Showies soldier on as rain pays a surprise visit to the Ekka
THE Royal Queensland Show copped a drenching this year but this did not deter equestrian competitors who simply pulled on their oilskins and soldiered on.
Organisers did however, make the decision to postpone the grand parade from the wettest day of the event – Brisbane recorded just under 40mm of rain on the Wednesday – to the weekend for the first time in the show’s history.
The unseasonal wet and windy conditions also meant some late starts, the postponement of showjumping and Fashions on the Field being moved under cover but overall, the Ekka, as the show is affectionately known, coped as best it could with the disruptions and there were plenty of smiling faces at the end.
On the first day of saddle classes, the hacks and show hunter galloways took to the arena and Royal Command of Sefton, owned by Michelle Labahn, claimed another royal show championship in the show hunter galloway class. Reserve went to the novice champion Dumbledore, an imported German Riding Pony owned by the Lovell family of Queensland.
Bayview Premier League shown by Elyse Douglas was reserve novice show hunter galloway and was later in the show awarded champion led Riding Pony hunter exhibit and champion ridden Australian Saddle Pony.
In the novice hacks, a few of the young horses suffered from stage fright with the championship going to the Austin and Lilley nomination Royal Windsor, a true gent’s hack.
Riley Kent and Teena Johnston's Anthem, a bay gelding ridden in a snaffle, produced a soft flowing workout to claim the reserve.
The child's show hunter galloway classes were ridden under lights due to some rider clashes in championships earlier in the day.
Royal Command of Sefton claimed his second championship of the day and reserve went to Swanreach Seattle.
Judge Samantha Kennedy chose SLM Enough Said, exhibited by BRS Show team and Kerry Armstrong and ridden by Josh Clarke, as the winner of the Highbury Cup.
Champion hack went to Universal Stables Rivalry, adding to the Champion Ridden Thoroughbred sash he won on the Monday.
Ms Kennedy described the horse “as a beautiful Thoroughbred type who sat up in the bridle and covered the ground”.
Reserve champion was Royal Blu, the winner of the 16 to 16.2hh class owned by Michelle Labahn.
Conditions on the second day of saddle horse classes were the most trying for competitors and judges alike.
The rain was relentless and the wind didn't help. Constant rain overnight saw the ring resembling a lake on the south side and as the day wore on, it did take some riding to navigate, with judges having to take this into account.
The champion novice hunter hack was Brock Billings’ Windy Hill Bellere with reserve to Austin and Lilley’s Bloomfield Amporo.
KP Baroness, exhibited by Leah Walsh and SJM Equine, took out the novice galloway championship with reserve going to Nici Jamiesons’ Sanlirra Addiction.
Royalwood Touch of Lyric added another royal show galloway championship to his collection, with novice winner KP Baroness taking reserve.
Show hunter hack judge Rob Clarke sashed Holland's Bend Royal Consort, ridden by Rhys Stanley for Universal Stables and Vassey Park, as his champion. Reserve went to the novice reserve, Bloomfield Amparo.
The weather began to improve as the show progressed, with judges less forgiving of errors. This saw the order change as workouts progressed.
The champion novice show hunter pony went to Arcadian Made By Magic exhibited by the Glenny, Harris and Hahn families. This combination also won the open class but a spook at a showjumper thundering towards them put them out of the running for the open championship.
Reserve novice show hunter went to Foxslow Lumina.
In the open classes, champion show hunter pony under 12.2hh was the Palomino gelding Woranora Sandstorn exhibited by Bronte Dagg and reserve went to Chrysler Park Pixi, exhibited by Maddison Ball.
The large show hunter pony championship was won by Elvanora Park Wannabe Famous with reserve going to Allira Park Paspaley, a Palomino mare exhibited by Pipi Polla-Mounter.
In the Riding Pony section, the best youngstock was Whitmere Dance All Night exhibited by Joh Bailey.
