You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
The<br />
organ<br />
<strong>Messenger</strong><br />
Official newsletter of the Morgan Horse Association of Australia Inc. (ABN 71 466 558 524)<br />
No. 128, December 2014<br />
Editor: Judi Anderson, PO Box 7108, Upper Ferntree Gully, Vic. 3156, Australia. Tel: 03 9756 0128. Email: ozmorgan@21century.com.au<br />
Perth Royal Show Equitana Melbourne 2014<br />
Pelennor Bilbo's Legacy & Patricia Gordon<br />
Supreme Pure Bred Morgan at Perth Royal<br />
Full results and more pics inside<br />
Day 1 – Mt Tawonga Campbell & Kerry Hill<br />
Left: Day 2<br />
– Haymeron<br />
Park Oro<br />
Strauss &<br />
Dana Frew<br />
Right:<br />
Days 3 & 4<br />
– Watching<br />
Royalty &<br />
Beccara<br />
Lloyd<br />
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to<br />
all MHAA members and their families<br />
1
Hello everyone!<br />
President's Message<br />
I hope this issue of the MM finds you, your families and your<br />
beautiful Morgans all well. Where has the year gone It’s<br />
Christmas in a couple of weeks! I am looking forward to seeing<br />
all of your Morgan Christmas photos!<br />
News to report<br />
Very busy times for Morgan people in Victoria over the past<br />
couple of months.<br />
* Equitana Melbourne, 20-23 November at the Melbourne<br />
Show Grounds was a huge success as always and great promotion<br />
for MHAA and our breed. We had a lovely line-up of Morgans<br />
for our breed village and displays. We had Kerry Hill & Mt<br />
Tawonga Campbell doing their tricks – the crowd adored it; thank<br />
you Kerry! We also had Dana Frew and the striking Haymeron<br />
Park Oro Strauss; thanks Dana, I think the public really loved<br />
seeing your beautiful palomino Morgan. Watching Royalty was<br />
on display and competed in Equitana Horse of the Year, judged<br />
by three international judges. Roy made it into the top five out<br />
of twenty horses!<br />
We were also lucky enough to have Linda Shore & RanchBoss<br />
Cortez in the master class for western dressage, great job Linda!<br />
And Nichola Larpent and her pure bred Morgan gelding Tredway<br />
Fare competed in the Sport Horse Australia showcase, it was<br />
fantastic to watch you guys, Nichola!<br />
I wanted to say a huge big thank you to Kerry Hill for helping<br />
me organise and set up and pack up for Equitana as without<br />
dedicated people like you, Kerry, events like this are very hard<br />
to do!<br />
Thanks also to Lisa Wong, Dana Frew, Jessica Mason, Brenda<br />
King, Michelle Higgins, Loretta & Kelly Gordon, Loretta Kelly,<br />
Jackie Waters, Eileen & Jack Logan. Please forgive me if I have<br />
forgotten any of our volunteers, thank you for your help.<br />
* MHAA Victorian State Show 30th November. Fantastic!<br />
Thank you so much Show Secretary, Kerry Hill, also Pauline<br />
& John Hill, and John & Ros Goodwin for your wonderful<br />
hospitality and running of our first State show. It was a great<br />
day, plenty of beautiful horses, great program with fun classes<br />
and, of course, the wonderful judges. I am looking forward to<br />
seeing photos.<br />
I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a safe and happy<br />
New Year. Take care and happy riding with your Morgans.<br />
Beccara Lloyd<br />
Morgans for Pleasure<br />
As we near the end of another year (how time seems to fly along),<br />
I hope that all of our Morgan owners can look back with heartfelt<br />
memories, a joy of Morgan ownership and the camaraderie of<br />
being part of the Morgan community here in Australia.<br />
It’s also that time of year when I ask our MFP participants<br />
to submit their annual hours to me so that I can update totals<br />
for all of you. You may be surprised at how your hours are<br />
accumulating to the program’s various award levels. There has<br />
been no new news from our riders/drivers, but there may be a<br />
flurry of activity after the festive season when you can enjoy<br />
summer and the longer daylight hours for increased riding time.<br />
I hope to report updated news in the next MM.<br />
Happy holidays and travel safe, enjoy your family and friends<br />
and especially enjoy your Morgan horses!<br />
New Members<br />
Correction<br />
Sue Buckley<br />
MFP Co-ordinator<br />
Welcome to new pure bred owners Kristen Fisher of<br />
Stonehaven, Vic. (Eiben’s Adventurous), Catherine<br />
Street of Ballarat, Vic. (Samaria Creek Violet); Kellie Munro of<br />
Cambooya, Qld (Mt Tawonga Topaz, from Wendy Brown), and<br />
Kerry Roney of Boddington, WA (Phelcrest Mighty Montana &<br />
Karenza Minette. Welcome also to Marcia Gosper of Maraylya,<br />
NSW who has purchased a half share in pure bred stallion Ariga<br />
Park Tribute.<br />
Welcome also to new part bred owners Barbara Allen of<br />
Neutral Bay, NSW (MCM Black Hawk); Jodie Egginton<br />
of Waldara, Vic. (Red Bluff Rosita); Serafina Munns of Croydon,<br />
Vic. (High Country Bushman – for her daughter Nikkita) and<br />
Samantha Soltoggio of Baldivis, WA (Crossmatch Chevrolet).<br />
Welcome also to Wendy Brown of Allora, Qld who purchased<br />
pure bred Mt Tawonga Topaz & part bred Mt Tawonga Summer<br />
a few months ago.<br />
New Members in MM127<br />
In the Welcome to new members in the last MM, I inadvertently<br />
listed the new owners of part breds as owners of pure breds,<br />
having forgotten to change that word in the introduction, so<br />
Mountain Creek Icon, Mingara Royal Rhapsody, and Jamala<br />
Flame are in fact all part breds. Apologies for this mix up.<br />
2
Show Secretary's Report<br />
The 2015 Australian National Morgan Show is rapidly<br />
approaching and it is starting to take shape. The venue and the<br />
program are being finalized. It does not appear that we will<br />
have any interstate competitors this year and so WA members<br />
were requested to give an indication of the likelihood of the<br />
classes they would compete in. Their responses have enabled<br />
the program to be trimmed somewhat.<br />
What the interstate members can compete in is the photo<br />
competition and the rules and classes are shown below. This is<br />
a fun event for all those who can’t actually be here.<br />
We have a meeting tomorrow night (Tuesday 2nd December)<br />
to discuss final arrangements in all aspects of the Show and<br />
hope to have information to be put on the website long before<br />
Christmas.<br />
Valerie Bremen<br />
ANMS 2015 – Photo Show Program<br />
Entry Fee $5 per class. Ribbon prizes only, will be posted to<br />
recipients.<br />
Photo entries only with no manipulation or enhancing of<br />
photographs allowed. Photos to be no more than 3 months old.<br />
Entries open to registered Morgans who are not present at the<br />
2015 ANMS. Entrants must be current MHAA members and<br />
must use the official entry form.<br />
Judging will be on the conformation of the horse, not the photo<br />
quality, but to allow the judge to make the best decision possible<br />
you will need three photos. Please present your horse side on,<br />
standing square with a plain background. Take one photo from<br />
the front and one from behind. Send all three as your entry. The<br />
same photos can be used for multiple classes but each entry must<br />
be accompanied by the $5 fee and listed on the official entry form.<br />
Photos should not be taken by professional photographers.<br />
Entries open 1st February 2015, close 1st March 2014. Entry<br />
forms will be available on the MHAA website and with the<br />
February edition of the <strong>Messenger</strong>.<br />
The in hand classes will be judged by our official judges at<br />
the ANMS. The novelty classes will be judged by the people<br />
present at the ANMS.<br />
PHOTO PURE MORGAN IN HAND CLASSES<br />
Best Presented Pure Morgan – any age<br />
Pure Morgan Gelding Weanling/Yearling<br />
Pure Morgan Gelding 2–3 Years Old<br />
Pure Morgan Gelding 4-–5 Years Old<br />
Pure Morgan Gelding 6–15 Years Old<br />
Pure Morgan Gelding 16 Years & over<br />
PHOTO CHAMPION AND RESERVE PURE MORGAN<br />
GELDING IN HAND<br />
Pure Morgan Filly Weanling/Yearling<br />
Pure Morgan Filly 2–3 Years Old<br />
Pure Morgan Mare 4–5 Years Old<br />
Pure Morgan Mare 6–15 Years Old<br />
Pure Morgan Mare 16 Years & Over<br />
PHOTO CHAMPION AND RESERVE PURE MORGAN<br />
FEMALE IN HAND<br />
Pure Morgan Entire Weanling/Yearling<br />
Pure Morgan Entire 2–3 Years Old<br />
Pure Morgan Entire 4–5 Years Old<br />
Pure Morgan Entire 6–15 Years Old<br />
Pure Morgan Entire 16 Years & Over<br />
PHOTO CHAMPION AND RESERVE PURE MORGAN<br />
ENTIRE IN HAND<br />
PHOTO SUPREME PURE MORGAN IN HAND<br />
Pure Morgan Get Of Sire (Minimum 3 horses)<br />
Pure Morgan Produce Of Dam (Minimum 2 horses)<br />
PHOTO PART MORGAN IN HAND CLASSES<br />
Best Presented Part Morgan – any age<br />
Part Morgan Gelding/Colt Weanling/Yearling<br />
Part Morgan Gelding 2–3 Years Old<br />
Part Morgan Gelding 4–5 Years Old<br />
Part Morgan Gelding 6–15 Years Old<br />
Part Morgan Gelding 16 Years & Over<br />
PHOTO CHAMPION AND RESERVE PART MORGAN<br />
MALE IN HAND<br />
Part Morgan Filly Weanling/Yearling<br />
Part Morgan Filly 2–3 Years old<br />
Part Morgan Mare 4–5 Years old<br />
Part Morgan Mare 6–15 Years Old<br />
Part Morgan Mare 16 Years & Over<br />
PHOTO CHAMPION AND RESERVE PART MORGAN<br />
FEMALE IN HAND<br />
PHOTO SUPREME PART MORGAN IN HAND<br />
Part Morgan Get Of Sire (Minimum 3 horses)<br />
PHOTO NOVELTY CLASSES – people’s choice judging<br />
Loveliest Mane<br />
Loveliest Tail<br />
Nicest Legs<br />
Shiniest Coat<br />
Prettiest Mare<br />
Handsomest Gelding<br />
Most Studley Stallion<br />
Horse that looks most like its owner<br />
Best Rump<br />
Pair of horses most alike<br />
Horse Fancy Dress<br />
Additional Fun Competitions:<br />
Match the Horse with its owner<br />
Match the foal photo with the grown horse<br />
3
Advertising on the MHAA website<br />
When advertising your horse/s for sale or lease in the Morgan<br />
<strong>Messenger</strong>, you are entitled to FREE advertising on the MHAA<br />
website For Sale and Lease page, covered by the fee you pay<br />
for the MM advertisement. This advertisement will remain in<br />
place on the website ‘until sold’.<br />
When multiple horses from the one owner are advertised in<br />
the MM, these are listed on the website separately, but under a<br />
banner for that particular owner/breeder/stud.<br />
The MHAA also offers the opportunity to advertise on the<br />
website without first advertising in the MM.<br />
The cost of advertising your horse for Sale or Lease on the<br />
website is $10 for members and $15 for non-members, for each<br />
horse, and will remain on the website for a period of three (3)<br />
months.<br />
At present the Webmasters require the details and photos to be<br />
supplied to them to load the advertisements onto the For Sale and<br />
Lease page. However, we are shortly moving to Do It Yourself<br />
Advertising. More information on this will follow and instructions<br />
will appear on the webpage when it is up and running.<br />
The details that are required for each horse advertised on the<br />
website are:<br />
• Registered name of horse<br />
• MHAA Registration Number of horse<br />
• Date of Birth of horse<br />
• Pure or Part Bred<br />
• Gender of horse<br />
• Sire<br />
• Dam<br />
• Colour<br />
• Location of horse – Town and State is sufficient<br />
• Name of owner<br />
• Name of seller if different to owner (as in person to<br />
contact)<br />
MM Advertising Rates<br />
Full page – Members: $30. Non members: $50<br />
Half page – Members: $15. Non members: $25<br />
Quarter page – Members: $10. Non members: $15<br />
No extra charge for photos or preparation of advert<br />
layout. Costs include 'until sold' online presence.<br />
Send material to the Editor, Judi Anderson, at<br />
ozmorgan@21century.com.au<br />
If emailing photos, they should be sent as separate<br />
jpeg files (not embedded in text),<br />
and text should be sent in Word<br />
• Current or expected height of horse<br />
• Email contact<br />
• Website if a Breeder/Stud<br />
• Home Phone or Mobile phone or both<br />
• A full description of the horse for sale – with as much detail<br />
as you wish. It will go into the body of the advertisement.<br />
• When sending photos, please advise which photo is to be<br />
the Main Photo for the advertisement. The remainder will<br />
appear in the body of the advertisement.<br />
When advertising solely on the website, please send details of<br />
advertisement and photos to webmaster@morganhorse.com.<br />
au<br />
Contact the Treasurer (treasurer@morganhorse.com.au) and<br />
our Membership Officer, who is also our MM Editor (editor@<br />
morganhorse.com.au), when payment is made. The Treasurer<br />
and Membership Officer will confirm for the Webmaster that the<br />
correct payment has been received and then the advertisement will<br />
be published. (This email notification process will be automated<br />
when the DIY process is up and running.)<br />
MHAA Office Bearers 2014<br />
President<br />
Beccara Lloyd<br />
108 Hamills Lane, Mt Wallace Vic 3342<br />
Tel: 0427 375 302<br />
Email: mhaapresident@bigpond.com<br />
Vice President<br />
Clarie Chappell<br />
91 Glenbuckie Road, Talgai Qld 4362<br />
Tel: 0405 142 756<br />
Email: clariechappell1@bigpond.com<br />
Secretary<br />
Debbie Dowden<br />
Challa Station, PO Box 239, Mt Magnet WA 6638<br />
Tel: 08 9963 5361<br />
Email: secretary@morganhorse.com.au<br />
Treasurer<br />
Kath Hare<br />
PO Box 263, Bullsbrook WA 6084<br />
Tel: 0407 884 265<br />
Email: treasurer@morganhorse.com.au<br />
Director<br />
Kelly Murphy<br />
c/o Post Office, Lenswood SA 5240<br />
Tel: 0448 252 222<br />
Email: kelsnharls@hotmail.com<br />
MHAA website: www.morganhorse.com.au<br />
Website Co-ordinator: Nila Latimer<br />
Email: webmaster@morganhorse.com.au<br />
4
Order your 2015 Morgan Calendar NOW><br />
MHAA Members—$14 (Includes postage)<br />
Non Members—$16.50 (Includes postage)<br />
Payment via EFT:<br />
MHAA Account No: 633 108<br />
BSB: 1066 66142<br />
Reference: MHAA Membership No:<br />
Name:<br />
Postal Address:<br />
Non Member:<br />
Tick<br />
Payment by electronic funds transfer into the Association’s bank account,<br />
please complete the details above and return it by email to the<br />
following people:<br />
vice_president@morganhorse.com.au,<br />
treasurer@morganhorse.com.au<br />
Payment via Cheque: Morgan Horse Association of Australia<br />
Mail to: MHAA Treasurer PO Box 263 Bullsbrook WA 6084<br />
5
AMHA News<br />
Lower registration fees for older Morgans begins January 1,<br />
2015. Essentially, AMHA has broadened the age range from<br />
18–24 months to 18–60 months, giving owners an additional<br />
4½ years to register their horse at the $210 member fee; and<br />
has lowered the top price by $100 to $310 for those horses over<br />
five years old. The fees include the DNA testing kit. Contact<br />
erica@morganhorse.com for more information.<br />
CSIRO Breeder Survey<br />
Australian breeders are being invited to help develop new<br />
management strategies for foals born prematurely by responding<br />
to a current survey into foaling experiences. Researchers<br />
particularly want to hear about foals that were born prematurely<br />
or in a dysmature (under-developed) condition. The aim is to<br />
improve understanding of how such foals can be managed<br />
during their early years to prevent later development issues.<br />
Anyone responding to the survey can ask to be kept informed<br />
of future findings.<br />
The Survey into Foal Development is being run by Jane<br />
Clothier, a postgraduate student at CSIRO and the University of<br />
New England. Jane, who has been an equine body worker for ten<br />
years in England and Australia, explains that little is understood<br />
about managing premature foals for the long term.<br />
“While a lot is understood about managing the neo-natal<br />
emergency that often accompanies a premature birth, less is<br />
known about the development problems that can follow. I am<br />
interested in hearing about foaling issues, and will be looking<br />
for case studies to assess in more detail. By understanding<br />
development issues more, I hope to contribute to management<br />
strategies to assist the young horse, whether relating to training,<br />
nutritional or therapeutic measures. However, I can only do it with<br />
the help of the people doing the hard work – the breeders.”<br />
This online survey is open to anyone who has bred a foal in the<br />
past three years. It includes questions on service and birth dates,<br />
pregnancy, foaling and post-foaling issues, veterinary treatment<br />
and the foal’s growth and development. It will take ten to fifteen<br />
minutes to complete for a single foal, or 20 to 30 minutes for<br />
three foals. All responses will be treated in confidence.<br />
To take part in the survey, visit www.surveymonkey.com/s/<br />
foals<br />
NPO Report<br />
Lisa Wong, National Promotions Officer:<br />
npo@morganhorse.com.au<br />
Merry Christmas to you all. This year has come and gone so fast.<br />
Thank you to all the people who helped promote their Morgan<br />
