Centre saves the day for Horse of the Year events

The Show Horse Council of Victoria, faced with inclement weather, organised three days of 75 packed classes at Werribee Park.

ORGANISERS of the Show Horse Council of Victoria’s annual Horse of the Year Show faced Victoria’s wettest day for four years on Friday.

With three days of 75 packed classes at Werribee Park National Equestrian Centre planned, they were able to use the centre’s two indoor arenas for the day — Saturday and Sunday’s fine weather meant the show went on outdoors as scheduled.

The debutante show horses and ponies competed indoors and in the led classes — the beautiful Shetland, Belnagowan Springtime, shown by the Mamouney Family, outshone the bigger winners to take out the championship.

Outdoors on the Saturday, with a big section for ridden Thoroughbreds, Stella Paterson rode Dior to take the sash over class winners Sara Love’s DP Touche and Kerryn Golder’s Gold Seal.

Gold Seal went on to win the Gilt Edge Cup for saddle horses showing Thoroughbred qualities and the Dymondz trophy for show hunters went to Stephanie Barrington’s Rebelle.

On Sunday, the rider classes were held with Brynie Lee beating her sister Ebony for the championship for the under 21 group, Catherine Neill won the over 30 class and Stephanie Barrington won the 21 to 29-year class.

Show Galloway winners were Briony Randle’s KP Simply Exquisite and Chanele Hunter Cooke’s Daisy Patch Soul Star and in the show hack classes, Sue Thompson’s Givenchy and Elizabeth Krog’s Warrawee Impresario were champions in their height sections.

The Show Hunter section is still very strong. The small show hunter hack champion was Amadeus shown by Fiona Kittson Walsh, the big hunter hack winner was Ali Berwick and Emma Barclay’s Antionette CSH.

In the hunter Galloways, Ali Berwick and Sarah Beaumont’s Panorama Just a Fortitude and Emily Murray’s Riegal Manolete were champions in their class.

The winning Show Hunter Ponies were Taylor Shute’s Cimeron Poprock and Jessica Sharp’s Imperial Vagabond.

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