4 Aces 5 YO Young
Dressage Horse Class
Round 1 Part 1

Donner Carina was beautifully ridden by one of the country’s best. Judy Dierks rode a forward and fluent test which gained the top mark for canter on the day. The big moving brown mare was unfortunate to be in second place in the draw for this group and at times she got trapped behind the horse in front. Judy looks sensational on the horses she rides, she is certainly one to watch on this wonderfully compliant mare. Only two scored of over 8 were recorded in round 1 (Donner Carina and Rodrigo lll) this fantastic imported mare was awarded 9 for the canter and it does not get much better!!!

Heatherton Park Al Capone is good over the back and through to the bridle. These qualities are part of the horse’s natural talent but it was helped by the very nice riding of the young professional, Tristan Tucker. He is owned by Kate Doherty who also rides and competes on the chestnut who has a temperament ‘to die for’.

Heathmont Inferno and Lindy Wright were here flying the flag for South Australia. Lindy did well with this outstanding gelding last year and he has matured nicely. Inferno is a big mover with outstanding talent for a promising future at the highest level of the sport. Lindy is an experienced trainer and has started him very well. The basic work demonstrates a looseness and flow and Inferno is nicely ‘over the back’ in the forward and downwards trot. His canter is very nice … and the best of the three paces. Most knowledgeable riders will tell you that this is the hard pace to improve, so natural talent is greatly admired.

Bred in Queensland by Hanoverian enthusiast Cheryl O’Brien, Remi Legenderry was next to go. The attractive chestnut gelding was very well ridden by NSW professional Brett Parbery, who has established himself as something of an ‘expert’ in the training and preparation of Young Dressage Horses. This is a loose and expressive horse who was awarded 8 for his canter. It is great to see the Australian Dressage community acknowledging the role of competent and experienced professional riders in the training and presentation of their horses for these all important shows. This aspect of equestrian sport will help to develop our industry and keep the talented riders working with horses.

Heathmont AEA is interestingly bred by AEA Just de Pomme from AEA Dutch Gem who was a very successful showjumper and while she was competing she was part of the first lot of embryo transfer foals bred at the AEA Stud. Jacinta Bennet purchased this mare when she was young and combined her own stud name with the breeder’s stud prefix, to arrive at this mare’s show name. Heathmont AEA is very tall mare and she has had great success at most of the qualifiers that I have seen her in. She has divinely loose and expressive movement with faultless rhythm. Jacinta is expecting her first baby (congratulations …) and professional Adam Reiss has taken over the ride til Jacinta can get back in the saddle.

Talien the tall elegant Grey is by Box Hollow Crusader, a stallion that I do not know anything about and if Talien has thrown his sire’s quality, people will be looking to find out more. I loved this leggy, soft mover and he gave his rider his best efforts which were well rewarded by the judges.

AEA Metallic was next … the lovely loose young stallion arrived in Australia quite recently and seems to have settled well. He did a good job at Anky van Grunsven’s Equitana Masterclass and again today showed that he has the metal attributes to allow him to cope with the big occasions. Metallic has good knee action and swing in the back. Stephanie Dijkstra rode him well and is establishing herself as a capable dressage rider … as well as over the ‘sticks’. He was awarded the highest mark for walk 8 in this class, so far.

Jaybee Colleen does not need an introduction to many of the spectators as she has had a glittering twelve months winning many of the major competitions on the east coast of Australia. She is trained and ridden by Tor Van Den Berge and is lovingly known at home as Tor’s ‘princess’. She does seem to have a sense of occasion and likes to show off to the crowd. She is the ultimate modern sporthorse, light framed, elegant and big loose movement in all three paces. She is by Carbine and is a feminine version of her famous sire. This was not her competition, but the principal of Jaybee Stud was philosophical when she said, “she does not have much to prove, she has already won so much, we were keen to be part of the competition and give Colleen the experience. We all love being part of Dressage with the Stars.”

Edwina Sutherland rode her most attractive grey gelding SS Fever in are to go in the group that drew the first up time. He is from her gorgeous Salute mare Shimmer and he has inherited her pretty blue dapples. He is by the super sire Olympic Ferro and has great posture and shows well engaged hind legs. This is a great starting point for correct basic training and enable horses to progress through the grades with good training. He was little tight in the back in the canter and time is sure to improve the trot which would be better if it were looser with more swing. Well done.

HP Aberdeen was the second ride for Sara McDonald who also rode Adlante Rose to first place in round one of the 4 Year Old Class. This chestnut mare is not as loose as her younger stable mate, but a nice type and well ridden to maximise the adherence to the requirements of the more demanding 5 YO test. I remember seeing HP Aberdeen’s dam, Weiner Wald when she was out competing with Bronwyn Zorzutti. She is a black liver chestnut with 4 white socks and her daughter has inherited a great deal of her quality.

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E-mail Berni, bernis@cyberhorse.net.au for proofs