horses and MHAA. To the people who worked at Horse Expos<br />
or other Morgan events, your time is very much appreciated.<br />
Sometimes I feel like I am saying I have a unicorn when I tell<br />
people I own a Morgan. I recently had two tradesmen turn up<br />
who had heard I own Morgan horses. They were from Ireland<br />
and they just wanted to see a Morgan Horse in the flesh. People<br />
have heard about how wonderful Morgans are but few have<br />
actually seen one. I have been trying to work on a strategic<br />
plan for over a year. It is not an easy task. It is going to take<br />
every one of our members and their friends to get the word out,<br />
Morgans are real and they are great! I encourage you to go onto<br />
Facebook and ‘Like’ all the Australian Morgan farms. If you<br />
own a Morgan farm, I encourage you to create a FB page for<br />
your farm. Post your site’s name on the MHAA FB page and<br />
ask people to Like your page.<br />
Every individual can make a difference so crow loudly about<br />
what you do with your Morgan. In the current financial times,<br />
every Morgan farm needs your help to ensure horses keep<br />
being bred. This year we have lost some of our larger Morgan<br />
farms. If Morgan horses aren’t selling then Morgans farms will<br />
stop breeding, therefore they will become like unicorns in our<br />
country.<br />
If you have merchandise that you are still waiting on, please<br />
let me know. My life is in constant chaos so sometimes I miss<br />
things no matter how organised I am about orders.<br />
National Ride a Morgan Day was not as popular as previous<br />
years with only a dozen horses participating. I blame my late<br />
notice for the lack of participation. Please put the date of 8th<br />
November in your diaries now for next year.<br />
Equitana Melbourne could not have happened without the preplanning<br />
by Kerry Hill and Beccara Lloyd. Thank you! To the<br />
Equitana Morgan Breed Village Morgan stand volunteers and<br />
Morgan owners who participated, thank you for your financial<br />
and time commitment to our breed. I was working as a media<br />
person for K2 Magazine this year so tried to spend time at the<br />
stand between interviews. There is a photo on the next page of<br />
German Eventer and Olympic gold medalist Dirk Schrade and<br />
myself, along with other Equitana photos.<br />
I hope to see you next year at the National Show in WA.<br />
Lisa Wong<br />
Don't forget MHAA's Morgans For Pleasure and<br />
Wirraway Award programs –<br />
details and forms on the MHAA webpage:<br />
www.morganhorse.com.au<br />
The views expressed in this publication are those of the<br />
individual and not necessarily those of the members,<br />
the MM Editor, or of the Board of the Morgan Horse<br />
Association of Australia Inc (MHAA).<br />
Furthermore, MHAA assumes no responsibility for the<br />
content or any claims made in published advertisements.<br />
6
Equitana, Melbourne 2014<br />
Clockwise from above<br />
Clockwise from above<br />
Mt Tawonga Campbell doing his 'hat trick' for passersby<br />
Mt Tawonga Campbell doing his 'hat trick' for<br />
LtoR: passersby Jo Hayes, Greg Lyons, Linda Shore, Rick Hayes<br />
Watching LtoR: Jo Royalty Hayes, (front) Greg Lyons, competing Linda for Shore, Champion Rick Hayes of Breeds<br />
Lisa Watching Wong & Royalty German (front) Eventer competing & Olympic for gold Champion medalist, of Dirk<br />
Schrade Breeds<br />
LtoR: Lisa Jacque Wong & Waters, German Greg Eventer Lyons & & Olympic Jessica gold Mason<br />
medalist, Dirk Schrade<br />
LtoR: Jacque Waters, Greg Lyons & Jessica Mason<br />
7
Foal Pictorial – Pure Bred Foals<br />
Wilga Park Gambel Oak<br />
(RanchBoss Cortez x Red<br />
Bluff Paprika), bay colt<br />
foaled 7 October. Owned by<br />
Wilga Park Morgans, Qld.<br />
Cockatoo Park Dream (Wirraway Trademark<br />
x Oz Hicountry Heaven Scent), chestnut filly<br />
foaled 3 October. Owned by Ruth McGill, Qld.<br />
Below: Red Bluff Beauregard<br />
(Justin Morning Glory x<br />
Mt Tawonga Evonne), black<br />
bay colt foaled 13 October.<br />
Owned by Red Bluff Morgan<br />
Stud, Vic.<br />
Unnamed bay filly<br />
(Wirraway Trademark x<br />
Warlock‛s Picturesque)<br />
foaled 5 October. Owned<br />
by Caroline Tarr, SA.<br />
Wildu Wayfarer (MEMC Tequila Cuervo x Blue<br />
Gum Bonneville), palomino sabino colt foaled 25<br />
October. Bred by Wildu Mandaawi Morgans, SA.<br />
(Already sold to Deb Thompson)<br />
Fernleigh Creek Sabien (Mt Tawonga King x<br />
Myross Morgans Hine), black colt foaled 17<br />
October. Owned by Fernleigh Creek Morgans,<br />
SA. (Pictured with Ken Smith)<br />
Wildu Marlena (Mt Tawonga<br />
King x Fernleigh Creek<br />
Nena), brown filly foaled 17<br />
November. Owned by Wildu<br />
Mandaawi Morgans, SA.<br />
8
Foal Pictorial – Pure Bred Foals<br />
Samaria Creek Truly Royal (Watching Royalty<br />
x Mt Tawonga Folie), black filly foaled 6<br />
November. Owned by Samaria Creek Morgan<br />
Farm, Vic.<br />
Samaria Creek Tribute (Tui‛s Nimrod x<br />
Haymeron Park DarlingPrue), black colt<br />
foaled 3 November. Owned by Samaria<br />
Creek Morgan Farm, Vic.<br />
Wilga Park Sassafras (RanchBoss Cortez<br />
x Eagleview Skybeau), smokey black filly<br />
foaled 17 October. Owned by Wilga Park<br />
Morgans, Qld.<br />
Morgan Dream Prince Romeo<br />
(MEMC Crown Royal x Myross<br />
Morgans Candy), buckskin colt<br />
foaled 22 November. Owned by<br />
Alanna Goetzinger, Qld. (First<br />
Crown Royal foal born in Australia.)<br />
Wilga Park River Gum (Ragtime Oro Blanco<br />
x Haymeron Park Ruby Jane), buckskin colt<br />
foaled 26 October. Owned by Wilga Park<br />
Morgans, Qld.<br />
‘Tully‛, unnamed black/bay filly (Killara Lodge<br />
Oops x Oz Highcountry First Noell) foaled 18<br />
October 18. Owned by Lynnie Bennett, Qld.<br />
Unnamed black filly (Twinhill Ronaldo x Omar<br />
Phoebe) foaled 9 October. Owned by Omar<br />
Morgans, NSW.<br />
Mollydooka Birdsong (RanchBoss Cortez<br />
x Mt Tawonga Anna), bay filly foaled<br />
15 September. Owned by Mollydooka<br />
Morgans, Tas.<br />
9
Foal Pictorial – Part Bred Foals<br />
Gold N Nugget (Wirraway Johnny Walker x Miss Mighty<br />
Exclusive [Palomino Appaloosa]), palomino colt. Owned by<br />
Lynda Kingdom, Qld.<br />
Now In Love (Now On Top [German WB]<br />
x Fernleigh Creek Scarlett), brown filly<br />
foaled 30 September. Owned by Ami &<br />
Josie Anderson, Qld.<br />
Eatons Hill Bravo (Wirraway<br />
Manhattan x Boomtown<br />
Texas), bay/brown colt foaled<br />
16 October. Owned by Eatons<br />
Hill Stud, Qld.<br />
Leambro Miracolo (SFG Drayton x Vectra<br />
[TB]), chestnut colt foaled 20 November.<br />
Owned by Leambro Morgans, Qld.<br />
(Being bottle fed here by Stephanie Smith)<br />
Weemala Cougar (Moonbah Fortune<br />
Cookie x Springfield Dash [Clydesdale/<br />
ASH]), black filly foaled 16 October.<br />
Owned by Weemala Performance<br />
Horses, NSW.<br />
‘Cooper‛, unnamed chestnut colt<br />
(Lord of Belvue x Cadence [WB])<br />
foaled 1 November. Owned by<br />
Sharon Addison, WA.<br />
Leambro Monkey Business (SFG<br />
Drayton x Our Star Filly [TB]),<br />
chestnut filly foaled 14 November.<br />
Owned by Leambro Morgans, Qld.<br />
Unnamed bay colt (Karenza<br />
Astra x Mt Tawonga Pindarri)<br />
foaled 17 October. Owned by<br />
Island Performance Horses, Vic.<br />
Merry Christmas to all<br />
Unnamed 7/8ths chestnut filly (Mt Tawonga<br />
Cavalier x Mt Tawonga Cricket) foaled 20<br />
October. Owned by Island Performance<br />
Horses, Vic.<br />
10
Notice of Annual General Meeting<br />
The Annual General Meeting of the Morgan Horse Association of Australia Inc. will be held at<br />
Stewart’s Restaurant, Brookleigh Equestrian Estate, Bullsbrook, Western Australia<br />
on Saturday March 7th, 2015 at 7:30pm.<br />
Nominations are open for the positions of<br />
• President<br />
• Vice President<br />
• Secretary<br />
• Treasurer<br />
• Director<br />
• Youth Liaison Officer<br />
• State Liaison Officers (one for each State with members)<br />
• Show Secretary (2016 show)<br />
• National Promotions Officer<br />
• Morgans for Pleasure Co-ordinator<br />
Nomination forms will be emailed or posted to all members and must be received by the Secretary on or before January<br />
6th, 2015.<br />
Notice of Motion: Moved by Debbie Dowden, seconded by Clarie Chappell “That the new Constitution of the Morgan<br />
Horse Association of Australia be adopted.” A copy of the proposed constitution will be emailed or posted to all<br />
members.<br />
The MHAA is guided both by a set of Rules (the Constitution) and a set of By-Laws that are separate from the<br />
Constitution. These are available on the MHAA website.<br />
Because MHAA is voting to adopt its new constitution, motions to amend the Rules (current constitution) are likely to be<br />
superseded and members are advised against proposing changes to the current Rules. Because the new constitution is yet<br />
to be adopted, members are unable to propose any changes to it.<br />
We are still able to alter the current By-Laws of the Association which will be unaffected if the Rules change.<br />
Motions to alter the By-Laws of the Association must be submitted on the official form that will be emailed or posted to<br />
all members. They must be received by the Secretary on or before January 6th, 2015.<br />
Historic Morgan Photos<br />
In August this year, MHAA Secretary Debbie Dowden was<br />
contacted, out of the blue, by a solicitor who is handling<br />
the Estate of the late Mr & Mrs George Reed. Many of you<br />
will know that George Reed, originally from Vermont,<br />
USA, imported Morgans which are at the foundation of our<br />
Australian breeding program. In 1974 he imported the stallion<br />
Saddleback Sultan and two mares, Saddleback Sundance and<br />
Green Meads Fashion. Then, in 1981, he imported stallion<br />
Wawayanda Watch Out and his daughter, Lizotte Lil Bridget.<br />
Green Meads Fashion was not much used for breeding, but the<br />
other four contributed greatly to the early Australian Morgan<br />
breeding herd.<br />
The solicitor advised Debbie that she had come across a<br />
number of photos “of various Morgan horses” and attached<br />
three photos as examples, two identified as Saddleback Sultan.<br />
She was wondering whether MHAA would have any use for<br />
the photographs as otherwise they would be “disposed of”. I<br />
told Debbie to let the solicitor know we were very interested in<br />
any photos and also in any other associated documents related<br />
to Morgan horses.<br />
The photos finally arrived just before this MM was ready to<br />
go to print, but I was hugely disappointed to find that when I<br />
saw the original photos, they turned out not to be of Australian<br />
Morgans and only two of the 17 are actually identified<br />
(Waseeka’s In Command and Katie Bennfield). I have sent an<br />
email to the solicitor to see if there is any possibility of finding<br />
more photos and/or documents about the Reeds’ imported and<br />
Australian-bred horses and I live in hope.<br />
Judi Anderson<br />
11
Aura Dell Salute – out of the mists of time<br />
Kathy Lyons was told about a lady who used to ride a Morgan<br />
(which she understood was an Aura Dell horse) years ago in<br />
Queensland and contacted her for more information. She asked<br />
Annie Johnston to tell us her opinion of the Morgan she rode,<br />
what she did with it, where they competed and, of course, the<br />
name of the horse. Here is what we found out. (Thanks Kathy,<br />
for following up on this and saving this important bit of Morgan<br />
history.)<br />
“His name was Aura Dell Salute (aka Dick) – don’t ask me who<br />
called him Dick but he was a definite personality. Dick was a<br />
14.1½, liver chestnut gelding. I believe he was a first cross but<br />
was very typey.<br />
Dick was shown as a Galloway and belonged to people I used<br />
to ride ponies and galloways for. In the year prior to when I met<br />
him, Dick was Reserve Champion Galloway at the Ekka. This<br />
would have been in the late 1980s or perhaps around 1990. These<br />
days he would have absolutely cleaned up as a show hunter.<br />
He had the most amazing movement and if I could have got him<br />
to measure over 14.2, I would have bought him for dressage when<br />
his owners put him on the market. He was sold to someone in<br />
NSW, I think around Tamworth but I could be wrong in that.<br />
He definitely gave me a taste for Morgans but I didn’t find<br />
much in Queensland that caught my eye until I saw your horse<br />
[RanchBoss Cortez]. I rang you once about a service but was<br />
stationed in Western Queensland at the time and I only had the<br />
one broodie – and then EI came along and that was that.<br />
{We] are breeding Warmbloods now but I still think the Morgans<br />
are wonderful.”<br />
Notes on the back of the photo<br />
REGISTRATION FEES – Pure & Part Bred Morgans<br />
MHAA members rates are:<br />
Stallions $40<br />
Mares $30<br />
Geldings $15<br />
Transfer fee (upon sale of registered horse to new owner) – $20 per horse<br />
Complimentary membership to fi rst time owners of pure and part bred Morgans<br />
Notifi cation of birth of Pure Bred foal entails no fee but a late fee of $10 applies if notifi cation is later than<br />
90 days after foaling date.<br />
There is a $5 foal notifi cation fee for Part Breds, which is deductible from the adult registration fee.<br />
Notifi cation of gelding – no fee applicable<br />
DNA testing for pure breds – $85<br />
Registration and/or transfer of horses available from MHAA website. Any queries, contact:<br />
Pure Breds:<br />
Judi Anderson<br />
Tel: (03) 9756 0128<br />
Email: pure_registrar@morganhorse.com.au<br />
Non members fees are:<br />
Stallions $70<br />
Mares $60<br />
Geldings $45<br />
Part Breds:<br />
Sandi Frolich<br />
Tel: 0404 025 614<br />
Email: part_registrar@morganhorse.com.au<br />
12
2014 National Ride A Morgan Day<br />
Blair Ireland with Mt Tawonga Lucas, Bonhaven Park Spirit, Samaria<br />
Creek Yankee Echo & Samaria Creek Xena<br />
Red Bluff Nakita & Jessica Mason<br />
Moonbah Fortune Cookie & Bell Widdison –<br />
only his second ride<br />
Fernleigh Creek Neo & Tammy Woolley<br />
Wilga Park Jacobinia & Lea-Anne Willett<br />
Ruth McGill's Oz Hicountry Mitch<br />
giving lessons on NRAMD<br />
13
2014 National Ride A Morgan Day<br />
Diane Young & King‛s Genevieve<br />
Samaria Creek Xena & Blair Ireland<br />
Mt Tawonga Timbre &<br />
Steph Martin<br />
Mt Tawonga Idaho & 5yo Willow Martin<br />
Mt Tawonga Yoiks & 7yo Oliver Martin<br />
Wilga Park Desert Rose & Tammy-Lee Penney<br />
Samaria Creek Yankee Echo & Blair Ireland<br />
14
2014 National Ride A Morgan Day<br />
Wilga Park Golden Ash & Sue Bendotti<br />
Fernleigh Creek Madralena, ready to ride<br />
(The unseen) Chris Maroni<br />
on Mt Tawonga Narratore<br />
being photographed by Alanna<br />
Goetzinger on Wilga Park<br />
Jalapeno<br />
Lisa Wong on Moonbah Fortunate One & Kath Fry<br />
on Tui's Song of Songs<br />
MaryAnn Schafer didn‛t get<br />
to ride on November 8th for<br />
a multitude of reasons, so no<br />
National Ride A Morgan Day<br />
photo this year. However<br />
she finally got to saddle up<br />
on their Thanksgiving Day<br />
holiday so here is a photo of<br />
her and Stormswept Cricket<br />
(Antietam On Command<br />
x Bowood Elusiv Dream).<br />
You can‛t see her ‘Indian<br />
headband‛ very well (feather<br />
and black braids hanging on<br />
either side of the helmet)<br />
but you can see Cricket‛s<br />
‘Pilgrim‛ hat.<br />
Tell us your<br />
stories, show us<br />
your Morgans!<br />
Email words & pics to<br />
ozmorgan@21century.com.au<br />
Type in Word, plain paragraphs, no formatting.<br />
Send photos as separate jpeg files.<br />
Do not embed in text.<br />
Make sure all photos are fully captioned.<br />
Deadline for the next issue<br />
of The Morgan <strong>Messenger</strong> is<br />
January 31.<br />
MHAA Membership fees<br />
Membership year is 1 February – 31 January.<br />
Ordinary membership – $55<br />
Family/Stud membership – $77<br />
Junior membership – $22<br />
Corporate membership – $275<br />
Subscriber – $33 (MM & MC only)<br />
Junior member must be under 18 years on 1 February of<br />
the year membership is issued.<br />
The Morgan <strong>Messenger</strong> (MM) & Morgan Corroboree<br />
(MC) come with all memberships.<br />
15
FOR SALE<br />
Rising 3yo pure bred gelding, Belvue Masters Apprentice (MHAA reg pending) aka Perky.<br />
(Mt Tawonga King x Warlock’s Picturesque [imp USA])<br />
Bright bay over 15hh at 2½ yo, solid bone with potential to<br />
grow to 15.2h (parents 15.2 and 15.3hh). Perky is ready to<br />
start and dying to do something. He has had plenty of time<br />
and feed to grow well and he just needs to fi nd a person to<br />
show him what to do next. Has been taught to lead, basic<br />
lunging, had regular foot trims and worming. Perky looks to<br />
have a rocking horse canter and wants to meet everyone,<br />
including monster tractors that make hay! Friendly, easygoing<br />
youngster with loads of potential. Seems to be brave and<br />
curious like most King babies. I will be sending him to a<br />
starter this summer; price is negotiable prior to my investment<br />
