Big classes, perfect conditions for SHCV horse of the year
THE Show Horse Council of Victoria’s Horse of the Year Show for 2025 has been run and won at the Werribee Park National Equestrian Centre with an exciting mix of established champions and new talent on display over the two days.
Council chairman Andrew James said the event was a great success with good numbers across the board.
“Even the weather was fantastic,” he said.
The program featured Shetlands through to big hunters, and with the specialist Mountain and Moorland breeds to add interest, there was a veritable confetti of horses providing plenty to see.
The large show hack class was especially impressive with all three placegetters – Kerry Armstrong’s SLM Enough Said, Elizabeth Crawford’s Warrawee Empressareo and Tahlia Hope’s Kalimna Quick Hit – all horses that have stood at the top of the line at royal shows.
The small hack champion was Dale Plumb’s Chorus, the small galloway champion was Melanie Burns’ KT So Fine and the large galloway was William Warke’s Headley Park Black Label.
In the open ponies, Dale Plumb took another championship with small pony DP Party, Courtney McLeod’s Wideacre Harry Winston was the large pony champion and the leading rein champion was Briony Randle’s Swanreach Flirtatious with Piper Randle aboard.
The quality continued right through the program and there were some impressive new faces in the newcomer and preliminary classes.
With the open show hunter classes featuring some of the largest fields and best presentation rates, it’s interesting to take a look at who is coming up through the ranks in this section.
One to keep an eye on is Shari Price’s Cheraton True Spirit after winning both the preliminary and newcomer show hunter galloway classes. Natalie McKay’s Viggo KVE won the preliminary show hunter hack class and the newcomer show hunter hack was Emma Parlevliet’s Fairways Danciniro.
The preliminary show hunter pony champions were Tori Merygold’s Arajay Park Denali (small) and Elizabeth Greshner’s Beauparc Queen of Hearts (large), who also took out the newcomer class.
In the open show hunter classes, champion large show hunter pony was Ali Kent and Sarah Beaumont’s Panorama Queen Bee, champion small show hunter was Cynthia Parker’s Calca Park Aristocrat, champion large show hunter galloway was Dale Plumb’s DP Royal Ascot, champion small show hunter galloway was Courtney Remington’s Private Duchess of Lyndhurst, champion small show hunter hack was Emma Richardson’s Merricks Fiore and champion large show hunter hack was Ali Kent, Sarah Pihan and Tracey Slade Donna Carmella.
In the off-the-track classes for Thoroughbreds, the elegant horses showed that a change of career can be very much to their liking and Natalie Mackay’s Saint Onyx took out the overall ridden championship. Supreme led off-the-track was Kerry Armstrong’s SLM Enough Said.
The riding championships went to Ruby Rose Eurell (nine to 12 years), Stella Gilmour (12 to 15) Jessica Sharp (15 to18), Jordan Barnard (18 to 21), Ebonie Lee (21 to 30) and Tamara Lee (over 30).
Champion open ridden Shetland was Georgie Favaloro’s Edgewood Jetson.
In the Mountain and Moorland ring, which was added to the program last year for the first time, it was super to see so many of the traditional pony breeds on show.
Katherine Davis, who showed the Highland Woodview Park Hector to win the International Showdown Qualifier and champion Highland, was happy with her win.
“Thanks so much to you for the opportunity to give my boys some practice in the show ring,” she said.
“It’s a far cry from the beach and bush bashing that is our life – Hector (aka Fabio) was loving himself all day long.”
The dapple grey Section B Welsh Bamborough Piccolo shown by Charlotte Oberin was champion small breed Mountain and Moorland and best of breed.
Korawyn So Si Bon, a Pinto Shetland, gave his owner-breeder Lee Purchase a thrill by taking out the champion Mountain and Moorland ridden small breeds final and the supreme Mountain and Moorland ridden final against all the bigger ponies. He also picked up reserve champion open ridden Shetland behind Edgewood Jetson.
Results
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