Sangrita's first show!
We were very excited to take Sangrita to her first dressage show and she did not disappoint! With a 65% in the 1C and 70% in the 1D, her temperament really shone through as she took everything in her stride, and although she still has some confidence to gain in a competition atmosphere she produced some lovely work in both of her tests. We received some lovely comments about this beautiful Sir Donnerhall mare - the future looks good!
Eclipse out and about
We have had some great shows with Eclipse over the last summer season! He is really starting to settle in his work, and is receiving some great scores and placings to boot. We took him on the long trek to Mount Gambier for the South Eastern Dressage Championships where he placed in both the Preliminary and Novice championships! Eclipse is now enjoying a short break while the weather turns cold and the days are shorter - not that he seems to mind the holiday!
A few photos below of us at a few recent shows.
A few photos below of us at a few recent shows.
Southern Vales Dressage Club
January 20th 2013
We had a great day out at Southern Vales Dressage with Eclipse, who scored 65% and 3rd place in a good preliminary class, and another 60% in his Novice test. I am so proud of how much this horse improves every time we take him out, he tries so hard and is such a nice 'person', he makes us all laugh constantly with his antics, and makes it hard to stay cross at him for very long! Some photos of us below from the day, thanks as always to my mum and Super Groom Sarah, who made sure Eclipse and I looked the part all day.
We had a great day out at Southern Vales Dressage with Eclipse, who scored 65% and 3rd place in a good preliminary class, and another 60% in his Novice test. I am so proud of how much this horse improves every time we take him out, he tries so hard and is such a nice 'person', he makes us all laugh constantly with his antics, and makes it hard to stay cross at him for very long! Some photos of us below from the day, thanks as always to my mum and Super Groom Sarah, who made sure Eclipse and I looked the part all day.
Eclipse and Gambling Rose
We had a very busy weekend just gone with both Eclipse and Gambling Rose out to two shows in the one weekend! Eclipse was on his best behaviour and won his Prelim test on the Saturday with 65%. He also scored over 60% for both of his first Novice starts - great results for this youngster, and his work is always on the improve at every show!
Gambling Rose showed some very nice work in what were her first Elementary tests, but unfortunately she was not very happy about sharing the attention with Eclipse and was quite distracted during her tests, resulting in some tension through some parts. She redeemed herself for her Novice tests, both scoring over 60% and placing a very close second (she would have had a win had it not been for her rider getting lost halfway through the test)!
Both Sarah and my mum had their hands full all weekend with whichever horse I was not on, since neither wanted to leave the other! I did hear a rumour that Gambling Rose even had 'Soft kitty, warm kitty' sung to her in an effort to keep the peace (anyone who watches The Big Bang Theory will be familiar with this song)!
Overall a busy but extremely fun weekend, and a HUGE thankyou to my most wonderful support crew on the ground, Sarah and my mum, for keeping everything running on busy show days, singing lullabys to the horses and feeding me delicious croissants between tests!
Also a big THANK YOU to Heather Currie who helped Eclipse and I warm up for one of our tests, even though I ended up spoiling the test by accidentally clipping one of Eclipse's ears in a less than coordinated whip change - he was not too pleased with me as you can imagine! It is wonderful to go to shows and see so many friendly faces, and really makes for a great day regardless of the results. I am very lucky to have such beautiful horses to ride, and I can't wait for the next show!
Gambling Rose showed some very nice work in what were her first Elementary tests, but unfortunately she was not very happy about sharing the attention with Eclipse and was quite distracted during her tests, resulting in some tension through some parts. She redeemed herself for her Novice tests, both scoring over 60% and placing a very close second (she would have had a win had it not been for her rider getting lost halfway through the test)!
Both Sarah and my mum had their hands full all weekend with whichever horse I was not on, since neither wanted to leave the other! I did hear a rumour that Gambling Rose even had 'Soft kitty, warm kitty' sung to her in an effort to keep the peace (anyone who watches The Big Bang Theory will be familiar with this song)!
Overall a busy but extremely fun weekend, and a HUGE thankyou to my most wonderful support crew on the ground, Sarah and my mum, for keeping everything running on busy show days, singing lullabys to the horses and feeding me delicious croissants between tests!
Also a big THANK YOU to Heather Currie who helped Eclipse and I warm up for one of our tests, even though I ended up spoiling the test by accidentally clipping one of Eclipse's ears in a less than coordinated whip change - he was not too pleased with me as you can imagine! It is wonderful to go to shows and see so many friendly faces, and really makes for a great day regardless of the results. I am very lucky to have such beautiful horses to ride, and I can't wait for the next show!
Sangrita!