and will increase once he is started.<br />
$4,000 ONO, located in SA.<br />
Photo: Michelle Meijer<br />
I am looking to reduce my herd due to family illness commitments which means<br />
I need to sell or possibly lease my mares. These include:<br />
Warlock’s Picturesque (imp USA)<br />
15.2+hh rising 10yo fl axen chestnut with possible sabino gene. Kind, easy<br />
to breed and produces lovely natured foals including Ariel of Belvue,<br />
Belvue Masters Apprentice, Wirraway D’Artgnan, and her present fi lly,<br />
who may be for sale (see photo in foal pictorial pages).<br />
Warlock's<br />
Picturesque<br />
Red Bluff Evita<br />
10yo homozygous black Lippitt mare 14.1hh, started under saddle, has<br />
been in foal but would need attention to hold foal, easy going bulldozer,<br />
champion mare only time shown, green under saddle, has scarring on<br />
front shoulder which does affect her movement at times.<br />
Ladyhawke Cruisin<br />
7yo, palomino, by PT Cruiser(AI) out of Mt Tawonga Sophia. Smidge under<br />
14.2hh. Started under saddle with light work, showed potential over jumps,<br />
but has had little work lately; opinionated, sensitive, stunning looking mare.<br />
Red Bluff<br />
Evita<br />
(Photo:<br />
Michelle<br />
Meijer)<br />
Mt Tawonga Sophia<br />
Bay 14.3hh, rising 15yo, by Wawayanda Watch Out out of Aura Dell Misty.<br />
Champion mare, SA National Morgan Show against other champions; dam<br />
of Watching Royalty and Ladyhawke Cruisin; in foal to Mt Tawonga King for<br />
a summer foal who will be a full sibling to Watching Royalty; this foal will be<br />
available at weaning or as a package to approved home.<br />
Ladyhawke Cruisin<br />
(Photo: Michelle Meijer)<br />
Ladyhawke Cruisin<br />
& Mt Tawonga Sophia<br />
(Photo: Michelle Meijer)<br />
I don’t want to sell any but needs must I will sell some.<br />
They will be priced according to my attachment to them. Ranging from $6500 up.<br />
Please email for more photos carolinetarr@aapt.net.au or phone 0407 769 979.<br />
16
NEWS FROM STATE LIAISON OFFICERS<br />
Tasmania<br />
News from Laura Minami: “Judi Anderson recently visited<br />
our island state and despite her busy schedule, drove down to<br />
Woodbridge to meet my boys, Red Bluff Just Capital (JC) and<br />
Mt Tawonga Ray of Sunshine (Charlie). It was wonderful to<br />
finally get to meet Judi after all these years of being a member<br />
of the Australian Morgan Horse Association; I think I was the<br />
16th person to join the Association. We swapped stories and one<br />
in particular had us giggling. Every year the road leading to our<br />
house is closed for a rally car race called Targa Tasmania. It’s a<br />
tarmac rally that travels over 2000 kms with over 40 competitive<br />
stages on closed roads. The road we live on, Woodbridge Hill<br />
Road, is one of the competitive stages. The cliché “a picture is<br />
worth a thousand words” seems relevant here – below is a picture<br />
of JC (back) and Noddy (my youngest daughter’s Warmblood)<br />
casually eating hay whilst a Lamborghini screams past them at<br />
a frightening speed!<br />
From Bruce Cornelius: “Things at Mollydooka Morgans are<br />
going smoothly. Mt Tawonga Tiara is in foal to RanchBoss Cortez<br />
and Mt Tawonga Anna has recently had a Cortez filly (Mollydooka<br />
Birdsong) who is now two months old and built like a tank!<br />
Mollydooka Smokin Gun – aka Buzz – (Baptise Levis Strauss<br />
x Tredway Fate) is nearly two years old and starting to show<br />
who the man on the farm is! Mollydooka AlliKat (Tui’s Theme<br />
Song x Mt.Tawonga Tiara) has just turned one and is looking<br />
superb, showing signs of being very athletic and agile.<br />
Ian Leighton spent the day at Mollydooka with Buzz and AlliKat<br />
recently; much appreciated, Ian. We are slowly building up our<br />
breeding stock and hopefully soon will have foals for sale. We<br />
now have a website, www.mollydookamorgans.com, and a<br />
Facebook page, so please check them out.”<br />
My youngest daughter Caitlin has moved back home after<br />
living on the mainland for a number of years. Luckily I did<br />
not make her sell her Warmblood, Noddy. She has been able to<br />
take up where she left off with him. She has also started riding<br />
both the Morgan boys. I am not sure who her favourite is yet.<br />
Charlie is very sensitive and eager to please. We refer to JC as<br />
the ‘Energizer Bunny’ who is very forward and keen when it<br />
comes to a new task.”<br />
Mt Tawonga Tiara<br />
Caitlin<br />
& Red<br />
Bluff Just<br />
Capital<br />
Mollydooka Smokin Gun<br />
17
Mt Tawonga Anna & Mollydooka Birdsong<br />
From your SLO: Fernleigh Creek Neo (above) has been under<br />
saddle for about eight weeks now. He is going wonderfully and<br />
hasn’t put a hoof wrong, although he doesn’t like picking up<br />
the right canter lead! I have had an offer to buy him, my riding<br />
coach is now keen to get a Morgan and is asking her other pupils<br />
along to watch my lessons so they can see how wonderful my<br />
Morgan horse is. Neo and I also had the pleasure of meeting Judi<br />
Anderson which shows what a wonderful community we have<br />
within the MHAA and how the breed brings people together.<br />
Tammy Woolley<br />
Mollydooka AlliKat<br />
MHAA State Liaison Officers<br />
New South Wales<br />
Deborah Gorman<br />
Omar Street, Collector NSW 2581.<br />
Tel: 02 4848 0068; nsw@morganhorse.com.au<br />
Queensland<br />
Rhonda Menzies-Moreland<br />
PO Box 19, Warwick Qld 4370.<br />
Tel: 0408 740 710; qld@morganhorse.com.au<br />
South Australia<br />
Michele Meijer<br />
c/o Post Office Wistow SA 5251.<br />
Tel: 0429 140 322; sa@morganhorse.com.au<br />
Tasmania<br />
Tammy Woolley<br />
51 Roches Beach Road, Roches Beach Tas 7170<br />
Tel: 0410 600 888; tas@morganhorse.com.au<br />
Victoria<br />
Elise Peters<br />
PO Box 21, Benalla Vic 3671.<br />
Tel: 0404 537 618; vic@morganhorse.com.au<br />
Western Australia<br />
Rachel Whan<br />
364 Padbury Avenue, Herne Hill WA 6056.<br />
Tel: 0427 598 213; wa@morganhorse.com.au<br />
Northern Territory<br />
Vacant<br />
18
South Australia<br />
There is not much to report from South Australia this issue.<br />
The one show we had, no-one turned up, which was very<br />
disappointing.<br />
Crystanby Hrimfaxi is about to be gelded and I am looking<br />
forward to being able to ride him once he is old enough, and I<br />
want to specialise in Working Equitation with him. Of course<br />
this means Crystanby Aqarian will be my stud stallion.<br />
When we had the Pedro Neves clinic in October, we made the<br />
local paper! Two Morgans were pictured in the article: Pedro<br />
Neves on Mt Tawonga Kitty and Deb Thompson on part Morgan,<br />
Blue Gum Chiboom. Other Morgans that took part in the clinic<br />
were pure mare Fernleigh Creek Madralena and part Morgan<br />
gelding, Boomtown Indiana.<br />
Crystanby Hrimfaxi on his 2nd birthday (28 November)<br />
Tui’s Moana was going to be started but due to health and time<br />
restraints I have not managed to do this, so she will be going to<br />
Mt Tawonga King and will be offered for sale in foal to him.<br />
She has had two foals by him before – Belvue Phoenix and Lord<br />
of Belvue – so this will be a great asset to someone’s<br />
stud program.<br />
I am still waiting on one foal to arrive from Eagleview<br />
Benita (x MEMC Crown Royal).<br />
Left: Pedro Neves<br />
riding Mt Tawonga<br />
Kitty<br />
Below: Boomtown<br />
Indiana in the clinic<br />
A very pregnant<br />
Eagleview Benita<br />
19
This is my last year as SLO after three years so anyone interested<br />
in taking on the position next year, please put in a nomination<br />
for the AGM.<br />
Queensland<br />
Michelle Meijer<br />
Well, this will be my first news as Queensland SLO and I hope,’<br />
as time goes on, to get a good handle on bringing everyone the<br />
latest from the Queensland crew. But for now, I am learning the<br />
ropes, so please forgive me if I happen to ‘misplace’ anyone’s<br />
important news.<br />
My husband Peter and I live in Warwick in the South East<br />
Queensland area on a 25 acre block and started our Morgan habit<br />
with our first mare, Illoura Serendipity, whom we purchased in<br />
2009. We attended our first National Morgan Show in 2010 at<br />
Jindabyne, by which time we were hooked. We now have four<br />
Morgans, one of which is our three year old palomino colt,<br />
Haymeron Park Merlin Hawk. Another first for us.<br />
on to our other newest member, Kellie Munro, from Cambooya.<br />
Welcome to both of you.<br />
News from Lea-Anne & Craig Willet: “Just a short note from<br />
us and Wilga Park Jacobinia. We are very happy to say things<br />
continue to improve with Jay’s fetlock. We have been using a<br />
higher grade turmeric and changed to a quality green-lipped<br />
mussel powder. He is looking awesome, feeling well and back<br />
to being a ‘Dennis the Menace’! We have started back with<br />
long slow walks under saddle and occasionally a couple of<br />
steps of trot. His trot in the paddock is definitely coming along!<br />
Recently we competed at Murwullimbah Show, taking home the<br />
Champion Palomino and Best Mane and Tail. I hope to return<br />
next time under saddle.<br />
We also participated in National Ride A Morgan Day, taking<br />
Jay and Esme for a long ride at Schusters Park. We got up very<br />
early but it was still a very hot 32 degrees by the time we got<br />
back to the float at 8.30am! At least there were no arguments<br />
over being hosed off that day.<br />
Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and gets time to play<br />
with their furbabies.”<br />
Above: Craig<br />
& Wilga Park<br />
Jacobinia back on<br />
show<br />
Right:<br />
Lea-Anne on<br />
National Ride A<br />
Morgan Day<br />
New Qld SLO, Rhonda Menzies-Moreland, with Illoura Serendipity<br />
We have met some great people, had many new experiences in<br />
our journey and are looking forward to many more. I hope my<br />
role as SLO allows me to give back to the Morgan Horse and<br />
the people who love to own them, as others have given so much<br />
time and friendship to me. Many thanks to the Board members<br />
for allowing me this great opportunity.<br />
We have two new members to welcome to MHAA Queensland.<br />
The first is Wendy Brown from Allora who purchased pure bred<br />
Mt Tawonga Topaz and part bred Mt Tawonga Summer. Wendy<br />
has been around the Morgan show scene for a little while now,<br />
often spotted riding Wilga Park’s Mt Tawonga Oscar. It seems<br />
Wendy has been very busy and has now sold Mt Tawonga Topaz<br />
News from Helena Shanal & Killara Lodge Oops: “The<br />
mares put to Killara Lodge Oops last season have all delivered<br />
safely (including the 25yo!) and the foals are pretty and spunky<br />
with above-average movement. Thanks to everyone who chose<br />
to have an Oops baby, we hope they fulfill your performance<br />
dreams.<br />
The stallion himself recently completed his second ODE,<br />
winning the dressage phase, clear in showjumping and clear<br />
but 10 seconds late in cross country to come 2nd overall. Jump<br />
20
the tall bay colt that emerged, is of the same ilk as his older<br />
siblings. RanchBoss Cortez and Paprika foals are an awesome,<br />
awesome cross!<br />
Calypso, on the other hand, gave me conniptions when she was<br />
showing signs of serious labour contractions with no resultant<br />
foal, a week prior to her final delivery. After the horrendous<br />
experience of Calypso’s butt-first breach birth that would have<br />
ended in the death of both mare and foal without the expertise<br />
of the brilliant vets at Oakey Veterinary Hospital, I was in total<br />
panic mode. Our vets, knowing her history, were careful (and<br />
reflective) in their advice, but allayed most of my fears with the<br />
statement that ‘the foal seems to be in the right position, but no<br />
foal is going to come out of that cervix right now’. Maybe the<br />
foal was simply lying in a painful position, but those ‘labour’<br />
pains lasted for most of the day.<br />
Killara Lodge<br />
Oops<br />
training is going well and our coach assures us we can look at<br />
at least 1.10m courses in the future!<br />
Also this 5yo 14.1hh stallion is doing well in his Working<br />
Equitation training and will hopefully be involved in displays<br />
to promote the sport which won’t hurt promotion of the breed<br />
either. The best news of all is that Oops has been named a<br />
finalist at the Queensland EA Dressage End of Year Awards<br />
evening – we’ll find out what he’s won next Saturday night!<br />
Nice to have Morgan representation among all the traditional<br />
dressage breeds; so riders, get out there and keep dressaging<br />
your Morgans!”<br />
When Calypso did foal down it was a ‘red bag’ birth – something<br />
I have dreaded and hoped never to experience! I have always<br />
had a very sharp knife that belonged to Greg’s deceased dad in<br />
our foaling kit for this particular scenario. As that red velvet bag<br />
appeared, instead of the white amniotic sack, my heart skipped<br />
a dozen beats and I prayed Greg was not far away (he never<br />
makes it to the foaling stable as quickly as I do when the alarm<br />
goes off). I sliced the ‘red bag’ with Pop’s knife, then used my<br />
fingers to break the white amniotic sac that was enclosed. The<br />
foal was coming in the right position, but we had very little time<br />
to drag her into the world, as she no longer had oxygen flowing<br />
through the umbilical cord.<br />
Greg and I used all our strength to pull that foal into the world.<br />
She took her first breath like all normal foals, and wasn’t gasping<br />
for oxygen, thank heavens. We had saved her life.<br />
The look and temperament of the beautiful smokey black filly,<br />
Wilga Park Sassafras, that Calypso delivered that night is almost<br />
indescribable. When it comes to the type of Morgan horse we<br />
aspire to breed, she exceeds our expectations.<br />
Wilga Park News: “October – what a momentous month! Our<br />
three foals due for 2014 all arrived between 7 and 26 October.<br />
Red Bluff Paprika, Eagleview Skybeau (aka Calypso) and<br />
Haymeron Park Ruby Jane (aka RJ) were all kind and delivered<br />
their babies at a time that allowed me to be there. The deliveries<br />
were not without trauma, however.<br />
Paprika, in her own un-demonstrative way, simply lay down<br />
and delivered her huge colt foal, Gambel Oak, without any<br />
preamble. She shows no signs of labour pains at all. I had<br />
popped down to the stables to do a final check before gong to<br />
bed, clean out any manure and fill water buckets. Paprika was<br />
the final port of call. I checked her teats. Strings of ‘wax’ were<br />
there. I phoned Greg (rather than walk back the short distance<br />
to the house) and told him I was staying down at the stable as<br />
I thought we’d have a foal in a few hours’ time. The moment I<br />
finished that call Paprika lay down to give birth. Gambel Oak,<br />
Kathy & Wilga Park Sassafras<br />
21
My heart stops when I think that this perfect specimen of Morgan<br />
flesh may have been lost to the Morgan world if we had not<br />
been there. She is a total delight. We have, however, made the<br />
decision to never let Calypso carry another foal. We cannot risk<br />
losing this beautiful mare, the first Morgan we owned. We will<br />
only ever do embryo transfer with her in future.<br />
Haymeron Park Ruby Jane was very considerate and foaled<br />
down on a weekend, a little earlier than her due date. Greg was<br />
away at the time so I was, for the first time, delivering a foal by<br />
myself. The Ragtime Oro Blanco colt that RJ delivered wanted<br />
to be on his feet within moments. A very brave, confident boy!<br />
RJ usually restricts her foal’s interaction with humans, and did<br />
so for about three days. However, Wilga Park River Gum wanted<br />
to learn more about these humans he’d encountered and kept<br />
breaking mum’s rules. He loves to gallop and he’s built like he’s<br />
been working out in his own private gym inside the womb. As<br />
much as he has such good, defined muscle, he is as light as a<br />
ballet dancer on his feet.<br />
Sue Brumby with Wilga Park Gambel Oak<br />
Cortez was having with the people. Sue and her stepdaughter<br />
will be frequent visitors to get a ‘horse-fix’ over the coming<br />
months.<br />
We managed to fit in a visit to Rhonda and Peter of Warrabel<br />
Morgan Stud in Warwick just after they had taken possession<br />
of their new mare, Shibui Cilla (RanchBoss Cortez x Tui’s<br />
Diana’s Song), and their stallion, Haymeron Park Merlin Hawk<br />
had returned from his starting process with John Wicks. What<br />
a delight it was to meet the young Cilla. Her photos simply do<br />
not do her justice. She is a striking mare with the most beautiful<br />
dish in her nose. What an awesome mare she will be when she<br />
matures!<br />
Wilga Park River Gum & Haymeron Park Ruby Jane<br />
Of course, as soon as the foaling has started, so has the breeding!<br />
We are hopeful of at least six foals next year. The really exciting<br />
news is that Wilga Park Malaynee is in foal to Wilga Park<br />
