This is Sydney and Michaela and I riding Villa on the beach on Saturday. We had a ball! It is so funny cause I think Sydney needs to learn how to GO!!!!!!!, so he can keep up with Vila, Peter’s racehorse (who has won a race and who is pretty fast), bred by Bart Cummings …
At the moment I am riding him on the beach every second day, but I have to have a mate with him, as he is not confident to go by himself. So anyone out there who rides on the beach, please let me know. We go with Dawn on her dressage pony Tim, and we have Sydney to teach how to GO. But I soon run out of dressage horses, and so I need a running supply of horses to ride with. (Maybe I should get Pete to don the breeches!!!!)
SO THIS SUMMER, we are going to put our concentrated efforts into Villa, and get him up and racing.
This is the last photo of Basil and I at Sydney International Equestrian Centre, Horsley Park. The end of an era for Basil and I. We have been together for 16 years, with unbelievable memories and incredible highs, with dreams come true successes. I love him so much and I thank him for teaching me a lot. He will be in my heart forever.
Sally on Sydney at the “Power of Pink Dressage” of the Tweed Valley Equestrian Group in Murwillumbah on 6.10.2013
At the “Power of Pink Dressage” on 6 October, the Basil Babes got the Trifetcta: We won 3 Championships!!! We took A Sydney Boy into the Preliminary classes, A Heaven Sent (Penny) into the Novice classes and A Spider Bite (CC) into the Advanced. We had 6 tests and scored over 70% for 5 of them. Sydney got 72% for both the preliminary tests, Penny scored the highest percent for the day of the event with 73%, and CC got for both Advanced tests over 70%… so it was one of those WOW days….
Sue and Sally on CC at the “Power of Pink Dressage” of the Tweed Valley Equestrian Group in Murwillumbah on 6.10.2013
CC in the Advanced at the “Power of Pink Dressage” of the Tweed Valley Equestrian Group in Murwillumbah on 6.10.2013
The Qld State Champs, very hot days, high temps of 36 degrees. 5 horses and I rode 25 times in 3 days. A marathon. I even had to go and buy some bike shorts with padding in the bottoms. He he!!! I have the most amazing team of fellow riders and lovers of Dressage to help me achieve this great effort. Sue, Lynne, Wendy and Felicia and Lizzie, they are all the most loving, caring and thoughtful girls you could have around you. They should be paid to go around the world grooming for world class dressage riders. Each horse was meticulously prepared and presented beautifully for me to ride. We had air conditioning in the van for instant quick recovery from the very warm riding conditions. It all worked amazingly well. I have come home feeling very well, even my sugars levels are pretty good.
As last year I was diagnosed with Diabeties, grruu bummer…..
Basil is so gentle and loved having any person in his stable with him, or Lizzie and Wendy taking him for a walk. Sydney and Penny were totally tired from standing in the stable and the heat, as they both laid down many times, even flat out like a pancake or Syd as big as he is, with his legs all folded up under him, looking very neat… Sue even had to plait him whilst he stayed laying down one time.
Karleah and CC seemed to get along pretty well, they acted like the true professional sportswomen!!!! A little grumbly in the faces at times but one hint of the carrot bag being opened and they have big happy faces on instantly :))
We came home with 2nd in the Advanced and Novice Freestyles, 2nd in the Grand Prix Special, 3rd in both of the Novice tests, 7th in the Preliminary on the same % as the forth place getter. And we got the State Pony Medium Champion with Karleah, Lynne Muller’s lovely mare. She has only had a few starts at this level. Such a darling pony, supa attitude, we will go the FEI on her!!!
Here is a pic of the champions from the Tweed Valley Dressage Associate Championships.