This beautiful mare is owned by Christianne Seiver-Kelly, and we can't wait to get her out and about! Photo below when we picked her up from Danson Dressage where she enjoyed a little holiday to get her going under saddle again. The girls have done a fabulous job and we couldn't be happier with how she is going!
Southern Vales Dressage Club
Wow! What a great show we had with both horses! Gambling Rose was 1st in the 1C on 69.5% and 3rd in the 2C on 67%! Not to be left out, Eclipse was 1st in the 1A on 65.5% and 3rd behind his stablemate in the 1C!
Bennet Conn Clinic
What a great clinic we had with Bennet! Gambling Rose really tried her hardest, and the results speak for themselves (above)!
Adelaide Hills Dressage Club - November '12
A great day with Gambling Rose scoring 64% in her Novice and 68% in her Preliminary! Thankyou to Sarah the Super Groom for the photos!
Futures Squad Talent ID Day
I was lucky enough to be invited to attend the recent SA selection day for the National Futures Squad. Eclipse was an absoute star, coping with the tough atmosphere, and indoor arena perfectly! A couple of small baby horse hiccups, but he is so quick to recover and was such a trooper, he was back on the job straight away! A great experience for both of us - we are sure looking forward to seeing what this little horse can do!
#1 Groom!
I have to mention my most wonderful groom Sarah, who puts in so much hard work to make sure that my horses and I look sharp at every show! Not to mention that both of the horses love her to bits! A happy snap below with Eclipse (left) and Gambling Rose (right).
Mt Crawford Dressage Club
We were very happy with both Gamling Rose and Eclipse at the recent Mount Crawford Dresage Club show, with Eclipse winning his Preliminary test and coming =1st in the 5 year old test. Gambling Rose was HC for the day, but would have won the other Preliminary test had she been competitive! Eclipse pictured below.
Spring has sprung!
It's been a quiet few months at Valache, but we are starting to get back into the swing of things as the horses finally lose those winter coats!
A few photos below of Eclipse and Gambling Rose on the weekend, training at home.
Gambling Rose has had several months off, and this was her first ride after being brought back into work. This beautiful mare was a little bit fresh on her first ride, but we can't wait to get her back into the competition arena soon!
Eclipse was on his best behaviour, and we are thrilled with how this youngster is shaping up - the best is yet to come from him!
A few photos below of Eclipse and Gambling Rose on the weekend, training at home.
Gambling Rose has had several months off, and this was her first ride after being brought back into work. This beautiful mare was a little bit fresh on her first ride, but we can't wait to get her back into the competition arena soon!
Eclipse was on his best behaviour, and we are thrilled with how this youngster is shaping up - the best is yet to come from him!
All hands on deck!
It's that time of the year when the rugs need to be washed and sorted, the grass grows at a rate of knots, and there is never a shortage of things to do on a horse property!
Eclipse's first dressage wins!
We were thrilled with Eclipse today at what was only his 3rd dressage show where he won both of his Preliminary tests with 65%!
Sangiovese Update
Zara is currently enjoying a well-earned rest over winter after her breaking-in and initial training. A couple of photos below of this stunning chestnut filly (Sir Donnerhall/Feiner Stern) prior to her winter holiday. We are very much looking forward to taking her out this summer!
Bennet Conn Clinic 25 May 2012
Harry (reg Eclipse) had a great lesson with Bennet on Friday morning, this little horse sure is going to be a pocket rocket!
An added extra was that the next lesson after Harry and I was the stunning Emporio with Heather Currie in the saddle! A 'family photo' below with Harry and his sire Emporio...
An added extra was that the next lesson after Harry and I was the stunning Emporio with Heather Currie in the saddle! A 'family photo' below with Harry and his sire Emporio...
Mid SE Dressage Championships 28-29th April
We made the trip down to Naracoorte with Bird for the Mid South East Dressage Championships, and what a great weekend we had! Bird scored over 60% for all for of her tests, including a 66% and two tests over 67% all with placings and a win. This lovely mare performed beautifully all weekend, and we had many lovely comments about her from our friendly competitors and the Judges!
Thomas Meuhlenbeck clinic April 2012
We took Harry to his first Thomas clinic recently, and once again he exceeded all our expectations behaving perfectly, even though it was only his 3rd trip away from home under saddle. His amazing temperament shone through as he took everything in his stride, including the indoor arena complete with mirrors! A few photos below from the day.
Harry's first show under saddle!
And what a little star he was! At only his second ride away from home, Harry scored 60.6% and 58.4% in his two Preliminary tests.
After a super calm warm up, Harry behaved like a perfect gentleman the whole day, this young horse certainly has a bright future ahead of him.