Conquistador – and we have our fingers crossed that Pelennor<br />
Belmarie is also carrying a Conquistador baby. Another thrilling<br />
bit of news – Red Bluff Evette is all set to deliver us a Cortez<br />
foal next September.<br />
RJ is at the breeding centre with her buckskin boy, River Gum,<br />
and we are hopeful of another Ragtime Oro Blanco (Casper) x<br />
RJ foal again in 2015. Part of the reason for that decision was<br />
that Cortez was to be at Equitana just about when RJ was ready<br />
to go in foal. As it happened, Cortez had returned in time to do<br />
the job, as RJ is being a little slow with her follicle, but we didn’t<br />
hesitate to continue with our plan. River Gum is just becoming<br />
nicer by the day and we’d like to see a similar foal next year.<br />
We had a visit from a lovely lady we had met at the Equine<br />
Expo in September. Sue Brumby has a desire to own a horse<br />
and was at the Expo to look at all the breeds displayed there.<br />
She wandered down the line of display stables and met each of<br />
the horses representing their breed. She said later that it was the<br />
Morgan who stole her heart, simply because of the interaction<br />
Rhonda, Kathy & Shibui Cilla<br />
Suz Bendotti and Andrea Veidners from Broome, WA, headed<br />
to Queensland in November. We left at 5.30am to head to<br />
Brisbane to collect them, giving Cortez a pat before we left, as<br />
he was heading to Equitana at about 6.30, with Linda Shore.<br />
Tammy-Lee Penney arranged for us to meet up at Kath Fry’s<br />
place on the way home, so that Suz could meet her Wilga Park<br />
Golden Ash’s younger brother, Grenadier. Kath had morning<br />
tea waiting for us, and so we enjoyed an hour or so swapping<br />
stories about our Morgans. We couldn’t help but comment on<br />
just how balanced and good looking Grenadier is at two years<br />
of age. No unbalanced growth spurts for him!<br />
On Monday we had lunch at Wilga Park so that all the old<br />
Broome Buddies could catch up (and there are a few of them,<br />
as they seem to be all migrating to Queensland) along with<br />
22
Kath Fry &<br />
Wilga Park<br />
Grenadier<br />
Right: Wilga Park<br />
Chambourcin<br />
ridden by Charlie<br />
Sue Bendotti & Tammie Pike & her youngest daughter Brooke<br />
Above: Wilga Park Serjania ridden by Jan Tucker<br />
Below: Jan with Wilga Park Santa Cruz<br />
Andrea-Veidners, Sue Bendotti & Tammy-Lee Penney with Wilga<br />
Park Cabernet & Wilga Park Boquila<br />
other Wilga Park kids’ owners. Lots of fun and laughter was<br />
the order of the day.<br />
Greg flew out to Equitana on Tuesday morning and he had a<br />
jam-packed few days. He managed to fit in a visit to Shibui<br />
Morgans at Bullengarook. Gill was hectic getting organized for<br />
her Black Horse Clothing Stand at Equitana, but organized a<br />
young rider to ride Wilga Park Chambourcin, so that Greg could<br />
take some photos. I really loved seeing the mature ‘Champy’.<br />
He also braved the Melbourne traffic to make his way to the<br />
Mornington Peninsula to visit Jan Tucker and her two Wilga<br />
Park kids, 7 year old Serjania (aka Jack) and 4 year old Santa<br />
Cruz. Jan kindly organized her riding lesson on Jack to be a little<br />
earlier so that Greg could see him in action. I was hanging out<br />
for those photos as well!<br />
23
Linda and Cortez had a wonderful time in Victoria. They were<br />
chosen, along with Warren Backhouse and his reining Quarter<br />
Horse, for the Advanced Master Class in Western Dressage.<br />
Greg joined the crew on the MHAA breed stand for a number<br />
of hours and really enjoyed catching up with the Victorians.<br />
We can’t thank Brenda and Petra enough for their hospitality<br />
in putting up Linda, Cortez and Greg at their Riddells Creek<br />
property. Their generous offer made life so much easier for the<br />
Queenslanders.<br />
As this is the December issue, we wish you all a very merry<br />
Christmas and a tremendously prosperous New Year.”<br />
From Ami Anderson: “Welcome to the world Now In Love<br />
aka Izzy. 30th September 2014 saw the arrival of my much<br />
anticipated foal. She surprised me and was born nine days<br />
early with Fernleigh Creek Scarlett showing absolutely no<br />
signs that she would foal in the next few days, let alone the<br />
next few hours! I guess the next best thing missing the foaling<br />
is finding a healthy foal up and nursing. She would have been<br />
less than an hour old when I discovered her in the stable, she<br />
was so tiny she could walk under Scarlett’s belly. I am so excited<br />
with this cross. Fernleigh Creek Scarlett, pure Morgan, crossed<br />
with a 16.3hh German Warmblood stallion, Now On Top, who<br />
carries the wonderful jumping lines of Contender and Voltaire.<br />
I spent a year looking and researching Warmblood stallions,<br />
to find the best horse who had temperament, confirmation and<br />
was able to complement Scarlett. This filly will be presented<br />
for ACE registration in February next year and her Australian<br />
Warmblood registration is pending and, of course, she will be<br />
a Part Bred Morgan as well. I hope this cross will open up the<br />
doors to produce a horse with the best of both breeds but adding<br />
more height to accommodate us taller riders! Here’s looking<br />
forward to the future.”<br />
Fernleigh Creek Scarlett & Now In Love (at 5 weeks old)<br />
Leambro Morgans: “Well, in the past two weeks here at Leambro<br />
Morgans we have seen the arrival of two part bred Morgan foals<br />
sired by SFG Drayton. The first is a little filly, Leambro Monkey<br />
Business, who was born healthy and luckily with a mum who<br />
clearly wanted to be a mum. Our second foal was a little colt<br />
born November 20 who we found by accident when we were<br />
feeding his mum. She has totally abandoned him and refused<br />
to feed him, no matter what. Had to get the vet out that night to<br />
sedate her so we could milk her for the colostrum for the foal.<br />
I had to race into town to get a baby bottle. We sedated her for<br />
three days, hoping she would feed him, but she wasn’t having<br />
a bar of him and started to get a bit nasty toward him. Anyway,<br />
so far he seems to be doing well with Steve setting the alarm<br />
and feeding him every two hours. We have made a little barn<br />
in our garage to make things a bit easier for all concerned. We<br />
can both see he has put on weight so hopefully we have a good<br />
outcome. We have named him Leambro Miracolo (which is<br />
Italian for miracle).”<br />
Lisa & Tim Wong have been so busy with Equitana that they<br />
don’t have a report for this issue but Eatons Hill Morgans and<br />
the Wong family would like to wish everyone the happiest<br />
Christmas memories.<br />
News from us at Warrabel Morgans: There is always something<br />
happening in the world of horses and, although we don’t have<br />
any lovely foals coming along at this point, we still manage to<br />
increase the numbers. At some point in time I was of the belief<br />
that most things would be ‘planned’, but not so at our place.<br />
Our lovely colt, Haymeron Park Merlin Hawk, had a couple of<br />
weeks earlier this year with John Wicks for some ground work<br />
and then returned to him again in July for starting under saddle.<br />
John has not had too many Morgans through his hands and was<br />
pleased with how steady in temperament Merlin was for a young<br />
horse and he has come home looking much more grown up.<br />
John put Merlin and I through a really good lesson before he<br />
would let me bring him home and then two days later, Merlin<br />
and I went off to our first horsemanship clinic together. This<br />
was his first time out under saddle and in mixed company and<br />
he handled it all really well. He managed to save his showing<br />
off until he was safely back in his yard each day ... then he had<br />
quite a fan club and has gained the nickname of Surfer Boy due<br />
to his blonde mane and golden body.<br />
My mare, Illoura Serendipity, has been to a couple of clinics<br />
with me also and we have been able to get out to a number of<br />
trail rides, which has given me the opportunity to gain a great<br />
connection with her that does not involve the rigours of training<br />
for anything in particular. We attended a great ride just today,<br />
about an hour’s drive from home in the hills of Mt Colliery and<br />
it is truly beautiful. Hills, creek crossings, some open areas and<br />
a packed lunch enjoyed while sitting under the trees while the<br />
horses enjoyed the very rare green pick! I’m pretty sure Sera<br />
smiles as much as I do on those rides. She has proven to be<br />
steady as a rock and we are now adding to our kilometres under<br />
saddle for Morgans for Pleasure. To make it all even so much<br />
more enjoyable, we had the company of two more Morgans<br />
with Tammy-Lee Penney on Wilga Park Sage and Ruth McGill<br />
on Oz Hicountry Mitch.<br />
As I said earlier, we manage to grow our herd without foals<br />
and recently took possession of Shibui Cilla, a lovely filly by<br />
RanchBoss Cortez out of Tui’s Diana’s Song. It was exciting<br />
to have her finally arrive, 15.1 hands of lovely Morgan with<br />
the prettiest face and very long legs. She and Illoura Anastasia,<br />
our other 3 year old filly, are now inseparable and spend many<br />
hours mooching around the paddock.<br />
24
We had the pleasure of showing off our babies when Kathy and<br />
Greg Lyons visited along with Tammy-Lee Penney and then<br />
Clarie Chappell joined Peter and I in the afternoon for more<br />
horse talk and making the time to meet Merlin.<br />
Well, as we are coming to the end of another year and we will<br />
hopefully have some time to relax with friends and family, Peter<br />
and I wish all a safe and happy Christmas and the prospect of<br />
a great new year to come.<br />
Rhonda Menzies-Moreland<br />
Western Australia<br />
News from Roanna Leyland: “Well, the show year has come<br />
to an end for our team and it has ended in a superb fashion. I<br />
couldn’t be more delighted with the progress of Spoilt Brat Ella<br />
who is on a well-earned break. Since our last update we have<br />
participated in several shows and it has taken a few years but Ella<br />
is finally pulling it together to produce some amazing work.<br />
This year Ella returned to the Perth Royal Show, where she<br />
was placed highly in all her Show Hunter classes as well as a<br />
foot perfect workout in Champion. Each day her work stepped<br />
up another level, coping extremely well with the excitable<br />
atmosphere and even fireworks! On the final day, in the Part Bred<br />
Morgan classes, Ella was seen to be unbeatable, walking away<br />
with Supreme Part Bred Morgan In Hand as well as winning<br />
the Ridden class. We were rapt with her results throughout the<br />
week and impressed with the partnership she has with Rhys<br />
Stanley, her rider and handler.<br />
Rhys & Ella, Working Hunter Galloway of the Year, 2014 HOTY<br />
Already qualified for next year’s Royal Show, we are looking<br />
forward to next year’s show season and, most of all, looking<br />
forward to attending the National Morgan Show in Perth next<br />
year. Wishing everyone a happy and safe Christmas and New<br />
Year from the Leyland family.”<br />
News from Crossmatch Morgans: “We have some wonderful<br />
news to report in that the lovely Crossmatch Chevrolet (Chevy),<br />
three quarter Morgan, 2yo, gelding has the ultimate new home.<br />
Sam (Samantha) Sottolgio of Baldivis had been quietly looking<br />
for a young horse to take on as her current horse is now in his<br />
late teens and carrying a few ailments. Sam had looked at a<br />
number of different breeds and types prior to looking at Chevy<br />
who immediately connected the moment they met. Sam had not<br />
really experienced the Morgan breed prior to meeting Chevy,<br />
although she had seen Chevy’s brother, Crossmatch Cadyllac,<br />
on a couple of occasions and was very impressed with the type<br />
of horse; it was actually Caddy’s owner who suggested to Sam<br />
that she should contact me.<br />
Spoilt Brat Ella & Rhys Stanley<br />
Supreme Part Bred Morgan In Hand, Perth Royal<br />
A few weeks after the Royal, Ella and Rhys attended the Show<br />
Horse Council Horse of the Year where she worked the house<br />
down to win the Working Hunter Galloway of the Year. Having<br />
only set this goal a couple months prior, this was a massive<br />
achievement for the team! Ella was also top 10 in the Show<br />
Hunter Galloway.<br />
25<br />
As mentioned, Chevy seemed to really connect with Sam the<br />
moment they met and it was at that moment I knew they were<br />
meant to be together as Chevy was definitely the type of horse<br />
who would pick his people. As you can all imagine, Sam has<br />
now really been bitten by that Morgan bug with Chevy well<br />
and truly part of the Sottolgio family and in actual fact, Sam<br />
said Chevy has behaved as though he has been with them all his<br />
life as from day one he just settled right in and he immediately<br />
bonded with Sam’s older horse Fax. Sam plans to spend a lot<br />
of time doing groundwork on Chevy while he is still young and<br />
in the future she will enjoy doing Natural Horsemanship with<br />
him along with some showing.<br />
It is truly a wonderful feeling knowing that the horse we have<br />
bred and reared has accepted and enjoyed his transition into his<br />
new life and Sam has been fantastic, sending us updates; we are<br />
just so, so happy. It is so nice to sell a horse and feel so good<br />
about the sale that I can sleep peacefully.<br />
This has been the most perfect matching of horse and owner
Tandom Miss Scarlett, Taleah & Natalie Beard<br />
Crossmatch Chevrolet & Sam Sottolgio<br />
but I am now afraid Sam has set the bar higher for any future<br />
sales at Crossmatch Morgans, particularly since we only have<br />
one or two more horses available for sale as we are no longer<br />
breeding. I am sure that we will be hearing a lot from these<br />
two in the future.<br />
All other horses at Crossmatch are looking fantastic and it is<br />
now time to get really serious about the ANMS so it looks like<br />
the next three months are going to get busy. I would also like to<br />
take this opportunity to wish everyone a most enjoyable Festive<br />
Season and I look forward to a happy, healthy and very horsey<br />
start to 2015.”<br />
News from Natalie Beard: “I apologise in advance for how<br />
long this is going to be – I have been meaning to write a story<br />
all year and catch everyone up with what we have been doing.<br />
Yet again, this year with my horses has turned out to be the best<br />
and most rewarding yet.<br />
This year, my 6 year old daughter began taking ‘my’ part<br />
bred Morgan (Tandom Miss Scarlett) to Pony Club. There<br />
were plenty of discussions with the chief instructor as to<br />
the suitability of a 14.3hh horse in the lead line class – and<br />
I agreed to many concessions to get us there. All these were<br />
quickly forgotten after the first rally when they all got to meet<br />
Scarlett for the first time and see just how quiet she is. Month<br />
after month she proved her worth and the confidence of my<br />
daughter grew and grew.<br />
Encouraged by our new PC friends, Taleah and Scarlett entered<br />
their first show series. Three shows across the year with each<br />
including dressage, jumping and in-hand – they did amazingly<br />
well and took out the lead line trophy at the end of the series<br />
and plenty of ribbons along the way. People were continually<br />
coming up to me and asking me about Scarlett – and the judges<br />
always commented on the bond between the two.<br />
This month my daughter turned 7 and I had promised that I<br />
would take her bush riding. I have never been so nervous as<br />
I saddled both horses (Scarlett & Crossmatch Regal Edition)<br />
and we headed out the gate. But those Morgans continue to<br />
surprise and astound me – neither put a foot wrong and things<br />
went so well we even trotted on the way home. There were<br />
smiles all round – the only issue was there was no-one to take<br />
photos of us together (but there are sure to be plenty of other<br />
opportunities in the future).<br />
I think all this is amazing enough and I am so proud of Scarlett<br />
and what she has achieved (she turns 8 this month). You would<br />
never guess that this whole time (and for god knows how long)<br />
she was in pain and suffering from bad ulcers, a badly fitted<br />
saddle (despite getting it fitted properly!) and bad dental work.<br />
The fact that she continued to work so well says so much<br />
for her character and willingness to please. We have worked<br />
through the issues, and although I didn’t think it possible, this<br />
horse has become even better in the past month!<br />
I have also had a chance to get Scarlett out and about (now<br />
that the issues have been sorted). At the PC fun day, Taleah<br />
and I shared Scarlett and people were amazed how she could<br />
fly around a jumping course with me and literally two minutes<br />