I finally got Sue to hold the rug that CC won for Advanced Champion :)))), yeah! I am holding Sydney Boy’s Preliminary Champion rug and Amelia’s Elementary one!!!!! We had a great day………
We took CC and Sydney to the beach yesterday. Sue came as well and took the shot. We rode for about half an hour, mostly in a good canter. They both luved it, and like their father does, CC does too – MEDITATE: When we stopped for a little break, CC started to close her eyes, stood very still and was meditating…..mmmmmm :))))))
We had another fantastic day at the Tweed Dressage Associate Championships. We took A Spider Bite and A Sydney Boy, and the both came home with a Championship rug each. Spider won the Advanced and Syd won the Preliminary. They both went really nice, especially Sydney. I really felt like we were a team and worked in harmony in his second test, it was good fun, he is on his way now.
Also on this day, two other Basil Babies did very well. Amelia and her Arabian cross warmblood Always A Star (he lived up to his name!!!) won the Elementary Championship with 66%. And Anne McDiarmid on her Cleveland cross warmblood Glenview Audacious Lad won a Novice class with 71.7% and won the Highpoint Trophy on the day.
So the A’Seduction Babies won the preliminary, novice, elementary and advanced.
Basil, pensive, at Summerland Dressage Group Championships, 31.08.2013
Last weekend we had the 2-day champs on for the Summerland Dressage Group. We had a great day.
CC won the advanced tests and the champion too, she got 66 and a 68%.
And Sydney did his Preliminary classes and got Reserve Champion, with a 68 and a 72%.
Basil got 4th in the Inter2 with 61%.
Found out Basil was a bit sore, think a muscle, probably doing his acrobatics in the paddock, and we had to scratch from the GP on the Sunday… gruu. But maybe that is why he did not win the Inter2, although we did still score a 63% from one of the judges!! Poor Basil, he is just such an honest boy, always tries for you.
My Darling, Penny girl (A Heaven Sent) did the Novice tests, and well… in the first test, the jockey, mmm, who is she some crazy girl thinking she can memorise 10 tests for the weekend, and YEP, made 2 errors of test and still got a 65%. But wised up and asked Skye to call the next one and she came a very very close 3rd… So yep, Penny probably would have come home with a better championship result, but oh well, you do learn from your mistakes eh…
Still, it was a supa day. There were four competing in the Big Tour, which is great for our Regional Champs. And all up, there were five Basil Babes in the Novice!!!
CC in the Advanced, Summerland Dressage Group Championships, 31.08.2013
CC in the Advanced, Summerland Dressage Group Championships, 31.08.2013
CC in the Advanced, Summerland Dressage Group Championships, 31.08.2013
Sydney at Summerland Dressage Group Championships, 31.08.2013
Sydney at Summerland Dressage Group Championships, 31.08.2013
Sydney at Summerland Dressage Group Championships, 31.08.2013
Sydney at Summerland Dressage Group Championships, 31.08.2013
Basil in the Inter2, Summerland Dressage Group Championships, 31.08.2013
Basil in the Inter2, Summerland Dressage Group Championships, 31.08.2013
Basil in the Inter2 at Summerland Dressage Group Championships, 31.08.2013
Basil at Summerland Dressage Group Championships, 31.08.2013
Basil in the Inter2, Summerland Dressage Group Championships, 31.08.2013
Dark brown gelding by A’Seduction born in 2011, mature 16.2h. Very mature sensible young boy with flash jumping bloodlines on Mum’s side! $15,000. More photos here.
Now we just got home from the Brisbane CDI, which included the QLD State Young Horse Titles. Basil had only three of his Babies there, one in each Young Horse class, judged by the Internationals: Each of Basil’s Babies finished in the TOP 6 of each age group for the Brisbane CDI State Titles, with good strong fields with some imported horses and overseas breeding. We were very proud of Basil !!! *
Our two came home with a 4th and 5th place, with A Sydney Boy collecting an 8.2 for his walk!!!
Basil finished 6th place in the Inter 2, and missed out on a place in the GP, mmm, because we made just too many costly mistakes, just silly little ones. Oh well…
This weekend 3-4 August we have the Tweed Valley Dressage Championships. We will have CC and her little sister Penny going. Stay tuned…
We took Basil, Sydney and CC to the Great South Eastern Dressage Championships at Caboolture, QLD. They all went very well and we came home with several wins.
