Rocco and Kaden

Kaden Weaver was a student of Kate's when she was based in Ourimbah, before E.I, before his HSC. He then travelled overseas before spending some months last year, riding with Kate in Maryland. He came home at the end of 2009, but returned to ride-"work" for Kate in a more permanent role. He's picked up the ride on Rocco a couple of times when Lisa has been unavailable.

There's some nice photos of all 3 phases at this Event at Rubicon Horwse Trials , where they placed 4th in a Novice Rider class.

Photos courtesy grcphotography.

Rocco and Lisa,

Kate brought some great photos of Lisa jumping Rocco at Loudon Hunt One Day Event. None of the dressage phase in this batch, but some beauties on the cross-country course and the show-jumping phase.
They placed 3rd in this event.

Photos courtesy of grcphotography.

Kate in Oz

Kate Chadderton is back in Australia for a couple of weeks leading up to Christmas, and to celebrate a "Big O" birthday with her mum, Dorne, in Woodford.
It was great to catch up with all her news and some Rocco stories on her flying visit to Newcastle today. SHe brought me a couple of discs of Rocco at competitions with Lisa at Loudon Hunt Club ODE, and Kaden at Rubicon, back in (our)autumn.

The photo above shows Lisa and Rocco setting up for a jump on the cross-country course.

Kate is back to Maryland briefly over Christmas/New Year before moving self and horses to Aiken's warmth, again, till April.

It's great to hear of her adventures and that her hard work is paying off.

Partners

Congratulations to Brooke Piper, of Yarramalong, Central Coast, NSW, the new owner of Canyonleigh Paeon (aka "Pan").

Brooke has been working with Paeon for the past week and the two have formed an easy partnership, recognised by Brooke's generous Dad, Mike. and grandparents Margaret and Tom.
Paeon showed no desire to return home with me when I visited his new home today. He's having a ball in his new home, with his new mate, own jumps, and arena. Brooke has already started teaching him the sporting games for Interschools competitions. We look forward to following the progress of the new partners.

Paeon Show-jumping

Pan has gone to the beautiful Yarramalong Valley to visit Brooke for a week to see if their friendship might develop into a more serious relationship.

I've posted this series of photos to allow Brooke to get her eye around what she can expect of Pan at this stage in his training.

This first set is of the show-jumping phase of his first Introductory level One Day Event at Scone, on September 26, ridden by rider/trainer Emma Armstrong.

(You can click on any photo to see it separately, and click again to enlarge, if desired)

Pan x-country

The first 3 photos are training at Heatherbrae prior to the event; The bottom two are on the x-country course at his first Introductory level ODE at Scone on September 25. Clear, and spot-on-time!!

Pan (1) dressage

These photos are from the start of Pan's dressage test at Scone Intro ODE, September 25,

Pan dressage

These photos are of the second half of Pan's dressage test at Scone Intro ODE on September 25.

Pan heritage

Pan's sire is the palomino stallion Canyonleigh Super Nova, shown above at Canyonleigh Stud, Yacamunda farm, Paddy's River Road, Canyonleigh.
His full brother was the very rich liver chestnut Canyonleigh Echo Commander who sired the palomino currently eventing in the USA, C. Sirecho.

Pan's dam is the bay mare C. Ariadne. He is shown above, as a 2 month old foal, with his dam in January 2006 at Canyonleigh.

"It's raining again!!"

We haven't got the floods which are affecting the Murrumbidgee catchment, with Wagga Wagga going under water this evening, but the Hunter river level is up. I'm told the mines/power stations in the upper Hunter are allowed to release measured amounts of the diluted tailings held in dams at periods like this when the natural flow of the rivers is sufficient to carry the lode...so that accounts for the river running at higher than normal levels at the moment, downstream of Glenbrook Dam.

At home, the ground had dried out after a week of dry, but with 2 inches of rain over 2 days midweek, the watercourse through the horse paddock is running again, to the tune of a number of frogs and crickets!

I woke at dawn this morning to the sight of Cloud hunting a flock of sulphur-crested cockatoos away from the feed. She wasn't very serious about it though, as the birds were very relaxed around the horses.
Laddie just watches!

Success...at the top!!

Congratulations to Jeremy Janjic, horse trainer of reknown.