(and a quick saddle change) later, was calmly walking and<br />
trotting around the hacking ring with Taleah (winning both I<br />
might add!). Only a few horses could hoon around the novelties<br />
one minute and then happily wander at a walk for lead line the<br />
next. The following week I took her to my Adult Riders fun<br />
day and we came away with many blue ribbons against some<br />
strong competition!<br />
I have also been having fun with Crossmatch Regal Edition<br />
(Reg). This year I have been taking him to Adult Riders and<br />
we have been learning the basics together. He is such a quick<br />
learner and I feel like I hold him back with my riding ability<br />
at times (although I try really hard!). He always impresses the<br />
different instructors we have and they nearly always ask what<br />
breed he is.<br />
Reg showed his outstanding character at the Perth Royal Show<br />
this year. Winning Best Presented Morgan and coming second<br />
26
in his Gelding class, he was relaxed and attentive the whole<br />
time and performed a really good workout. We then took the<br />
plunge and participated in the Ridden class – note, this was my<br />
first ever ridden class at a show (other than little PC and AR<br />
organized fun days) and Reg’s first ever ridden show. We had<br />
about five minutes of a warm-up and then walked out to the<br />
main arena like he had done it a million times before. We ended<br />
up second in the Ridden class and the judge noted that the rider<br />
was holding him back! Lucky I have a sense of humour, and<br />
this has spurred me on to improve further between now and the<br />
National Morgan Show in only a few short months!<br />
Happy holidays and hope you all find time to spend with your<br />
lovely Morgans.”<br />
News from Jessica Blackwell: “Well, it’s with great excitement<br />
that I welcome my beautiful Ariga Park Loquacious home in<br />
the New Year with baby in tow! I’m very excited that her first<br />
foal is staying with us and I can’t wait for the adventures to<br />
come, because I know any relation to Quai is going to be a<br />
character!”<br />
Ariga Park Loquacious's foal<br />
News from Sue Buckley & Crossmatch Anastasia: “It’s been<br />
quite some time since I have submitted any updates on Anna<br />
and myself. The past few months we have continued riding and<br />
working with our local instructor, Jenny Goodman. However,<br />
my work as a coach and organisational skills really have been at<br />
near warp speed since mid July and this has seen us with minimal<br />
time in the saddle. I hosted a clinic with Barrie Stratton from<br />
Academy of Dressage in late October. It was a great success and<br />
all participants enjoyed working with Barrie. I booked two lessons<br />
a day-in-hand and ridden. Barrie and I emphasised the lateral work<br />
and it’s all coming along quite nicely. Barrie will be returning<br />
to WA in early February. I have also been conducting monthly<br />
Working Equitation clinics at my property and also some further<br />
afield. The response has been super and the future of the sport<br />
is now looking very good for WA. Clinics are booked out 6–7<br />
weeks in advance. I have set an ambitious 2015 schedule, with<br />
offering both Working Equitation training days and continuing<br />
with the introductory clinics to keep bringing new people into<br />
the sport. Interest is being generated both further south and from<br />
Perth, with dates to be finalised soon. I am seriously considering<br />
putting on a friendly competition before winter sets in. It’s<br />
been fun and I am meeting so many new riders and their super<br />
horses. It’s been quite interesting as most of the interest is either<br />
from the pleasure riders or the endurance riders. We now call<br />
the endurance rider class groups the ‘straight line club’. Their<br />
horses usually go home with LOTS to think about. That’s all<br />
from us, warm holiday wishes and happy riding. We may see<br />
some of the WA Morgan owners in March.”<br />
News from Challa Morgans: “The Mongol Derby is a horse<br />
race over 1000km where the rider swaps horses every 40km. It<br />
is a gruelling ride across remote Mongolia, where riders sleep<br />
in local yurts and eat traditional Mongolian food. This year it<br />
was won by a West Australian rider, Sam Jones. If you have<br />
time, Google her win, it was absolutely inspirational. When Sam<br />
Jones contacted me asking to overnight at Challa on her way<br />
home from the Landor Bush Races, I was very happy to say Yes<br />
and introduce her to the Challa Station Morgans.<br />
After visiting the new foal, Challa Station Tirrakoa, I took her to<br />
try and find the Lost Herd. I knew Sam was interested in Challa<br />
Station Boudicca and even though she wasn’t on the market, I<br />
asked if she would like to see her. Despite the Lost Herd being<br />
out in their 160 square km paddock, it didn’t take long for us<br />
to locate them – but one was missing. My heart sank. Challa<br />
Station Symphony (Twisty), my beautiful palomino filly out of<br />
Red Bluff Just the Ticket, was not with them. Immediately we<br />
went into search and rescue mode, deciding to check the fences<br />
in case she was caught in one of them. When we reached the<br />
trough we could see that there had been a problem. Through<br />
the fading daylight I could see hair and blood covering the<br />
smashed trough. I had seen them last 10 days ago and I suspect<br />
the accident had occurred shortly after that.<br />
It didn’t take a rocket scientist to deduce that Twisty was badly<br />
hurt and unable to keep up with the herd. As night fell, I had<br />
to give up searching and try to get some sleep. To compound<br />
matters even further, I was due to head to Perth the next day<br />
to pick up my daughter from the airport. I had to go. Early the<br />
next morning, Sam and I went out for another look but the<br />
hopelessness of it was abundantly clear. If she was dead or<br />
dying, she could be anywhere. The bush is so thick in places<br />
and the paddock so huge, I may never find her body. Sam left<br />
and I headed to Perth, carrying a dreadful feeling in my still<br />
churning stomach. The saddest thing for me was imagining<br />
how she had suffered.<br />
I was waiting at the airport for my daughter to turn up when the<br />
phone rang. Ashley, my husband was on the other end. “I found<br />
her … she is OK. She’s been through a lot but she’s here now at<br />
the homestead.” I cried with relief as he told me the story. He<br />
had come home from work just after lunch and headed out to<br />
track her up. He followed her tracks for three hours and could<br />
see where she had separated from the herd and gone on alone.<br />
He finally found her towards the eastern end of the paddock<br />
where the horses rarely go, but the same direction her mother<br />
had gone when she was gravely ill with colic. Twisty, who<br />
is usually very friendly, didn’t want to be caught. When he<br />
finally caught her, he could see she had been through an ordeal<br />
27
ut the worst was over. She had swelling and a laceration on<br />
her belly but her legs were still in good order. He fashioned a<br />
halter out of a rope he had on his handlebars and gave her a<br />
quick lesson in leading off a motorbike. On the way home he<br />
came across the rest of the herd but Twisty absolutely refused<br />
to go near them! Regardless of what he did, she would not go<br />
close to her friends, so he continued leading her home. Twisty<br />
was travelling along alright but it still took him three hours to<br />
reach the homestead.<br />
It was still another few days before I could get back home to<br />
see her in the flesh, and it was wonderful to do so. Her wounds<br />
were well under control by the time I returned and now, nearly<br />
two months later, they are fully healed. I still see her every day<br />
and haven’t made the final commitment of closing the gate and<br />
keeping the Lost Herd away from the homestead.<br />
As I look back on Twisty’s big adventure, I wonder why she<br />
separated herself from the herd. She could have stayed with them<br />
but chose not to. I would have thought that an injured horse’s<br />
chances of survival would be much greater if she stayed with<br />
them. Perhaps some primitive instinct told her to keep away and<br />
not slow the herd down – I will never know. She is now back<br />
with her herd and perfectly content, showing no signs of her<br />
ordeal. I, on the other hand, have many more grey hairs and an<br />
occasional nervous tic.<br />
Tandarra Millennium’s job is about to get a whole lot more<br />
fun! He is going to become a cow pony. Some of you may<br />
know that for 120 years Challa Station was a beautiful sheep<br />
property, running up to 10,000 merinos until 2008 when wild<br />
dogs forced us to sell our sheep. We recently made moves to<br />
acquire 250,000 acres next door, which we will combine with<br />
our 250,000 acres and develop as a cattle station. We have been<br />
mustering the scrub bulls in preparation for introducing our herd<br />
of Droughtmaster/Santa Gertrudis crosses. There is no way on<br />
this known earth that I will work the scrub bulls with Lenny,<br />
they are just too dangerous. A tonne and a half of angry bull<br />
that’s never been told what to do in its life is a bigger challenge<br />
than I am prepared to take on with my horse. Their power and<br />
fury is incredible and they can only be safely worked by a<br />
person in a bull buggy. But I digress. When we get our cattle,<br />
I will be doing as much cattlework on horseback as possible.<br />
We should have the start of our herd by the New Year. Challa<br />
Station Willow will be started under saddle after summer and<br />
will learn to work the cattle as well.<br />
National Ride A Morgan Day occurred as we were building our<br />
new cattle yards that will double as brilliant horse yards when<br />
the need arises. Despite being really busy, I decided to take<br />
Lenny to what I call the Wild Dog Arena, about four or five km<br />
from the homestead where I regularly see wild dog tracks. We<br />
had a wonderful ride for about an hour and a half and I made a<br />
video of some of it. Lenny even managed to write his name in<br />
the salt lake, if you went out there now in the plane you would<br />
still be able to see it. It was a fantastic ride and one I would not<br />
have made time for if it had not been NRAMD.<br />
Some of you will know that Challa Station Forever has been<br />
on the market. She has now found her ‘Forever home’ and will<br />
be moving to Jerramungup next week. Jerramungup is as green<br />
and cool as Challa is dry and hot. I am sure that she will love it<br />
there and I am happy that she has found a very nice owner.<br />
We are starting to get excited about the ANMS to be held in<br />
Perth in March next year. Not long to go now! We hope that<br />
some of you are able to come across and meet our lovely WA<br />
Morgans.”<br />
From Sharon Addison:<br />
“Rosebrook Park welcomed<br />
Lord of Belvue’s first foal on<br />
November 1. A healthy chestnut<br />
colt with long legs and a striking<br />
face marking, he is out of a<br />
Warmblood mare by Cooperit.<br />
Both mum and ‘Cooper’ are<br />
doing well. He is bold, friendly<br />
and confident and we are very<br />
impressed with the cross.<br />
Lochlan (Rosebrook Remember<br />
Me) is now out on summer<br />
holiday while Justine completes<br />
her thesis for uni, but D’arcy<br />
Above & left:<br />
Cooper<br />
(Rosebrook Worth the Wait) will continue to potter over summer<br />
with me. We attended two clinics recently, a Ride with Your<br />
Mind school with Denise O’Reilly from the UK and another<br />
with Frederico Saramago from Portugal.”<br />
News from here at Hodgson Park: It is unbelievable that we<br />
are coming to the end of another year. I didn’t have any foals<br />
due this year but it has been exciting planning for Wilga Park<br />
Conquistador’s first foals to be born next year. I will have a<br />
pure bred foal out of Mt Tawonga Marrella and a part bred<br />
foal out of Hodgson Park Hideaway (Warmblood). Wilga Park<br />
is also planning on having two pure bred foals by him. I have<br />
been so impressed with how well Conquistador has handled<br />
the breeding season. Even though he certainly knows what the<br />
trips to the vet now mean, he has remained an easy, although<br />
slightly cheeky, boy to handle. The vets (and I) are amazed at<br />
the quality of Conquistador’s semen – his motility, density and<br />
longevity. Luckily my work office is filled with science teachers<br />
as I don’t think most people would quite understand my sharing<br />
this information!<br />
28
Unfortunately Conquistador injured himself while learning<br />
to be collected – he didn’t quite know where to put his legs!<br />
This has meant that he has not been ridden for the last couple<br />
of months. But now that his breeding season is finishing, I am<br />
looking forward to getting him back into work. Hodgson Park<br />
Fringe Lily is also ready for starting. She has been a bit slower<br />
to physically mature, although mentally she’s been ready for a<br />
while. This girl is so trainable that I can’t wait to have the time<br />
over the summer holidays to start her under saddle.<br />
I am very fortunate that Melissa Guest is happy for me to stay<br />
a part of Hodgson Park Buckingham’s life. Bucky and I went<br />
through a lot together when his dam, Wilga Park Tippuhana, had<br />
colic surgery and later had to be put to sleep. Bucky proved to<br />
me time and time again what a special boy he is, and so I was<br />
very, very pleased when he found his forever home at Hillborne<br />
with Melissa. Over the past year I have visited him on a number<br />
of occasions and each time it is clear that the bond between the<br />
two had grown and grown. But secretly it’s also nice that he<br />
still has time for cuddles with me!<br />
While Conquistador has been out of work and is now in a<br />
paddock by himself (one broken tooth due to playing too hard was<br />
enough!), I have been letting him graze in the house paddock for<br />
a bit of variety. This has proved to be entertaining, although a bit<br />
frustrating, for me too. He loves coming onto the verandah and<br />
pretending he’s a dog – picking up the dog bowls and throwing<br />
them around, picking up the dog’s water and climbing onto the<br />
dog’s beds. He thinks he’s a gardener and likes to pull down<br />
the hanging baskets or tipping over the pot plants. And he even<br />
thinks he’s a cleaner – licking the windows and outdoor tables.<br />
One time I opened the door when he was standing behind it. He<br />
took hold of the handle and commenced to pull the door open<br />
and shut. I’ve made very sure that the door is always closed<br />
when he’s out grazing as I’m sure he’d just open the door and<br />
walk right in otherwise!<br />
Rachel Whan<br />
Perth Royal Show<br />
PURE BRED CLASSES<br />
Best Presented<br />
1st Crossmatch Regal Edition & Natalie Beard<br />
2nd Pelennor Rose Royale & Clementine Ashby<br />
3rd Crossmatch Magic Edition & Emma Steel<br />
Mare, 4yrs & Over<br />
1st & Champion Mare or Filly – Pelennor Rose Royale &<br />
Clementine Ashby<br />
Stallion, 4yrs & Over<br />
1st & Champion Morgan Stallion or Colt – Pelennor<br />
Bilbo’s Legacy & Patricia Gordon<br />
Gelding, any age<br />
1st Crossmatch Magic Edition & Emma Steel<br />
2ne Crossmatch Regal Edition & Natalie Beard<br />
Champion Gelding – Crossmatch Magic Edition<br />
Supreme Champion Morgan – Pelennor Bilbo’s Legacy<br />
Ridden Morgan<br />
1st Pelennor Rose Royale & Clementine Ashby<br />
2nd Crossmatch Regal Edition & Natalie Beard<br />
3rd Crossmatch Magic Edition & Emma Steel<br />
PART BRED CLASSES<br />
Best Presented<br />
1st Pelennor Illusion & Mara Coombes<br />
2nd Sandeli Park Graffiti & Patricia Gordon<br />
3rd Sandeli Park Teddington & Kate Dowsett<br />
Mare, 4yrs & Over<br />
1st Spoilt Brat Ella & Rhys Stanley<br />
2nd Tandom Miss Scarlett & Natalie Beard<br />
Champion Part Bred Mare or Filly – Spoilt Brat Ella<br />
Gelding, any age<br />
1st Sandeli Park Graffiti & Patricia Gordon<br />
2nd Sandeli Park Teddington & Kate Dowsett<br />
3rd Pelennor Illusion & Patricia Gordon<br />
Champion Part Bred Gelding – Sandeli Park Graffiti<br />
Wilga Park<br />
Conquistador on<br />
Rachel's verandah<br />
Supreme Champion Part Bred Morgan – Spoilt Brat Ella<br />
Ridden Part Bred<br />
1st Spoilt Brat Ella & Rhys Stanley<br />
2nd Sandeli Park Graffiti & Patricia Gordon<br />
29
Perth Royal Show<br />
Crossmatch Magic Edition<br />
Tandom Miss Scarlett & Natalie Beard<br />
Pelennor Bilbo's Legacy<br />
(Photo: Hoofbeats)<br />
Spoilt Brat Ella & Rhys Stanley<br />
Sandeli Park Graffiti & Patricia Gordon<br />
(Photo: Hoofbeats)<br />
Crossmatch Regal Edition & Natalie Beard<br />
Pelennor Rose Royale & Clementine Ashby<br />
Crossmatch Magic Edition & Emma Steel<br />
Crossmatch Regal Edition &<br />
Natalie Beard<br />
30
New South Wales<br />
A lot of very exciting news from Sandi & Bell of Weemala<br />
Performance Horses at Michelago: “Well, after a news drought<br />