We were first on at 8am in a big field with A Sydney Boy who did very well with 71% and won the Preliminary test. We are very happy with him. He stays in such a lovely frame and his flow of paces is so nice and effortless. Michaela and I just love him.
CC placed in a strong field of 30 horses in the Medium. She won the 6yo class and the Medium Freestyle. We were really happy with her attitude in the indoor, she shows her professionalism!!!
Basil won the Inter 2 and placed 3rd in the GP (with some cheeky mistakes, oops) and he came home with the Big Tour Championship Title.
Basil also had another one of his Babies take home the Novice Division B Championship Title.
So all in all, it was a very successful event for us and we had a great time.
We had a fine weekend with lots of sunshine, and the Grafton Dressage Championships were on. The horses went amazing, I think they even enjoyed getting out and showing off. We won:
Preliminary Champion Official and Associate with A Sydney Boy, he went so well.
A Spider Bite had her first go at Advanced and won the Championship.
Then she also won the Medium Championship.
Basil finished a Grand Prix with almost 64%, I was very happy with him. And he won the Grand Prix Special.
So we came home with 4 new beautiful woollen rugs, all sponsored by the major sponsor Valley Country. The horses will be wearing these rugs up at Caboolture 2 Star event this weekend!!!
A student who keeps her horse here at SDS won the walk/trot Champion, and two other of Basil’s Babes won the Novice Champion and the Reserve Champion.
Here is Michaela with her boy Sydney and his sashes in Bangalow, 02.06.2013
We went to the local dressage clubs Associate Championships on the weekend. And Basil Babes, they cleaned up.
We won the medium championship with CC (A Spider Bite).
We got two Reserve Championships with A Sydney Boy, he is only 4yo, his fourth event.
And the Darling Penny, named A Heaven Sent, won the Novice Reserve Championship. (She is amazing, she has only had one week’s work.)
Always A Star with Amelia Gilmore came second in the Elementary.
Glenview Audacious Lad with Anne McDiarmid won the Novice Championship, and Anne’s other younger Basil Babe won the Twilight Overall Champion.
Yondella Arlen under Carol Maxwell also scored well.
When we came home, we told Basil, but it seemed all he wanted was his dinner…..oh well, the tummy often comes first eh!!!:)
CC, Sue and Sally in Bangalow, 02.06.2013
Sue and I have a laugh
Sydney showing off his stylish competition head wear of a beautiful silver/grey hood!!
This is CC when she won the Advanced at 69% at Tweed, 19.05.2013, Photo Claire Wright
We went to an event on the weekend run by the Tweed Equestrian Group, with CC and Sydney.
CC won the Medium with 67% and the Advanced with 69%. She went really good.
A Sydney Boy came 3rd in the Preliminary with 70%. This has now qualified him for the Qld State Young Horse Championships in July run with the Brisbane CDI at Caboolture.
Sydney is really starting to grow up now. This week he has been working so well, I am soo impressed with him.
This weekend are supposed to be the local associate championships, and we have all three in: CC, Sydney, and Penny too. But we have had soo much rain, I am unsure if it will go ahead. Gruu.
A Sydney Boy in Tweed, 19.05.2013, Photo Claire Wright
It was an eventful CDI this year, with not only riding 3 horses, but having 5 most wonderful Ladies assisting me. I only wish that we had done a little better in our success, but we were so happy with the way the horses all went. We took Basil (A’Seduction) for the Grand Prix and the Grand Prix Special, CC (A Spider Bite) and Penny (A Heaven Sent) in the 6yo and 5yo events.
Three years ago when Penny was a yearling, she loved to live in her paddock. She was not really into the creature comforts of the stable. As she matured and went under saddle, she told me she wanted to stay barefoot for as long as she can. She loves being one with nature, our Pen, so I nicknamed her “my Nimbin Pony” (after the town of Nimbin here in the Northern Rivers), ‘cause she reminds of someone who would live there, someone who loves living with one in nature, and a balance of all things, with a little bit of magic on the side!!!
