Fran Cleland
Victorian takes Winton to Longreach trophy in 17 hours
ONE of the longest – and some say toughest – endurance rides in the country was revived this year as a one-off event to mark 100 years of...
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Fran Cleland
Aug 9, 20232 min read
Jackpots, jumping add to the options at Barwon dressage day
WHILE other sports have their seasons, with some resting in summer, and others hibernating in winter, dressage seems to sail serenely...
Fran Cleland
Aug 9, 20232 min read
Riders show their versatility at Royal Darwin Show
THE Royal Darwin Show rolls around when the lower states are cold and grey and horses are only starting preparations for the spring run...
Fran Cleland
Aug 9, 20232 min read
Fact, fiction blend in novel based on the life of jockey Bill Smith
Book review MR SMITH TO YOU by Kerry Taylor is described as a novel based on the true story of Australian jockey Bill Smith – a life...
Fran Cleland
Aug 9, 20234 min read
Bits: Silver for Simone, good opportunities for pony clubbers and Tassie award winners
SIMONE Pearce and No Limit took the silver medal in the five-year-old final at the FEI Dressage World Breeding Championship for Young...
Fran Cleland
Jul 26, 20233 min read
Hunt clubs like Barwon in their element when winter bites
DEEP in winter is when the hunt clubs gather socially to show off their horses as saddle mounts, working hunters and in hunters’ plates....
Fran Cleland
Jul 26, 20233 min read
Future looking bright for Jessica as she makes her mark
JESSICA Dertell is a talented and versatile equestrienne but it is in dressage that she is really carving a place for herself in...
Fran Cleland
Jul 26, 20233 min read
Young show horse judges need a pathway for good of the sport
COMMENT WITH so much conjecture about the lack of quality show horse judges and constant complaints about the “same old faces” appearing...
Fran Cleland
Jul 26, 20232 min read
Junior riders get their turn for training at progressive club
THE Young Dressage Association continues its mission to provide high quality tuition for its members, this time offering a two-day...
Fran Cleland
Jul 26, 20233 min read
Carriage driving international 'ashes' a first for the sport
AUSTRALIAN carriage drivers are preparing to take on Great Britain in a world-first “stay-at-home international”. Carriage driving's own...
Fran Cleland
Jul 26, 20234 min read
Bits: Stars reunited, very latest on horse deaths and Special Olympics in doubt
GRAND Prix dressage rider Simone Pearce has been reunited with her 2021 Tokyo Olympic horse, Destano, thanks to his owner Albert Sprehe...
Fran Cleland
Jul 19, 20232 min read
'Mighty Midland' zones in on Maldon for championships
MIDLAND pony club zone is one of the most active in Victoria and despite being faced with bitter weather on their horse trials...
Fran Cleland
Jul 19, 20232 min read
Learning opportunities the top priority at development event
THE Show Horse Council of Australasia’s NSW/ACT Youth Development and Championship Showcase was a brilliant idea, executed perfectly....
Fran Cleland
Jul 19, 20233 min read
From boy to man, horses have been a passion for Robbie Allen
THIS is the story of a small Sydney boy who so wanted to ride that he pedalled his pushbike to the local trotting stables to beg to be...
Katy Brown
Jul 19, 20236 min read
Timor Ponies become life's work for woman who needed a project
SOMETIMES in life you just get that feeling that everything is how it is meant to be. That is exactly how I felt when I visited The Timor...
Fran Cleland
Jul 19, 20233 min read
Inspiring group of riders finding their place in the sun
IT’S been a long road for people with disabilities to gain recognition as riders. At the turn of this century, England recognised riding...
Fran Cleland
Jul 19, 20235 min read
Bits: Ode to wet riders, horse deaths and Connemara podcast to download
THIS is a love letter to every child, adult, mum or dad who has ever looked out the window at a red dawn on the morning of an event but...
Fran Cleland
Jul 12, 20232 min read
Northern Territory show season in full dry season swing
WHEN the show scene goes into hibernation over winter in the southern states, the Northern Territory springs into action. The NT has an...
Fran Cleland
Jul 12, 20232 min read
A warm judge is a happy judge at Tatura dressage
THE second round of the Tatura Dressage Series took place indoors in cold weather. Always a stickler for details, the event’s organisers...
Fran Cleland
Jul 12, 20232 min read
Double supremes for Ava makes cold day worth the effort
BAMAWN Extension rider Ava Irwin, 13, had a terrific day at her local pony club gymkhana on the weekend, taking home two garlands for...
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