from us here at Weemala, the last two months have been<br />
overflowing with Morgan related happenings.<br />
Foals – On October 15, Sandi came home from work to our<br />
first foal of the season, a filly out of Bell’s Clydie x ASH mare,<br />
Springfield Dash (her first foal) and by Moonbah Fortune Cookie<br />
(his first progeny). It was off to a bit of a shaky start with Dash<br />
not allowing the foal to drink at first; Dashy has always been very<br />
touchy and sensitive in the flank area, it took a bit of convincing<br />
for Dash that it was OK for baby to venture there for a feed but<br />
with a little sedation and time, they both got the hang of it and<br />
haven’t looked back. Weemala Cougar is a leggy, solid black<br />
filly with a lovely shoulder and a great hind end. We couldn’t be<br />
happier with our FIRST girl. She has a long wait for a playmate<br />
who is due to arrive in the first week of January.<br />
Out and About – The first weekend in November we made our<br />
annual trip to Queanbeyan Show with our yearlings. This year<br />
it was the two girls, Weemala Rendezvous (Dezi) and Weemala<br />
Twilight (Twiggy). At home it was Dezi who took all her training<br />
and preparation in her stride and Twiggy quite regularly threw<br />
little tantrums when things didn’t quite go her way! But on<br />
show day it was a turnaround with Twiggy impressing both us<br />
and the judge with her behaviour and movement. Dezi was a<br />
good girl and did everything we asked but wasn’t very happy<br />
with the fact that the Hurricane decided to start up just as she<br />
headed out for her workout.<br />
Sandi at Queanbeyan Show with Weemala Twilight (L)<br />
& Weemala Rendezvous (R)<br />
It was great to see Moonbah Ridge Kaybee (Kevlar) and his<br />
owner Cindy Slaven again. We had only seen Kev once since<br />
he left our place and WOW has he done some growing up and<br />
filling out. He has made his predicted 15hh and is a very solid<br />
boy. The results for the day were:<br />
Moonbah Ridge Kaybee with Cindy Slaven<br />
from Helga at Moonbah Ridge Morgans joined our Moonbah<br />
Ridge Keiki and Moonbah Fortune Cookie as well as a friend’s<br />
TB gelding Hamish for the black foursome of three year olds.<br />
It was a busy couple of weeks for us but all four are now under<br />
saddle. The four horses could not be more different from each<br />
other and we are having a great time discovering and working<br />
with the different personalities. Moonbah Tandu is the sweetest<br />
boy who has a lovely swing to his walk and trot and even as<br />
such a baby is quite balanced in his canter. He has taken it all as<br />
it comes and is going to make a lovely riding gelding for Helga<br />
and will excel in the classical dressage that she loves. Moonbah<br />
Ridge Keiki is an independent and strong willed girl who at<br />
times thinks she knows best. But she is a substantial horse under<br />
her rider already and should progress quickly. It has definitely<br />
been a learning curve working with Moonbah Fortune Cookie,<br />
his sire (Briarlane Ebony Fortune) taught Sandi and Helga<br />
loads about mature stallions when he arrived and Cookie is still<br />
teaching Sandi. Once his mind is on the job at hand (instead of<br />
the girls up the driveway!), he is a typical Morgan who loves<br />
the learning and Sandi and he are coming along nicely and just<br />
this weekend had their first ride out of the roundyard and had a<br />
great time exploring the playground paddock.<br />
Photo Shoot – With spring finally here and all the winter woollies<br />
gone, we decided that the For Sale section of our website and<br />
FB page were overdue an update with some recent pics. We did<br />
Part Bred Mare or Filly in Hand<br />
1st Weemala Twilight<br />
2nd Weemala Rendezvous<br />
Part Bred Gelding in Hand<br />
1st Moonbah Ridge Kaybee<br />
Champion Part Bred In Hand – Weemala Twilight<br />
Reserve – Moonbah Ridge Kaybee<br />
Home at Weemala – Bell took a couple of weeks off early in<br />
November to start a few youngsters under saddle. Moonbah Tandu<br />
LtoR: Moonbah Ridge Keiki, Bell, Moonbah Tandu & Hamish (TB)<br />
31
Front: Weemala Amethyst (L) & Weemala Renegade.<br />
Behind: Weemala Mighty Mo<br />
a quick photo shoot of the two year olds in their paddock and<br />
they certainly delivered with some great playtime and movement<br />
pictures of all three – Weemala Renegade, Amethyst and Mighty<br />
Mo. Check out Weemala Performance Horses on Facebook to<br />
see the kids in action.<br />
New Homes – The last piece of exciting news we have to report<br />
is that Weemala Amethyst, our 2yo Morgan x Stock Horse filly,<br />
and Weemala Renegade, our 2yo Morgan x Holsteiner filly,<br />
have been sold and will be heading off to their new homes in<br />
the coming month. Amey will be heading to Victoria with her<br />
new owner just after Christmas and Rena will be making this<br />
Christmas pretty special for a certain young girl in Jindabyne.<br />
Congratulations to Kirsten and Ella, we are looking forward to<br />
watching these fillies grow.”<br />
Great news from Caroline Morley from Albion Park and<br />
her part bred mare Mt<br />
Tawonga Solo: “These<br />
photos were last month at<br />
the Highlands Dressage<br />
Club. We attend that<br />
club once a month with<br />
different instructors.<br />
After our flat work, Solo<br />
loves to relax around the<br />
cross country course.<br />
She jumps really well<br />
and looks after me at the<br />
same time as I am not a<br />
confident jumper.<br />
type, temperament, breed (oh, a Morgan!) and potential.<br />
We are really starting to become a good team. The hard work over<br />
the last two years is starting to pay off and things are beginning<br />
to ‘click’. Solo has taught me so much in the way of riding.<br />
She is insistent upon the correct aides and sensitive hands but I<br />
wouldn’t have it any other way. I am so lucky to have her.”<br />
News from Leonore Waugh from Bundanoon and her part bred<br />
gelding Orangoutang better known as Tang: “This is actually<br />
the photo I took last Saturday, on National Ride A Morgan<br />
day. I didn’t actually ride Tang that day, but I went to a clinic<br />
with Kate Fenner and forgot to take my camera. So, I took a<br />
photo of Tang as we were about to unload (below). Since my<br />
accident and subsequent surgery six months ago, I haven’t been<br />
We recently also won<br />
our Novice class at the<br />
South Coast Equestrian<br />
Club Championship.<br />
Everywhere we go people<br />
comment on her nice<br />
32
allowed to ride, so I decided to do this 6-week course with Kate<br />
on groundwork and giving to the bit and self-carriage. As you<br />
would expect, being a part Morgan, Tang picked up the basics<br />
very easily and we have been sent home with ‘homework’ to<br />
be done 15 minutes a day. Unfortunately, Tang has put on an<br />
extraordinary amount of weight over winter, what with me not<br />
exercising him and then turned out in a really lush paddock while<br />
I was overseas recuperating. When I went to put a saddle on<br />
him, I didn’t have a girth long enough. So Tang is in the Jenny<br />
Craig paddock and doing 15 minutes of trot long lineing and<br />
15 minutes of ‘give to the bit’ exercises daily. So he should be<br />
trim, taut and terrific in no time. I am allowed back in the saddle<br />
at Christmas. So that’s the news from Bundanoon.”<br />
Catch up news from Christine Browne and her pure bred gelding<br />
Omar Total Eclipse (Boaz): “Yes, it has been quite some time<br />
since my last update. As with most people, I find that I ‘meet<br />
myself coming as I’m going’ and that my horsey time is snatched<br />
amongst work, domestics, family and friend obligations, etc. I<br />
find writing this update is giving me time to reflect over the past<br />
24 months or so and realise the amount of achievements and<br />
milestones that have hitherto gone unnoticed. Last year (2013)<br />
was the turning point in my horsemanship journey. Boaz was then<br />
six years old and I had been riding him since he was started under<br />
saddle as a two year old, albeit very lightly at this age, basically<br />
because I was scared out of my brain since I couldn’t ride. Yes, I<br />
certainly did things a bit back to front but you know how it goes,<br />
‘delusional don’t know a thing syndrome’. Progress has been<br />
slow because, with a foal being a blank canvas, someone has to<br />
know what they are doing. This led me to seek after instruction<br />
and seek out a source of help, support and encouragement. Enter<br />
Parelli Natural Horsemanship.<br />
I am fortunate to live one hour away from the Parelli headquarters<br />
at Wilton and have over the years been able to attend clinics on<br />
Horse Behaviour, Online and have some riding instruction.<br />
When I look back to a 2011 two week clinic and compare my<br />
understanding three years on, I am amazed at the progress made<br />
in our relationship and skills. That particular clinic will go down<br />
in the annals of time as being the most frustrating, demeaning,<br />
crawl under the carpet experience. Not a thing could I do right<br />
– seriously, I would get tied up in my 45' rope, drop things in the<br />
sand and get grit in the clips. The list went on. I looked longingly<br />
at the beautifully just laid sand in that enormous roundyard and<br />
couldn’t wait to ride in there as being a safe haven and work on<br />
my riding skills but, alas, Boaz had other ideas. He thought the<br />
sand was too deep and made it very clear that ‘I am not riding<br />
in that!’ After two weeks of debate, he stayed true to his word<br />
and just wouldn’t do a thing. It was quite humorous really – like<br />
when I passed someone’s hat on the post, he picked it up and<br />
thrashed it to death. It gave me things to ponder over when I got<br />
back to the horse park however, and when he started taking me<br />
on a joy ride out of the unfenced arena, I realized that the rope<br />
hackamore that I was using was allowing him the upper hand.<br />
What a shock for Boaz when I introduced the bridle with a snaffle<br />
bit. But in true Boaz Morgan fashion, it was accepted as ‘Drat,<br />
you’re on to me, OK, but it was fun while it lasted, he he.’<br />
Actually I learned a lot from that clinic and it aroused in me the<br />
beginnings of being able to think through problems and come up<br />
with suitable solutions. 2012, another two week clinic at Wilton<br />
helped consolidate what I took home from the year before.<br />
So back to 2013 – my turning point. First of all, four weeks<br />
of horsey bliss – that is, until the last day when the bushfires<br />
tried to wipe us out. Everyone left in such a hurry. Boaz was<br />
so busy eating grass that he didn’t notice their departure (we<br />
were waiting for our lift to arrive). All of a sudden he lifted his<br />
head, looked all around, called out – no answer – looked at me<br />
(‘Sorry mate, all gone’), shrugged and kept eating. But beside<br />
the last day we had a ball. One week each devoted to Online,<br />
Liberty, Freestyle riding and Finesse.<br />
These four weeks catalysed the next event a few weeks later<br />
when Boaz and I had the privilege of being tutored by Pat<br />
Parelli at a weekend clinic. Now was that an eye opener Hmm,<br />
so all the nice conversations I was having with Boaz – and<br />
yes, we still have nice conversations – although nice needed<br />
to became so much more meaningful. Now I finally had the<br />
concept of how things should be refined. Boaz was certainly<br />
able to accommodate. I became more aware of where his feet<br />
were. Tidied up hindquarter disengagements, snappier backups<br />
and departures, etc.<br />
After this clinic Boaz was leased to a student from New Zealand.<br />
This was taken by Linda Parelli and was a rider makeover clinic.<br />
Boaz was a star and behaved impeccably, given all the different<br />
places he ended up in one after the other and being asked to<br />
do different things. This clinic revolved around rider position<br />
and horse carriage.<br />
Christine on Omar Total Eclipse with Pat Parelli<br />
Boaz and I went home and put in a Liberty audition for our<br />
Level 3. This was another funny scenario. I had taken Boaz<br />
into the yard earlier that day and ran through our liberty routine<br />
a couple of times. It was starting to get hot and we were both<br />
fed up by the time our film crew arrived and set up the camera<br />
and music. No sooner were we one minute into the first shoot<br />
when a remote racing car was started up and was screaming up<br />
and down the path near the yard. Major distraction of trying to<br />
maintain a horse at liberty. So that settled, we put another disk<br />
33
Alexis patting the new foal<br />
Vickie from NZ on Omar Total Eclipse<br />
in and proceeded with shoot two. Why would this happen Talk<br />
about the cow that jumped over the moon – well not exactly that<br />
high but one jumped over the fence and was running around like<br />
crazy, mooing its head off. By this time, Boaz said ‘Well, I didn’t<br />
want to do this anyway, can’t be bothered and not the least bit<br />
interested in cantering circles around you.’ However after one<br />
of our ‘nice’ conversations, we proceeded to shoot three. It was<br />
weeks before I sent the audition off and then, when I did, it was<br />
only to get feedback. Surprise, surprise, we passed with 3+ and<br />
some good comments. So now we are waiting to film our L3<br />
freestyle which won’t be long off now. We have now leaped the<br />
bridle barrier and can ride with it only on as a safety net. For<br />
our audition we will demonstrate bridleless riding in walk, trot,<br />
canter, halt, and back up, direct and indirect rein figure eight,<br />
obstacles, small jumps, open and close gates and removal and<br />
putting on bridle from horseback.<br />
The next year we will be attending another four week clinic at<br />
Wilton which will be for advancing horsemanship. This will be<br />
a graded course with exams and good for students wanting to<br />
attain L4 or become Parelli Instructors.<br />
John and Omar Rienzi attended a 4-day roping clinic with<br />
Dwight Hill from the USA at Gresford, up Maitland way. John<br />
was impressed with Dwight’s calm disposition and thoroughly<br />
enjoyed his time up there. He made some good progress on being<br />
able to catch the calf when he threw the rope. A great time was<br />
had by all and new friendships made.<br />
John on Omar Rienzi at roping clinic<br />
I must say in closing how much I love my horse. I realise that in<br />
saying that, I’m no different to the rest of the horsey community.<br />
Boaz has given me a zest for life and as a 66 year old, I could<br />
certainly do with some zest. I get to do things while I am still<br />
on two legs but when I’m not, hopefully I’ll have one of those<br />
‘nice’ conversations and he will lend me a couple of his.”<br />
Here in beautiful Collector at Omar Morgans we have had<br />
a beautiful black filly foal born on 9th October. That was the<br />
night of the ‘Blood Moon’ and we could not be happier with<br />
what has arrived. She is by Twinhill Ronaldo and out of Omar<br />
Phoebe. She is full of life and a dream to handle. My neighbour<br />
asked if she was part race horse as she delights in galloping laps<br />
of the paddock several times a day. Just last weekend we had<br />
a few visitors come and see the young filly. Alexis, her little<br />
sister Tessa, Mum and Grandparents all made the trip out to<br />
spend time with our horses. It was a very hot day but we did<br />
all have a great time.<br />
All our other horses are doing fine and the grass has been growing<br />
nicely and they are all eating well and are all in great condition<br />
and loving life at the moment. They have fun playing in the early<br />
mornings and sleeping in the heat of the day in the shade of the<br />
trees. They do have a good life here at Omar Morgans.<br />
Take care and enjoy your Morgans<br />
Deborah Gorman<br />
34
Victoria<br />
What an exciting couple of months it has been for Morgans<br />
in Victoria. Benalla Spring Show in mid-October once again<br />
hosted Morgan classes. Although there was only a small turnout,<br />
undoubtedly due to the show being on a Friday, it was great<br />
to see some lovely Morgans there. Results and photos follow<br />
this report.<br />
The main event, much looked forward to, was Equitana’s return<br />
to Melbourne. Unfortunately I didn’t get to attend, but by all<br />
accounts the Morgan representatives did our breed proud.<br />
Thanks to those members who presented their Morgans in the<br />
breed village, and to all members who helped out over the event.<br />
Photos and report elsewhere in the <strong>Messenger</strong>.<br />
And just this past weekend, Victoria held its inaugural Victorian<br />
State Morgan Show. Unfortunately I didn’t get to attend this<br />
event either, but commend and thank Kerry Hill, and Ros &<br />
John Goodwin for their hard work in getting the event off the<br />
ground. I’ve seen many photos on Facebook and it looks like a<br />