AND BOY did she live up to her nickname. She was so cool at the CDI, so relaxed and chilled. The girls were talking of hanging some posters up in her stable of rolling pastures and trees. Penny’s first really huge event and she showed an absolutely amazing attitude. Pen put in a good run in her first round of the young horse championships. Considering she has done 2 other young horse classes, both achieving 71%, we were all pretty shocked to see the judges did not respond to her this time. But oh well, I do have the thought that these YH classes are a bit biased, (a little like the Hack ring): big names, big horses, powerful movement. But Pen, she has it, attitude and power, but the judges did not consider this today. Oh well. She will make the most amazing competition horse for some very lucky rider, and right now I want to campaign her onto higher levels and get her changes and half passes happening.
CC is completely different to her little sis. We call her our OH&S girl, cause, man oh man, she is right on top of it all: safety, safety, safety comes first. CC must make sure the environment is safe, the conditions are up to 5 Star, (as that is what she is accustomed too), and then she will perform. She went so fantastic. CC had to compete in the main GP arena, so it is all dressed up with pot plants and 5 judges boxes, and flags and signs and all, BUT CC excelled and gave me the trust, that bond you have with your horses, and she went so great – she finished 5th only, 1% off placing 3rd, with the horses in front of her all having been imported into AUS. CC did the same at the Qld YH championships last year. She will be a Grand Prix horse of the future. Both her parents are GP competitors, so she is a very lucky girl. Sue and I completely enjoy training her and her antics keep us laughing!!
Basil on the other hand, he was told for weeks leading up to the CDI that he was not going, until the night before. Then he saw us packing and preparing his horse float and parking near his stable for a quick getaway in the morning. So he arrived there almost so relaxed, it too was funny. Unfortunately due to my hand having been broken last year, poor Bas had not even been out to a competition for 7 months or more and I think it was a bit of a shock to him. He must have thought he was in a type of semi retirement, just training at home, and he has a student who has a lesson on him every week. But to his credit, considering that most of the other horses had been to many events in the last several months leading up to this prestigious 3 Star international show, I was very happy with his effort in the Grand Prix. The international judge from the Netherlands had never seen us before and he gave us 7’s for Piaffe and 7’s for our transition out into Passage. This I was very happy to see as I had been working on this. It was good to see credit for my training. The centre line judge had us in 11th place. So you see I would like to have had a better result, (maybe finish in the top ten), but I was most satisfied and happy with my man Basil, and he too was very happy doing his test.
And my 5 lovely ladies were absolutely fantastic, and really spoilt me so much. I felt like a princess, with a team of horses and a great team of supporters.
It was a great fun CDI this year.
Here are Wendy, Amelia and Sue. Missing are Lizzie, Poppy and – Sally – she must be the one they keep an eye on!
Just back from judging at the Tamworth Dressage Championships and exhausted. Now have a big week to get ready for the CDI. We have an amazing team of girls going:
Sue
Wendy
Poppy
Amaelia
and Lizzie.
Charlie and Peter will stay home and have a holiday together :-)
Every year I am soo focused into training and making the journey to the Sydney CDI and I let Bas know we are preparing for this event and we both have to be right on top of our game…… and then about 2 or 3 or so weeks out, Basil seems to hurt himself, like something small – a hoof stone bruise, or one year a slight colic attack, or he’ll be playing in his paddock and give a little twist to a fetlock. And then this makes my plans and final preparation totally panic and upset…… SO THIS YEAR we have not told him he is going. In fact, we are telling him that his two girls are off to the event and he is to stay home with Peter and Charlie and just sit back and look after the place. And soo far – mmmm touch wood – nothing has happened!!!
At the last three events we have been to, a ‘Basil Baby’ has won classes at each one of them. At Grafton we have won five classes. Even at Tamworth, one of his 5yo girls did win!
Let’s hope we can keep the flag flying high at the CDI…… mmmm!!!