Starter of Brett Parberry's "Victory Salute", all of North Kaludah's young stock, ....many of the offspring of Brae Galaxy, Gullit, Prince Noir,...and Richmeed Medallion,..including Bloomsbury's Maybellene...shown in work above.
Jeremy has been partnering Lyn Jenkins' Friesian stallion "Django of Cacherel", since he broke him in , and they have reached memorable heights with a 3rd placing in the Intermediate Freestyle at Equitana.
Fantastic result!!!

Doings

Heard from Lisa today. She was doing some x-country training with Rocco in the woods adjoining the barn. Sighted a couple of foxes and a six-point stag!!! Sounds very wintry/other-worldly/Christmassy. Rocco's had a clip and is the proud owner of a multitude of layers of rugs. High maintenance, she says, but worth it!!
He'll do some jumping, indoors, over winter, and may head south for some warmer weather!!

At home, we've had more than 3 inches (67ml) of rain over 2 days, 35 degree temperatures, the humidity is still >>100%, and the horses are taking every advantage of the running wet. The watercourse off the hill runs through their paddocks, so they get to experience the wet along with snake-necked turtles, and a variety of ducks which arrive to check out the newly flush dam.
Laddie followed his mum with a swim in the dam surrounds at dusk!!

"The rains are a'coming, ah-ha, ah-ha!!"

What's that saying, "It never rains but it pours"??
Got home this afternoon and the gutters were a-wash, the paddock running rivers and the dams overflowing. Must have been a major cloudburst. I was blissfully unaware, at work.
The horses were enjoying it!! No wonder they're proving to be unphased by the water jumps on cross-country courses.
Maybellene took the opportunity to take a bath, whilst the others perused the scene with interest.
They all had a splash around, later on in the eveining, in the overflow of the dam in the back paddock. Then lots of laps of the paddocks to get warm and dry again!!
Maybellene has a very fine coat and is really bugged by the ...BUGS!!...of course, so I think she's decided a mudpack might allay the itches!!
Good thinking!!!

Last stand at the Rubicon!!

in the very last Horse Trials event in Area 11 (Virginia, at the end of the northern hemisphere Fall, Lisa Kurr had a super run on Rocco, to come a very close 3rd in the Novice Rider class. (only 1 point off 1st and =2nd place)finishing on their dressage score on 37.5 penalty points.

http://www.photoreflect.com/store/Orderpage.aspx?pi=0EBK00DW4M0036&po=36&pc=71

Rocco's winter white is coming through!!

Rocco's dam, Canyonleigh Katy Stardust, is also dam to C.Cloudchaser (sire of "Cloud"). Katy's a big girl (C. Peppermint Valley Commander x Kalarama Penny), a very valuable brood mare, and would pass on the jumping gene from both her parents!!

Strength of Mind

I've enjoyed a super week of horse racing over the week of the Melbourne Cup and the weekends leading up to it. Great to watch the stories of SoYouThink and Black Caviar unfold, and fantastic to see the spoils distributed to about 20 trainers, rather than just a couple of the "names". Beautiful horses, and the quality is improving all the time, with the development of global breeding and racing!

So "Why Saddlebreds", I'm asked by colleagues who only know Thoroughbreds and by people trialling my horses??

I love their attitude, 'relatability' and 'strength of mind'.
These photos show Paeon changing shape as he grows and consolidates his training ...just over the last year: running in the paddock in October 2009, sunning himself in the paddock in May 2010 before starting some jump training with Emma, on course in his first ever event at WIngham in September 2010, then developing his flat work November 2010.
He turnes 5 next month!
He shows the temperament, or strength of mind, to perform under pressure. In the US the ASBs lift their performance in the show ring when egged on by crowds of thousands and the hype of music and ringmasters. I was fascinated to watch Pan completely ignore the drama of three young Warmblood/Thoroughbreds working in the indoor arena when trialled by a young 13 year-old rider. 2 youngsters on the lunge and another having his first ridden session. One on the lunge jacked-up and almost fell over backwards in front of Pan; not an ideal situation(!!!!)The ridden one was 'freaked' by horses coming directly towards him so Pan's young rider was advised to work around him, but Pan maintained his composure, and dressage frame(!) perfectly and did not put a foot out of place. He was totally switched on to his young rider. "In the Zone".

How impressive is that!! In the breed!..and, of course his confidence has a lot to do with the confidence he has been allowed to develop with super calm training from Jeremy, Christine, and Emma.

The problem with Saddlebreds??? They become part of the family because they always let you know they're pleased to see you and work for you ..and you want to see them develop to their full potential. It's hard to let them go!!