good time was had by all competitors. Again, results and photos<br />
are at the end of this report.<br />
Sue & Phantom at the Pedro Neves Clinic<br />
On a personal note this has been a busy couple of months for<br />
me as I’ve had some big life changes, and as I type this I’m<br />
surrounded by mess and boxes, as I pack to return to Melbourne.<br />
I’ll miss my time up here in Samaria, but I’m looking forward<br />
to the next phase of my life. Haymeron Park Oscar Kqar and<br />
Haymeron Park Pascal Kqar have loved living here too and<br />
hopefully they won’t miss their friends too much once we get<br />
to Melbourne!<br />
Sue McKibbin has shared some lovely photos of herself and<br />
Wirraway Phantom at the Pedro Neves clinic hosted by Beccara<br />
Lloyd at Makara Park; and a recent TTouch clinic hosted at her<br />
home property in Rokeby with Senior Telling Method Instructor,<br />
Robyn Hood.<br />
We also have a couple of photos of Pam Angus on her first ride<br />
on Samaria Creek Yankee Echo – the smile says it all.<br />
Sue, Wirraway Phantom & Robyn Hood<br />
35
Clearwater Black Majesty<br />
Red Bluff Nakita & Jessica Mason at Sunbury Ag. Show<br />
Condolences to Terri Bryant and family on the loss of<br />
Clearwater Black Majesty (Jesse) earlier this year. The Morgan<br />
breed and Australia has lost a great stallion and he’ll be very<br />
much missed.<br />
A snippet from Jessica Mason: “On Saturday 11th October,<br />
we competed in the HRCAV ring at the Sunbury Ag Show. Red<br />
Bluff Nakita came away with three first placings, a second, a<br />
fourth and Reserve Champion. This rising 5 year old coped<br />
with sideshows, trucks, trains, balloons, screaming kids – she<br />
took it all in her stride. Why everyone doesn’t ride a Morgan is<br />
beyond me! Love this girl.”<br />
Haymeron Park<br />
Archemedes and his<br />
young admirers at the<br />
Pullen family fun day<br />
From Karen Pullen: “On the weekend of 15/16 November we<br />
held our own little fun day at home for family and friends. The<br />
focus was on developing partnerships, good communication and<br />
leadership with our horses. My pure Lippitt Morgan (Haymeron<br />
Park Archemedes) was supposed to be just the demo horse for the<br />
activities but instead he stole the hearts of all the kids, particularly<br />
one young very non-horsey boy who took him in led obstacle<br />
classes and games! Arnie was so soft and responsive for him and<br />
whatever Denbigh did, Arnie mirrored. Let’s champion these<br />
pure Lippitts for what they are; magnificent representations of<br />
their breed and absolute kid magnets!”<br />
36
Haymeron Park<br />
Archemedes lapping<br />
up the attention<br />
– and just look at that<br />
Morgan bottom!<br />
Stephanie Martin reports: “I saw someone in Edenhope on<br />
Saturday 22 November (float trouble after show) who said she<br />
had seen a Morgan at Equitana that she was quite impressed by<br />
– Mt Tawonga Campbell! I told her he was by the same sire as<br />
my two (part breds Mt Tawonga Idaho and Mt Tawonga Yoiks),<br />
Marvelous Encore. Small world this horse world!”<br />
News from Makara Park Morgans: “Hello everyone! Busy<br />
times for us here at Makara Park since our last MM.<br />
In October we welcomed our Classical Dressage Trainer &<br />
Working Equitation specialist Pedro Neves to our home for<br />
a week; we got to have some pretty intense training, Roy boy<br />
[Watching Royalty] and I. Pedro also gave our little Tess a<br />
dressage lesson on Brittany. The rest of the week saw us having<br />
his clients private lessons and clinics all week; before we knew<br />
it, he was off back to Portugal.<br />
The following weekend Roy and I had been invited to The<br />
Baroque Horse Festival at Kryal Castle to give a Working<br />
Equitation display, it was a great day. Many beautiful pictures<br />
taken and people raving about Morgans!<br />
Next on our list was an evening with one of our sponsors, Blue<br />
Chip Feeds; the team came over from Perth with their Blue<br />
Chip Equine Nutritionist from the UK, en route to Equitana they<br />
stopped by to meet Roy and our family and have an evening<br />
information night on equine nutrition.<br />
Equitana Melbourne 20–23 November – Roy boy put his best<br />
hoof forward to promote our breed in competing in Equitana<br />
Horse of the Year; he made it through into the top five finalists<br />
out of twenty other horses, I was so proud of him. Later, back at<br />
the stables, we were visited by a representative of the company<br />
we insure Roy with who said, ‘I have been looking for this horse’.<br />
He then proceeded to ask lots of question and closely inspect<br />
Roy, then he asked if Roy could be their new horse to promote<br />
AIS Insurance on the back cover of Horse Deals magazine in<br />
2015! Very excited for the promotion of Morgans.<br />
Watching Royalty & Beccara Lloyd at Equitana<br />
The MHAA Victorian State Show on 30 November – Wow, what<br />
a great first State Show, fantastically prepared and run. Thank<br />
you to all involved, it was a wonderful fun day for everyone.<br />
Watching Royalty and I had a great day. Roy boy stepped off the<br />
float and performed like the true super star that he is. Our show<br />
results: Champion Led Entire, Supreme Led Pure Bred Exhibit,<br />
1st & Champion Ridden Exhibit. 1st Best Educated, 1st Show<br />
Hunter, 1st Pleasure Mount, 1st Open Obstacle course & 4th<br />
Stock Horse Challenge.<br />
My beautiful boy was so well<br />
behaved all day, it was the first<br />
time I have ever entered and<br />
competed him in all the other<br />
classes other than his normal led<br />
and ridden and he took it all in<br />
his stride and had a complete<br />
ball. I think we may even look<br />
into showing him in the Open<br />
Hunter classes from now on!<br />
Roy at the Victorian Morgan Show<br />
We hope you all have a very<br />
merry Christmas and a safe and happy New Year.”<br />
From Judi Anderson: “Towards the end of October I had to<br />
go to Hobart for a couple of days of client meetings. Because<br />
of my hip, flying is nigh on impossible so I took the car on the<br />
Spirit of Tasmania ‘ferry’ which gave me independent transport<br />
and an opportunity to visit some Tasmanian MHAA members.<br />
I had hoped to visit more but circumstances meant that I ended<br />
up only being able meet up with two members, our SLO Tammy<br />
Woolley and longtime member Laura Minami.<br />
On Sunday afternoon, after a lunchtime meeting, I drove across<br />
the Tasman Bridge to visit Tammy and her family and Fernleigh<br />
Creek Neo. She got him tacked up and rode him in their arena<br />
– he went so nicely for her, and she had only had about five rides<br />
on him at that stage. He quickly worked out to slow down as<br />
37
invited me to stay with them, so I hope to take them up on their<br />
offers (which they may regret making!). Thank you to Tammy<br />
and Laura for making me so welcome, and showing me your<br />
beautiful Morgan boys.”<br />
From Judy Oldmeadow at Samaria Creek Morgan Farm:<br />
“Four Samaria Creek ‘horse kids’ found their forever homes<br />
this year.<br />
Three year old pure bred gelding Samaria Creek Warrior has<br />
moved to Macclesfield [just up the road from Mt Tawonga<br />
Kiewa – Ed.] with Josanne Prothero.<br />
Tammy Woolley &<br />
Fernleigh Creek Neo<br />
he approached where I was sitting in their 4WD by the side of<br />
the arena as we chatted – smart and sneaky! They treated me to<br />
a beautiful steak and mainly homegrown salad dinner before I<br />
headed back to Hobart before it got dark, in case I got lost.<br />
The next morning I headed west to visit Laura who had a day<br />
off work after a very hectic weekend. We compared notes on<br />
our hips as she is due to have a hip replacement operation<br />
(right about now actually, so I hope all goes well for her), and<br />
she called her two boys, pure bred Red Bluff Just Capital and<br />
part bred Mt Tawonga Ray of Sunshine, who came running up<br />
the paddock to see what treats we had for them. It was great<br />
to meet Laura after all these years. As she was trying to write<br />
a grant application which was due in a couple of days and had<br />
a dentist appointment later in the afternoon, I left after some<br />
yummy homemade cake and investigated the pretty ‘Channel<br />
Country’ along the coast going back towards Hobart.<br />
Samaria Creek Warrior & Josanne Prothero<br />
Samaria Creek Wizard, pure bred gelding also three years old,<br />
chose Kim Storer from Violet Town as his owner and is being<br />
agisted here. Kim visits regularly for play dates and rides our<br />
older Morgans.<br />
Samaria Creek Wizard & Kim Storer<br />
Laura Minami with Mt Tawonga Ray of Sunshine (L) &<br />
Red Bluff Just Capital<br />
I was sorry not to have had more time to catch up with other<br />
members, but Tassie is such a lovely place and everyone is so<br />
friendly that I definitely plan to go back again, hopefully in<br />
the not too distant future, and already several members have<br />
Catherine Street from Ballarat fell in love with two year old pure<br />
bred filly Samaria Creek Violet and is keeping her at Samaria<br />
Creek for regular bonding days. Catherine couldn’t stop at<br />
one Morgan so purchased six year old part bred mare Samaria<br />
Creek Bonnie Rose who belonged to the Goodwin family for<br />
the last four years.<br />
Part bred sisters, two year old Samaria Creek Flower and yearling<br />
Samaria Creek Gypsy, bring delight and fun times into the lives<br />
of new owners Margaret Le Tissier from Mansfield and Paula<br />
Gormley from Wodonga, respectively.<br />
38
Glowing updates from Erin and Blair Ireland on Samaria Creek<br />
Xena’s progress as a riding horse made me very proud. She<br />
arrived home today (December 3rd) and I’m excited about riding<br />
her on our trails. Samaria Creek Yankee Echo was also started<br />
under saddle and returned home today too.”<br />
Best wishes to everyone for Christmas and the New Year<br />
ahead.<br />
Elise Peters<br />
Above: Samaria Creek<br />
Violet & Catherine<br />
Street<br />
Left: Samaria Creek<br />
Flower & Margaret<br />
LeTissier<br />
Samaria Creek Gypsy & Paula Gormley<br />
Right: Samaria Creek<br />
Xena & Blair Ireland<br />
A few visitors got together for a fun ride on National Ride<br />
a Morgan Day. The photos below show me on Tui’s Nimrod<br />
with the flag, and Christi Wales on Toka Khloe, Dana Wales<br />
on Samaria Creek Cocopop and Simone Bullen on Samaria<br />
Creek Black Betty.<br />
39
1st Annual Victorian Morgan Horse Show, November 30<br />
Best Presented Pure Morgan, Youth Handler<br />
1st Tredway Cruise<br />
Best Presented Pure Morgan, Senior Handler<br />
1st Mt Tawonga Campbell<br />
2nd Haymeron Park KentuckyMan<br />
=3rd Shibui All Black<br />
Wilga Park Chambourcin<br />
4th Red Bluff Tequila<br />
Best Presented Part Morgan, Senior Handler<br />
1st. Burnbank Bravo<br />
2nd. Red Bluff Hi Lee Prized<br />
Pure Morgan Stallion 4-5 years<br />
1st Shibui All Black<br />
Pure Morgan Stallion 6 years & over<br />
1st Watching Royalty<br />
Champion Pure Morgan Entire In-Hand – Watching<br />
Royalty<br />
Reserve – Shibui All Black<br />
Pure Morgan Mare 4-5 years<br />
1st Samaria Creek Yve<br />
2nd Red Bluff Tequila<br />
Pure Morgan Mare 6 years & over<br />
1st Wilga Park Chambourcin<br />
Champion Pure Morgan Female In-Hand – Samaria<br />
Creek Yve<br />
Reserve – Wilga Park Chambourcin<br />
Champion Part Morgan Male In-Hand – Burnbank<br />
Bravo<br />
Reserve – Mountain Creek Vavola<br />
Part Morgan Mare 6 years & over<br />
1st Red Bluff Hi Lee Prized<br />
2nd Red Bluff Rosita<br />
Champion Part Morgan Female In-Hand – Red Bluff Hi<br />
Lee Prized<br />
Reserve – Red Bluff Rosita<br />
Supreme Part Morgan In-Hand Exhibit – Red Bluff Hi<br />
Lee Prized<br />
Ridden Pure Morgan Entire<br />
1st Watching Royalty<br />
2nd Shibui All Black<br />
Ridden Pure Morgan Mare<br />
=1st Red Bluff Tequila<br />
Wilga Park Chambourcin<br />
Ridden Pure Morgan Gelding<br />
1st Tredway Cruise<br />
2nd Mt Tawonga Campbell<br />
=3rd Red Bluff Killarny<br />
Haymeron Park KentuckyMan<br />
Champion Ridden Pure Morgan – Watching Royalty<br />
Reserve – Shibui All Black<br />
Ridden Part Morgan Gelding<br />
1st High Country Bushman<br />
Pure Morgan Gelding 2-3 years<br />
1st Tarrangaua Tapdancer<br />
Pure Morgan Gelding 6 years & over<br />
1st. Red Bluff Killarny<br />
2nd. Tredway Cruise<br />
=3rd Mt Tawonga Campbell<br />
Haymeron Park KentuckyMan<br />
Champion Pure Morgan Gelding In-Hand – Red Bluff<br />
Killarny<br />
Reserve – Tredway Cruise<br />
Supreme Pure Morgan In-Hand Exhibit – Watching<br />
Royalty<br />
Part Morgan Gelding 2-3 years<br />
1st Burnbank Bravo<br />
Part Morgan Gelding 4-5 years<br />
1st Mountain Creek Vavola<br />
Ridden Part Morgan Mare<br />
1st Red Bluff Hi Lee Prized<br />
2nd Red Bluff Rosita<br />
Champion Ridden Part Morgan – Red Bluff Hi Lee<br />
Prized<br />
Reserve – Red Bluff Rosita<br />
Best Educated Mount<br />
1st Watching Royalty<br />
2nd Shibui All Black<br />
=3rd Red Bluff Hi Lee Prized<br />
Wilga Park Chambourcin<br />
=4th Mt Tawonga Campbell<br />
Red Bluff Rosita<br />
Red Bluff Tequila<br />
Pleasure Mount<br />
=1st Watching Royalty<br />
Wilga Park Chambourcin<br />
2nd Mt Tawonga Campbell<br />
=3rd Red Bluff Rosita<br />
Red Bluff Hi Lee Prized<br />
40
Working Hunter Mount<br />
=1st Mt Tawonga Campbell<br />
Watching Royalty<br />
2nd Red Bluff Rosita<br />
Best Presented Novice Rider<br />
1st Tredway Cruise<br />
2nd Red Bluff Killarny<br />
Pleasure Mount Novice Rider<br />
1st Tredway Cruise<br />
2nd Red Bluff Killarny<br />
Working Hunter Mount Novice Rider<br />
=1st Tredway Cruise<br />
Red Bluff Killarny<br />
Rider 11-14 years<br />
1st Red Bluff Killarny<br />
2nd High Country Bushman<br />
Horse/Pony with the longest mane<br />
=1st High Country Bushman<br />
Haymeron Park KentuckyMan<br />
2nd Tredway Cruise<br />
Horse/Pony with tail closest to the ground<br />
1st Tredway Cruise<br />
=2nd High Country Bushman<br />
Haymeron Park KentuckyMan<br />
3rd Mt Tawonga Campbell<br />
4th Burnbank Bravo<br />
Walking Race<br />
1st Tredway Cruise<br />
2nd Mt Tawonga Campbell<br />
Trotting Race<br />
1st Red Bluff Hi Lee Prized<br />
2nd Mt Tawonga Campbell<br />
3rd Tredway Cruise<br />
Obstacle Course In-Hand<br />
1st Burnback Bravo<br />
2nd Tarrangaua Tapdancer<br />
3rd Mountain Creek Vavola<br />
Novice Obstacle Course<br />
1st Red Bluff Killarny<br />
2nd Tredway Cruise<br />
3rd Shibui All Black<br />
Open Obstacle Course<br />
1st Watching Royalty<br />
2nd Mt Tawonga Campbell<br />
3rd Red Bluff Hi Lee Prized<br />
Obstacle Course Long Reining<br />
1st Red Bluff Killarny<br />
2nd Mt Tawonga Campbell<br />
3rd Burnbank Bravo<br />
Novice Long Reining<br />
1st Red Bluff Killarny<br />
2nd Burnbank Bravo<br />
Open Long Reining<br />
1st Mt Tawonga Campbell<br />
Stockhorse Pattern – Time Trial 4<br />
1st Red Bluff Hi Lee Prized<br />
2nd Mt Tawonga Campbell<br />
3rd Tredway Cruise<br />
4th Watching Royalty<br />
Liberty<br />
1st Red Bluff Killarny<br />
2nd Mt Tawonga Campbell<br />
3rd Burnbank Bravo<br />
Owner most like their horse<br />
1st High Country Bushman<br />
2nd Tredway Cruise<br />
3rd Mt Tawonga Campbell<br />
4th Haymeron Park KentuckyMan<br />
Best Trick (horse not rider)<br />
=1st Red Bluff Killarny<br />
Mt Tawonga Campbell<br />
2nd Tredway Cruise<br />
Costume Class<br />
=1st Mt Tawonga Campbell<br />
Haymeron Park KentuckyMan<br />
Tredway Cruise<br />
Red Bluff Hi Lee Prized<br />
Burnbank Bravo<br />
Show Secretary Kerry Hill with Burnbank Bravo (L) & Mt Tawonga Campbell<br />
41
1st Annual Victorian Morgan Horse Show<br />
Tredway Cruise<br />
Mt Tawonga Campbell<br />
Wilga Park Chambourcin<br />
Pure Breds<br />
Watching Royalty<br />
Tarrangaua Tapdancer<br />
Haymeron Park KentuckyMan<br />
Samaria Creek Yve<br />
Red Bluff Tequila<br />
Shibui All Black<br />
Red Bluff Killarny<br />
42
Report on Victorian Morgan State Show 2014<br />
Well, it has happened. After very short notice, we were able to<br />
find a venue and hold our show. There are heaps of people I must<br />
thank, as they all helped to make the show happen.<br />
Firstly, thank you to John and Ros Goodwin who provided a<br />
fantastic venue for the show. The Ruffy Recreational Reserve<br />
was fantastic, particularly as the weather was so hot, and the<br />
beautiful big oak trees that surrounded the arena gave us some<br />
wonderful cool shade. The sports pavilion had all the facilities<br />
that we could want. Those who came on Saturday had a great<br />
BBQ tea and a good night’s sleep. The horse yards were all very<br />
new looking and the enclosed arena was very safe for any young<br />
or inexperienced horses. The lawn sports arena was perfect for<br />
the obstacle trail and long reining dressage arena. We moved<br />
onto the grass there for the afternoon’s riding. The Ruffy Adult<br />
Riding Club provided a canteen for the day, and we also used<br />
heaps of their equipment. We were well looked after.<br />
Then also a big thanks to Computer Sashes and Rosettes, who<br />
were able to print our ribbons with very little notice. And also,<br />
