New talent on display as SA showcases rising stars
THE 2025 Rising Star Show in South Australia brought together some of the country’s finest horses and riders, all vying for the opportunity to secure a spot at the 2026 Grand National Championships.
Hosted by the Show Horse Council of South Australia at Strathalbyn on March 1 and 2, the event attracted a strong turnout of riders, horses and spectators, with a significant number of show teams travelling from interstate.
The show offered a range of competition categories over the two days, including owner rider and led classes, as well as the traditional Grand National qualifiers.
The interstate presence added to the competitive quality of the show, further building on its reputation as one of the Show Horse Council’s main events on the South Australian show horse calendar.
Overseeing the judging were interstate judges Sarah McKenzie, Joe Bailey, Gregory Shepherd and Peta Gallagher, who were tasked with appraising the quality and performance of the competitors.
Day one of competition saw four supreme champions awarded including supreme led show horse, which went to Shayleigh Joblin’s large pony CT Shumukh.
Supreme newcomer show horse was the hack Donlea Gold Edition exhibited by Leanne Donoghue, who beat champion newcomer ponies Alannah Burns’ Beverley Queen of Pop and Audriena Ainslie’s Sanlirra Potion to the garland.
Kate Dertell had two champions vying for supreme preliminary show horse, with her hack Royal Diamond Jubilee ridden by Zali Mills taking out the top prize ahead of her galloway Royale Elegance, Emily Kerr’s large pony Wideacre Candy Man and Alannah Burns’ small pony Beverley Queen of Pop.
Annabelle Ricardson rode Royalwood West End to take supreme champion owner rider exhibit. Champions in the lineup were Allanah Burns again with Beverley Queen of Pop, Cruize Thorpe Heal with Bayview Ivy League and Elizabeth Brereton with Rhyl Katwalk.
Annabelle also rode Royalwood West End to win the child’s hack championship and changed mounts do the same in the big pony child’s championship on Abby Clark’s Drumeden Royal Emblem. The champion child’s galloway was Elsie Cooper’s Kolbeach Holly's Flawless and the champion child’s show pony ne 12.2h was Kimberley, Nicole and Danyel Riemer’s Sirrah Springtime.
The child’s Shetland Pony champion was Raechel Gray’s Royalview Ruffles, the leading rein Shetland Pony champion was Alisha Portelli’s Colvadale Reliance (ridden by Gracelyn Karakaltsas) and champion led Shetland was Rebecca Richards-Gardiner’s Forseti Park Tuxedo.
Kali Rodda’s Bellgarra Tinkerbell starred as a mount for young riders taking champion child’s first ridden show pony ne 12.2hh with Sienna Nordhausen aboard and champion leading rein show pony ne 12hh with Harper Harding as the pilot under supervision.
Show hunters took to the rings on the second day of competition.
The supreme led show hunter was Catherine Young’s Truly Regal of Sefton.
Supreme champion preliminary show hunter was Jessica Payne’s big pony Murraydale Park Louie ahead of galloway champion Panorama Perfect Picture (Macey Postill) and small pony Vanoca Park London (Scarlett Porter).
The owner rider show hunter champions were Shauna Chaplin’s Glen Yering Furst Look (hack), Shanae Richards’ Sanlirra Luxurious (galloway), Alannah Burns’ Loriot Razz-a-Matazz (large pony) and Kathryn Mitchell’s small pony Apollo Park Avalanche, who took supreme.
There were three newcomer championships presented to Andrea Merry’s hack PowerQuote, Airlie Princi’s galloway Wynara Rainbow Dreams and Tonia Schiller’s big pony Class Grandstand. Supreme went to Wynara Rainbow Dreams.
The champion child’s first ridden show hunter ne 12.2h was Nyah Clark’s Bordershow Black Diamond. Daniel Evans’ Riegal Conchita Cintrón took the large show hunter pony child’s championship, Mikaelahe Semmens’ Dalbrae Tudor the small, the child’s show hunter galloway champion was Emma Richardson’s Contredance and the hack was Andrea Merry’s Remember.
Champion leading rein show hunter pony ne 12.2h was Tamara Lee’s Imperial Benevolent, ridden by Ellie Lee.
In the all-important open qualifiers the championships went to:
Show horses
Large show hack: Tahitian R (Julie Payne and Charlotte Hunt)
Small show hack: Royalwood West End (Emma Richardson)
Large show galloway: Allambah Anthem (M. Haynes, D. Quayle and Shaw family)
Small show galloway: Rosegate Lullaby (Andrea Merry)
Large show pony: Wideacre Fancy Sapphire (Nyah Clark)
Small show pony: Sirrah Springtime (Kimberley, Nicole and Danyel Riemer)
Show hunters
Large show hunter hack: Keystone Bechstein (Andrea Merry)
Small show hunter hack: Glen Yering Furst Look (Shauna Chaplin)
Large show hunter galloway: Lily's Sovereign (Margot Haynes)
Small show hunter galloway: Contredance (Emma Richardson)
Large show hunter pony: Riegal Conchita Cintrón (Daniel Evans)
Small show hunter pony: Karrington Lodge Whistler (Kimberley, Nicole and Danyel Riemer)
Champion riders were Tim Eurell (over 30), Brynie Lee (21 to 30), Jessica Dertell (18 to 21), Shayleigh Joblin (15 to 18), Zali Mills (12 to 15), Ruby Rose Eurell (nine to 12), Sienna Mallen (six to nine) and Saylor Barker (tiny tot).
The 2025 Rising Star Show has once again proven its importance as a key event for both established and emerging competitors of the South Australian show horse community.
With another successful year in the books, the Show Horse Council of South Australia now moves its focus toward the Horse of the Year event in October.
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