Ekka signals the start of the spring show season
THE first of the big eastern state royals, the “Ekka”, as Brisbane is affectionately known, heralds the start of the new show year.
It retains the classic charm that too many royal shows have lost, with plenty of breed and saddle classes watched by full grandstands of interested people.
In the show horse ring, Michelle Labahn’s Rolex II might be starting to lose his dapples as his grey coat begins to turn silver, but he worked elegantly and was the choice of judge Vicky Lawrie as her champion hack.
The champion novice hack was the black mare Heiress exhibited by Universal Stables and Samantha Watt.
Racing Queensland is a strong supporter in many sections and the champion Thoroughbred under saddle was Antipas exhibited by Universal Studios and Adam Oliver.
The Queensland Off-The-Track Program showcase class was won by Emily Patterson’s Libitarian.
Champion galloway was Sarah Ryan’s Daisy Patch New Orleans and champion novice was A. and M. Harris and L Hahn’s Tremayne Chorus Girl.
The was strong competition in the show ponies with Welbatch Pastoral company’s Grandchester Secret Angel winning the big pony sash and BRS and The Caska Family’s Swanreach Scandalous the small pony sash.
In the show hunter ring, Universal Stables and Vassey Park’s Hollands Bend Royal Consort was open champion and champion novice show hunter hack was EBL Excite exhibited by Sarah Ryan.
Victorian Stewie Robinson doesn’t mind travelling with his team of ponies and made the long trip up to the Ekka worthwhile when the mare Koora-Lyn Enchanting, owned by the Robinsons and Margie White, won three broad sashes for Australian Pony, Australian Stud Saddle Pony and Arabian derivative.
Stewie’s Suburban Lodge stables also showed the champion Shetland Dunavon Rochelle for Shane Diamond and the supreme champion Welsh Mountain Pony, Rhydyfelin Silk Suki, for Dr Harry Cooper and Susan Sheeran-Cooper.
Breed classes are always a highlight at the Ekka.
The supreme champion Australian Stock Horse was Glencoe Armistice shown by Chris Ware, the Supreme Champion Warmblood was Heathmont Flirt exhibited by The Lovell Family and Tyler Buchanan and Angela Unsworth’s Palomino Revelwood Noble Dream was supreme champion for the Australian National Saddlehorse Association (ANSA).
Hannaley Riding Ponies’ Masterpiece Of Hannaley was supreme champion Riding Pony, the supreme champion Clydesdale was King Valley Sir Henry shown by Lisa Hughes, supreme champion Welsh Pony was Border Show Midnight shown by Mikayla Vankampen, champion Standardbred was Diamond Park Khalessi exhibited by Amanda Triandopoulos and the supreme champion Thoroughbred was Leanne Jones’ O'Thunder.
In the showjumping, Stuart and Becky Jenkins’ Fairview Alicana dominated group A, winning three events, although James Arkins’ Yalambi Jaguar struck back winning the Grand Prix.
The team’s rivalry continued through group B with Arkins’ Rosthwaite Cover Girl winning the one round stakes and championship, and in Group C, the Jenkins won with Denison Park Style, Arkins won with Quint Horta and Brock Everingham did best, winning two events with Glenara Leonardo Z, one of the first youngsters bred by Melissa Froesch to appear in royal show competition.
Brock Everingham also won the six bar completion riding Kannai and Ron Easy took out the puissance with Port O Call.
GALLERY
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Showjumping images: HIGHFLYER
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