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!!

Happy(?) Dilemma

What to do?
Looks like I have two very talented young horses.
Maybellene is heading for the top levels in dressage
..and Paeon? How far can he go? He keeps stepping up to any questions asked of him in eventing; dressage and jumping!
Heath suggests I put him in his Performance horse auction at the end of November, but that means an expenditure of another couple of thousand dollars as I'm no longer able to do the riding myself. That's not a justified expense at this level of his experience and performance. Maybe after an autumn campaign next year when he's stepped up a couple of levels...but how to fund two fine competition horses?

Any suggestions??