Champion led Riding Pony mare and winner of supreme Riding Pony was Rathowen Sounds of Silence. This mare, who belies her age of 15, was exhibited by Luce Bond and Lily Hirspool.
Reserve led mare was Whitmere Bloomberg exhibited by CS Dolan.
Champion led gelding was Sirrah Superstition, exhibited by the Harris and Han families, and reserve went to Melody Park Kingdom of Heaven shown by Rebecca and Macy Crane.
The champion led Riding Pony show hunter was Bayview Premier League shown by the Douglas family and reserve went to Whitmere Royal Opera exhibited by Stacey Russell.
The Ekka also provides for over-height Riding Pony classes and KP Baroness was champion led and reserve went to Sirrah Regal Whisper.
The champion ridden Riding Pony was Vanity Rose, exhibited by Kirsty Harper-Purcell and Edwina Duddy with the reserve Beechwood Bells.
The champion over-height Riding Pony was Lyndhurst Crystal Lilley, shown by Josh Clarke for the BRS Showteam and Alexia Fraser. Reserve ridden was Kirralee Christian Dior.
The working hunter class had nine combinations ranging from midget to the giant 17.2hh Legacy of Loxley taking part.
Jump heights were adjusted to suit the different horses and the class proved a crowd favourite, right through to the lap of honour where riders decided to incorporate the jumps resulting in a great royal show spectacle that will be remembered by all.
The class was won by Team Teys’ Riding Pony gelding Rosemont Ace of Hearts, who produced a free-flowing round over jumps and under saddle.
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Clydesdales have remained a show feature over the Ekka’s 140-year history and this year’s supreme champion led was Debbie Teatoff’s stallion KJ Patriot.
Mel Clausen won the progeny group and Ian and Joan Stewart-Koster the group of three, any age, any sex.
In the Welsh section, the champion led gelding and champion ridden exhibit was Mikayla Van Kampen’s Elvonara Park Wannabe Famous.
The best Welsh Cob exhibit was Simone Krahnen’s Wedderlie Park Viscount.
Australian Pony breeders Riverglen Pony Stud’s Foxslow Lumina was named champion mare with P. Lenihan and family’s Rose-Air First Edition the reserve.
The Lenihan family also exhibited the champion Australian Pony gelding, Mariposa Playboy.
The Jenny Edwards Memorial Supreme Champion Shetland Pony went to Suburban Lodge Show Girl exhibited by Sarah Young.
The win brought great pleasure to her Victorian breeder Kym Robinson.
“She was the last Shetland that dad and I bred together and was named by my dear mum,” she said.
“She was so excited when I told her that she had won – she teared up and said dad would be so proud. She was sold as a weanling to this lovely family. Nothing better than having your prefix out there.”
The Ekka sets a day aside to celebrate the racing industry and this year saw strong entries in both the Standardbred and Thoroughbred sections once again.
The champion Standardbred, Super Falcon exhibited by Verona Begadon, had a lot of success on the track, wining $176,322 before beginning a show career.
Supreme champion Thoroughbred – Bon's A Pearler exhibited by Amy Taylor – was even more successful on the track, with prizemoney of $435,850.
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The supreme Australian Saddle Pony was Mcarthurparc Pure Blonde exhibited by Sarah Young and in the warmblood classes the supreme champion was Furst Warrior, exhibited by Donna Connell.
The Australian Stock Horse section was among those to round out the show with Beverley Tompkins’ Silvergun Rugged Shot named supreme led, Ashley Whiting’s Forest Law and Order champion hack and Allstars Australian Performance Horses’ Allstars Halo champion working stock horse.
Supreme champion Arabian Derivative was Jessica Pamment-Reinke and Alli Reinke’s Thorne Park Dance All Night, with champion ridden going to Anastasia Blanch’s Bordershow Flashdance.
Corinne Collins and Andrew James had a successful show in the harness with Roseair Manikato winning the champion turnout, champion non-Hackney and champion turnout for buggy or sulky.
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