with barely a week to go, I was able to get a great insurance<br />
deal with AON Risk Services, which not only covered the riders/<br />
handlers, but also all the volunteer helpers on the day.<br />
The volunteers were great. They laboured hard in the hot weather.<br />
Cheryl Clack penciled in the main ring all day, and all the folk<br />
who helped to pack up at the end of the riding were very much<br />
appreciated.<br />
The judges (and I hope that all the competitors agree) were really<br />
helpful. Sam Kruijer judged the main led and ridden classes and<br />
explained to all the competitors what she was looking for in<br />
the various classes and also provided helpful tips on how some<br />
people could present their horses to their fullest potential. This<br />
was really great as so many of the entrants were attending their<br />
first horse show. The Obstacle, Long Reining Dressage and<br />
Stock Horse Trail Judge, Elizabeth Merrall, was very patient<br />
waiting for competitors to find time to get to her part of the<br />
arena. If people had the time spare, she encouraged them to<br />
have a second (non-competitive) go at the course, so that they<br />
could give their horse a chance to familiarize themselves with<br />
the different obstacles. Both judges were present for the Liberty<br />
Class and were in full agreement that Red Bluff Killarny did a<br />
fantastic job for his owner, Michelle Higgens. It was a pleasure<br />
to see them working together.<br />
Finally I need to thank my daughter, Pauline Hill, who helped<br />
to organize EVERYTHING and got on the microphone at the<br />
show to make sure that everything ran to time. One thing that she<br />
had planned was the lunch break and it was much appreciated<br />
by everyone. It was the one time that we had to put away our<br />
horses and have a rest and a chat to all the others attending. In<br />
my family ‘thank you’ I also need to include my husband, John<br />
Hill, who once again manned the video camera and was able to<br />
keep a record of the day’s activities.<br />
I would like to pass on a big thank you to all the competitors<br />
and their support crews. Although we only ended up with<br />
fifteen competitors, it seemed like a lot more. We were rushed<br />
off our feet and you all did a great job getting to your classes<br />
on time. Without you folks and your horses, this show would<br />
never have happened.<br />
It was unfortunate that we had some late cancellations, due<br />
to foaling problems, hay cutting and transportation problems.<br />
You really missed a great day, but I understand that this is not<br />
necessarily the best time of the year to hold a show. I will be<br />
approaching the MHAA Board to see if we can get a time in<br />
late March or early April for the next show.<br />
My congratulations to our Supreme Led winners. In the Pure<br />
Bred section, Watching Royalty with Beccara Lloyd cleaned<br />
up the field, though I believe that Shibui All Black and Gillian<br />
Woodridge were hot on their heels for the ribbons. In the Part<br />
Bred section, Pauline Hill and Red Bluff Hi Lee Prized won<br />
the sash.<br />
The most important thing was that everyone had a good time,<br />
even if they didn’t get to take home the fatter sashes. The<br />
judges were very impressed with the standard of the horses<br />
and would like to see them all at another show, to see how they<br />
have developed as they grow older and have more training. I<br />
am sure that all the competitors have their own stories of how<br />
their horses behaved at the show and would love to share them<br />
with the Morgan <strong>Messenger</strong> readers in the next edition.<br />
Finally, Pauline and I, on our two hour drive home, discussed<br />
some changes that we would like to see in the show program or<br />
the order of running things. Certainly we think that Ruffy is a<br />
fantastic venue for the show, and would like to return there next<br />
year. Before we bombard you with any changes to the program,<br />
we would be interested in hearing from all those who attended<br />
the show (email me on Kerry@EVTech.net.au ) with your ideas<br />
on any future competitions. This is YOUR show, and we would<br />
like your involvement.<br />
Kerry Hill<br />
Event Secretary<br />
Ho, Ho, Ho – Merry Christmas<br />
43
1st Annual Victorian Morgan Horse Show<br />
Part Breds<br />
Burnbank Bravo<br />
Red Bluff Hi Lee Prized<br />
Red Bluff Rosita<br />
Mountain Creek Vavola<br />
The Fancy Dress Class<br />
High Country Bushman<br />
LtoR: Red Bluff Hi Lee Prized, Mt Tawonga Campbell, Burnbank Bravo, Tredway Cruise, Haymeron Park KentuckyMan<br />
Tredway Cruise<br />
Red Bluff Hi Lee Prized<br />
44<br />
Mt Tawonga Campbell
Inaugural Victorian State Morgan Show – 30 November 2014<br />
It was a great honour for us to host the first Victorian State<br />
Morgan Show here at the Ruffy Recreation Reserve in Ruffy,<br />
Victoria which provided us with the opportunity to meet so<br />
many beautiful horses and their lovely owners.<br />
Kerry, John and Pauline Hill together with John Goodwin<br />
spent Saturday afternoon and evening setting up the arenas for<br />
Sunday’s events. The Led classes and Liberty were held on the<br />
sand arena.<br />
Six people, together with four horses and two dogs, camped<br />
out on the beautiful starry Saturday night and we all enjoyed<br />
an evening BBQ together.<br />
A big thank you to the Ruffy Adult Riders who kindly provided the<br />
use of their trailer with all the poles, wings, jumps and dressage<br />
rails for our use at no cost. The Ruffy Adult Riders Committee<br />
also opened the canteen on Sunday to provide us all with food<br />
and drinks which was very much appreciated.<br />
Although it was a very warm day, shade was provided by beautiful<br />
fifty year old oak trees that encircle the oval and gave people<br />
and horses a pleasant place to rest out of the hot sun.<br />
The Victorian State Morgan Show was the first show we have<br />
exhibited our horses in and we were thrilled to take home ribbons<br />
and sashes, our horses are very special to us and it was fantastic<br />
to be acknowledged by the judge and other Morgan owners.<br />
I am confident everyone enjoyed the day as much as we did and<br />
went home hot and tired but feeling pretty good. For those who<br />
had travelled long distances, thank you for your effort and we<br />
hope you all arrived home safely.<br />
We would be delighted to see Morgans back in Ruffy at any<br />
time whether it be for a show or a camping weekend with a trail<br />
ride around the hills.<br />
Ros, John & Heidi Goodwin<br />
Tarrangaua Morgans<br />
Pure Morgan mare, 12yrs. Brown, 15hh.<br />
Registered with MHAA and AMHA.<br />
Holly is a proven breeder, a great mother<br />
and has a lovely temperament. Holly lost<br />
her right eye years ago and has adapted<br />
superbly to only having one eye.<br />
Holly has been started under saddle but<br />
hardly ridden so she would only be sold<br />
as a riding prospect to an experienced<br />
rider who could virtually start her from<br />
scratch again. She has lovely natural<br />
elevated knee action and is very<br />
comfortable to ride.<br />
For Sale<br />
Mt Tawonga Belinda (Holly)<br />
(Mt Tawonga Tarraji x Mt Tawonga Linda)<br />
Holly has produced three fi llies for me<br />
and I am keeping two of them. In the<br />
interest of genetic diversity for my stud<br />
I have decided to sell Holly to a home<br />
where she can live in a herd environment.<br />
$4400 to an approved home.<br />
Located in WA.<br />
For more information see the Mares page on my website<br />
www.challamorgans.com or call Debbie on (08) 9963 5361<br />
45
MEMBERS' NEWS<br />
Riding Rikki – Fox Bush Custom Design<br />
I would like to share with you just a little bit more of what<br />
the amazing, lovely natured Fox Brush Custom Design<br />
(Funquest Erick x Bowood Elusiv Dream) has been up to since<br />
completing the Tom Quilty Endurance Ride in 2013. Prior to<br />
arriving in Australia, Rik was an accomplished ODE Harness<br />
and Endurance horse in the US with her American co-owner<br />
and breeder MaryAnn Schafer, then she was imported to<br />
Australia with her colt Wirraway Trademark(x PKR Primavera<br />
Brio) by her Australian ‘mother’ Diane Howard of Wirraway<br />
Sport Morgans. Rik went on breed two more Wirraway<br />
foals(Wirraway Copyright and Wirraway Dream On) by Tui’s<br />
Theme Song before recommencing training for endurance.<br />
In 2013 Rikki became distinguished as the first pure bred<br />
Morgan to qualify and complete the Tom Quilty Endurance<br />
Ride. Several months after the Tom Quilty Ride’s phenomenal<br />
success Diane Howard (with MaryAnn’s blessing) generously<br />
loaned me Rikki to ride, so that after basically a 10 year riding<br />
hiatus I could get fit again to ride my two young Wirraway<br />
Morgans. Wow, I kid you not, it’s 10 years plus little more<br />
than 10 kilos since I rode dressage AND zero years since Rik<br />
did dressage. I am not a professional trainer/rider and my skills<br />
are average in every sense of the meaning of the word! It’s an<br />
ongoing challenge as I work full time and I am the sole rider<br />
of Rik however I do have a neighbour, Ron Paterson, who is a<br />
sensational trainer and he has been coaching us every two or<br />
three weeks when he is available.<br />
Monica Hammond<br />
only directive from Di and MaryAnn was to “have fun” with<br />
her and I thank them for that genuine lack of pressure and for<br />
so generously celebrating my minute achievements with her,<br />
sharing my photos and videos that chew up their internet!<br />
Rik has debuted at a couple of horse shows, something we<br />
were both absolute beginners at, and walked away with Open<br />
Reserve Champions to our immense delight. In dressage we<br />
have just ‘tested the water’ at the lowest level and had very<br />
positive outcomes for such a rusty combination! Both of us get<br />
a little over-awed at the centre line; I struggle with ‘dressage<br />
test Alzheimer’s’; Rik meanwhile tries to design her own test<br />
to help me out when I lose focus. It’s at times like these that I<br />
have come to appreciate supporters with rose coloured glasses<br />
and how invaluable their totally biased opinions are!! Di is<br />
awesome: she just beams with joy and thinks it’s all “amazing”.<br />
My partner Brian is a little more realistic but still only tells me<br />
about the good bits, all just enough to fuel my resilience to<br />
face the test sheet.<br />
Last month [October] we collected a Reserve Preparatory<br />
Champion at an Open Dressage Competition (and no, we were<br />
not the only horse in it!), definitely not a national qualifier or<br />
anything, nor are dizzying spotlights on our agenda, but more a<br />
confirmation for what a great exemplar of the Morgan breed’s<br />
versatility Fox Brush Custom Design is!<br />
For the last 12 months we have been very slowly and patiently<br />
both been encouraging 14 year old Rik to embrace her dressage<br />
‘dark side’ (that’s a pun, folks). When I started riding Rik, my<br />
Competing at<br />
Caboolture C&P<br />
Championships<br />
In the beginning, or anytime for that matter,<br />
never underestimate the value of a totally<br />
biased supporter like your horse’s owner,<br />
Diane Howard seen here with Monica & Rik.<br />
Above, Photo:<br />
Sunshine Coast Equine<br />
Photograhy<br />
46
OVERSEAS NEWS<br />
2014 FEI World Driving Championships for Singles<br />
By Helen Murray, United State Equestrian Federation<br />
(Photos Janos and Zoltan Varaljai)<br />
Jacob Arnold & Hotspur's Red Rowl<br />
Top to bottom: Dressage, Marathon, Cones<br />
The United States closed out the 2014 FEI World Driving<br />
Championships for Singles on a high note with strong<br />
performances in the cones phase. [Morgan drivers] Jacob Arnold<br />
and Donna Crookston were among only seven competitors to<br />
produce clears on Sunday, while Leslie Berndl also left all the<br />
balls in place, just collecting a handful of time faults. With its<br />
strong performance on Sunday, the US finished the championship<br />
in tenth place on a score of 301.68.<br />
[19 year old] Jacob turned heads in his first World Championships<br />
driving Karen Chandor and John Merritt’s ten year old Morgan<br />
gelding, Hotspur’s Red Rowl (Book’s End Trademark x L&A-<br />
Knapp Ule Easter Onyx), expertly throughout the weekend with<br />
the fastest time through four of the eight obstacles to finish the<br />
marathon in first place on a score of 81.72 and heading into the<br />
cones phase in 13th place with an overall score of 136.95. The<br />
2011 USEF Junior Equestrian of the Year returned with another<br />
strong performance in the cones to add nothing to his score,<br />
finishing in seventh place overall.<br />
“I thought it (the marathon) was fantastic; it was quite a long<br />
marathon between the A and B sections but Rowley was really<br />
fit and we were all happy with the horse’s fitness level,” said<br />
Arnold of his winning marathon performance. “He ran really<br />
well and didn’t ever give up.”<br />
[As well as being the 2011 USEF Junior Equestrian of the Year,<br />
Jacob was 2011 ADS Combined Driving Youth Champion.]<br />
Donna and her 18-year-old Morgan gelding, RG Cowboys<br />
Black Cadillac (Teton Black Beauty x Kahlua’s Onyx Star),<br />
made their fourth World Championship appearance in Hungary,<br />
and closed it out with a proficient clear in the cones to earn the<br />
Bronze medal in the final phase. They finished in 46th place<br />
overall with a score of 164.73.<br />
After being forced to retire on the marathon due to equipment<br />
problems, Leslie and her own 13-year-old KWPN gelding,<br />
Uminco, rebounded in the cones, leaving all the balls in place<br />
and incurring just 3.09 time penalties.<br />
Germany clinched Team Gold on a score of 266.93, with France<br />
claiming Silver on 269.87, and Switzerland earning Bronze on<br />
273.82.<br />
Leslie Berndl & Uminco<br />
Donna Crookston & RG Cowboys Black Cadillac, cones<br />
47
Morgan Horse Competes in Cross-Country Ride<br />
Jane Anderson of Ponca, Arkansas, is participating with her<br />
Morgan gelding, Allison’s Stonewall (Selene’s Allison x Bar<br />
Nothing Galaxy Prince) in “The Caravan”, a 2,500-mile ride<br />
that starts in California and will end in Florida next spring!<br />
The ride and drive, which began November 1 in Murrieta,<br />
California, consists of 20-25 miles a day and is scheduled to<br />
arrive in Weirsdale, Florida, on March 21, 2015. There will be<br />
a two-week break at the end of December until January 9.<br />
Jane plans to drive Stonewall and will meet up with the group<br />
on Saturday, November 29 in Tucson, Arizona. “I am a retired<br />
wildlife biologist with a history of doing epic adventures and<br />
this one sounded perfect,” she said when asked why she decided<br />
to participate. “I know Gerard Paagman, leader of the trip, from<br />
Black Prong, so I expect this will be fun! I find that an epic trip<br />
is just the time for feeling the immediacy of living and to think<br />
of what to do next in life. I also look forward to hanging out<br />
with people who are similarly motivated.”<br />
She also lauds Stonewall’s energy and athleticism. “I searched<br />
for the right horse for this trip and found Allison’s Stonewall,”<br />
she said. “He is derived from the old style Caduceus Morgans<br />
bred by Dr Lowell Hughes of Iowa. As I have gotten to know<br />
him, he has shown himself to be a dependable driving horse<br />
who demonstrates that he loves his job with forward ears and<br />
a marching walk. I also think that he is shrewd and has a sense<br />
of humor.<br />
Jane Anderson & Allison's Stonewall<br />
Michael Muir, from California, and Gerard Paagman, from<br />
British Columbia, are the organizers and are both knowledgeable<br />
horsemen. They are very experienced in riding and carriage<br />
driving and long distance driving.<br />
Visit the MHAA website:<br />
www.morganhorse.com.au<br />
& the MHAA Facebook page<br />
A Cottage in Paradise – on Samaria Creek Morgan Farm<br />
• As-new, self-contained unit overlooking farm and distant hills<br />
• Open plan living and dining zone<br />
• Vaulted ceilings, adjacent modern kitchen, gas cooking, dishwasher, ample bench and cupboard<br />
space<br />
• Spacious master bedroom. boasts lovely outlook to a private garden aspect.<br />
• Central bathroom has laundry facilities<br />
• L-shaped living space with separate entrance for home office or extra bedroom<br />
• Ladder access to mezzanine floor opportunity<br />
• Reverse cycle air-conditioning, gas heating, dishwasher, washing<br />
machine<br />
• Located in northern Victoria; Benalla – 30km, Mansfield –50km<br />
• Horse agistment available<br />
• Samaria State Park at your doorstep … horse lover’s heaven!<br />
Elise, our Victorian SLO, is moving back to the city<br />
so our farm cottage is up for rental to someone who<br />
wants to share our little piece of paradise.<br />
Contact the agent if you are interested:<br />
http://www.realestate.com.au/property-unit-vicsamaria-414530771<br />
48