 7 weeks, staying with friends, visiting horse shows and studs. We have been visiting the UK since 1995 and have seen many changes in the horses there and make comparisons with the changes occurring in horses here in Australia. The ponies in particular are interesting. Australian ponies have improved enormously, whereas before there have always been some outstanding individual ponies now overall our ponies are excellent. In earlier days, some of our Riding ponies lacked quality bone we now have some very beautiful Riding Ponies here that I think locals tend to undervalue. Our general, all-purpose pony in the past was a very superior pony. These were mostly cross-bred using Welsh, Australian Ponies, Arab, Stock Horses, and thoroughbreds – they were tough and resilient just like their countrymen. The other thing that stood out for me at English shows was that all the body types we see here at an Agricultural Show were there in the English ring, but not in the big horses’ rings. In England big classes there are for Hunters and the horses are very big and heavy in bone and body. It is quite different in the Australian ring where classes over 15 hds are dominated by thoroughbreds and more elegant finer types. Another contrast is that the horses are shown in very fat condition where our horses are less fat and more muscled. We are going to attend the wedding of the Marfleet’s son James and will stay with them in their lovely Tudor/Georgian home in rural Kent where they moved after leaving Australia. Amanda and Kate are still extremely active showing their horses and have been very successful with Murrum Park Phantom and Oakland Park Phantom of the Opera – two of the horses they took home with them when they left Oz. They also took “Norman”, their huge Russian Draft horse they had brought with then when they emigrated to Australia. Norman was always of interest in the ring, being so different, but was also a talented and educated ridden horse. Murrum Phantom, a grey galloway, has been Veteran of the Year twice and is out campaigning at present for a third win. After a win in 2010 Windsor Horse Show Kate was complimented by the Queen, who knew that he had come from Australia. Kate and Amanda both acknowledge that the time they showed in Australia has made them very competitive in the English Show ring. We will do a feature on Kate Marfleet and her horses shortly.
Handling the 2010 Foals Autumn is foal weaning time. We do only minimum handling of our foals whilst they are on their mums, that is when they are born and each month at worming time. After they have settled down from weaning we handle them, catching, lifting their legs and teaching them to lead. Some of them are the first foals of our new stallions Kolbeach Royal Print and Kolbeach Scandal. We are very thrilled with their attitudes and temperaments. We have 4 colts and 4 fillies from 2010, - 1 ASH colt by Browns Victory, 3 fillies and 1 colt by Kolbeach Royal Print, 1 colt and 1 filly by Kolbeach Scandal and a filly foal, the very last filly by our wonderful Marena Sky Chief. Here are a couple of photos of the baby’s on first days of contact.
Shows Melbourne Royal commences 24th September. The Evans Family with Marena Macquarie and Marena Heritage will be there again this year and Sarah Hooke and her Canberra champion galloway mare , Sandown Musical Note are going to compete too. Lindy will ride her and help the Evans with their horses and assist Nell in her quest to win the “Garryowen “Memorial Turnout Event Lindy has been placed in this event every time she has competed, was 2nd twice and won the in 1988 on Marena Cabaret Maureen is going to judge the Novice and Open Ponies, the Junior Turnouts and Leading Rein. I will mind Luke and Keeley whilst Lindy is away and then I go to Melbourne when she gets home. I was to judge the Victorian Pony Show and Melbourne Summer Royal in January this year but had to have surgery for a lesion on my leg and was unable to go so I am looking forward to this time.
THE WEDDING
The chosen church is very old, the window above the alter is the oldest stained glass window in the UK. It was a beautiful solemn ceremony and James and Shelley's love and joy was obvious. Bruce did a reading and said his much loved poem 'Friendship' to spontaneous applause. As the couple left the church, the sun was shining brightly and the ancient church bells were ringing.
The guests arrived in buses and private cars, lots camped over night, or what was left of it. The guests entering the garden were handed a glass of Pimms, Champagne or orange juice and then proceeded down the rose arbour to be greeted by the wedding party in true old fashioned style before they proceeded into the four acres of old English country gardens surrounding the home, a Kent Weldon Hall House, circa 1451.
The huge white marquee was on the croquet lawn, draped inside with swathes of ivory fabric, with round tables and the beautiful flower arrangements in white swan vases. The three course meal was served and was followed by the cutting of the wedding cake which was a cheese cake, that is, most unusual, a tiered cake made of wheels of different cheeses decorated with ivory and pink redbuds
Shelley and Kate's dresses were made by seamstress from the series and another friend did the flowers which would have been outstanding in the biggest hotels. Professional friends of James put up the lights so the light show was spectacular with mirror-boards and smoke and haze.
The dancing was constant and enthusiastic followed by a burlesque cabaret specially written for the occasion by Shelley and James' arty friends. Then 60 hardy souls trooped down to the lower field and singing around the bonfire until there was not much night left. The remaining hardy people enjoyed a leisurely Brunch on the patio on a glorious Sunday morning before setting off for home.
Kerry Adby from Sydney also came over for the wedding; Bruce and I were honoured to have the wonderful experience of being part of this special occasion.
And, by the way, last week we went to Bruges in Belgium for the day, it was Freddy Marfleet's birthday.
Maureen Walker in Kent England.
Good Luck to you all, Quote of the Month "If you really want to do something, you will find a way. If you don't, you will find an excuse." Unknown via Peter 2010 |
Contact - Maureen, Bruce or LindyHB & M Walker
336 Yarramalong Road, Wyong NSW 2259
Phone/Fax: +61 (0)2 4352 1707
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Birthday
Party – Happy Birthday Blaze Keller 
One Day and Three Day Schools
will be held also in the School Holidays. 
Lessons
- July will be a busy month with lots of riding going on for the School
Holidays, if you want private lessons you will need to book
your times with
Lindy. Normal lesson times will apply when school resumes.
Brianna Johnson
What a Shifter
(Zing), by our stallion Shifting (dec.), owned by Gabi & Emma Hollows & Gabi's
husband, John Balaz, and trained by Pam Webber won his race at Nowra on 7th
July. Emma was there to view the event and collect the ribbon.
The
James
is a photographer and a set designer based in London. Shelley is in the
successful TV series Benidorm, which is shot in Spain, so most of the cast was
here. There were also lots of other talented people who sang well so the
Karaoke was very professional. (I decided not to sing)