A few photos from the day below!
After a super calm warm up, Harry behaved like a perfect gentleman the whole day, this young horse certainly has a bright future ahead of him.
A few photos from the day below!
South Eastern Dressage Championships 17th and 18th April 2012
We had a great trip down to Mount Gambier, Bird travelled like a seasoned professional and took everything in her stride!
4th (on 69.545%) and 6th (on 62.159%) placings in the Preliminary classes on Saturday saw her pick up 5th in the overall championship for this level which was a fabulous result against some very good competition. In the novice classes on Sunday, the first test didn't quite go to plan, but Bird redeemed herself for the second test, scoring 63.355 and placing 7th in what was again a very good field of competitors. We were extremely happy with Bird and how she handled her first big two day show away from home, especially for a mare who is still in her first season of competition!
4th (on 69.545%) and 6th (on 62.159%) placings in the Preliminary classes on Saturday saw her pick up 5th in the overall championship for this level which was a fabulous result against some very good competition. In the novice classes on Sunday, the first test didn't quite go to plan, but Bird redeemed herself for the second test, scoring 63.355 and placing 7th in what was again a very good field of competitors. We were extremely happy with Bird and how she handled her first big two day show away from home, especially for a mare who is still in her first season of competition!
Dressage Club of SA Official Show - 22nd January 2012
We had a great day out with Gambling Rose on Sunday at the Dressage Club of SA official competition held at Oakbank Area School. The grounds were beautiful despite the very hot weather, and Bird had some good results with placings in both her Preliminary and Novice classes, even scoring a 62% in the 2A. She continues to go from strength to strength and her amazing temperament makes her a pleasure to ride and train. A few photos below from the day...
New Arrival!
We are very excited by the arrival of 'Sangiovese' - the stunning 3 year old Sir Donnerhall filly, bred and owned by Christianne Siever in VIC. Look out for more details on this beautiful red head in our Current Team pages soon! She is currently being broken in... more photos when she is under saddle to come!
Rousanne Update
Some new photos of our beautiful Rubinstern filly Rousanne, who has just turned 2!
Dressage Club of SA 30.10.11
A couple of photos of Gambling Rose from the DCSA Show held on the 30th October 2011 below...
Mt Crawford Dressage Club Competition 22.10.11
We had another great day out with Gambling Rose at Mt Crawford Dressage Club on the 22nd of October, she was once again very well behaved scoring 60.30% and placing equal second in her first Novice test for the day. Unfortunately by the second test she was a little overtired and only placed 3rd, but with more experience and confidence we are sure she will be in the winner's circle soon!
New arrival at Valache Dressage!
We are very excited to announce the arrival of a beautiful bay colt on the 8th October 2011. 'Evan' is sired by the magnificent stallion Donnerblitz (GER), out of the beautiful Thoroughbred mare Kick About. Evan, or 'Valache Park Devereaux' (pending) is a lovely upstanding youngster who we are sure has a very bright future ahead of him!
SA Dressage Association Competition 4.09.11
We took Gambling Rose to SADA on the 4th of September, she was very well behaved at the big open grounds, but a bit of tension in her tests saw her placed 2nd in the Novice and 6th in the Preliminary.
Bird at Tilling Hill
We recently took Bird to Tilling Hill for the National Futures Squad selection day. She continues to shine with her natural talent and amazing temperament, we are very much looking forward to her competition schedule this summer!
Rousanne - a new addition to Valache Dressage!
We are very excited to announce the arrival of 'Rousanne' to Valache Dressage. Immaculately bred, this beautiful rising 2yo filly is by Rubinstern (Rubinstein) out of a Donnerblitz (Donnerhall) mare. We are very much looking forward to this young lady's future with us!
Congratulations!
To Valache Dressage pupil Lisa Harris for being selected in the South Australian Dressage Team for the 2011 Pony Club National Championships on her lovely grey, Belcam Comet! We wish Lisa the best of luck for September!
Gambling Rose at the June Thomas Muehlenbeck clinic
Gambling Rose's first show!
We took Bird to her first dressage show on the 29th of May where she came second in her Preliminary 1B class on 68.8% She was perfectly behaved at the show, and took everything in her stride, loudspeakers, warm up arenas and the competition atmosphere!
A special visit
Kate was very lucky recently to be able to ride Dr Shelley Arnold's fabulous FEI horse 'Gainsborough' or Saxie to his friends!
He is a true gentleman, and his antics in the arena belie his years (he will be 22 this year). Still loving his dressage, it was fantastic to be able to feel movements such as single tempi changes, piaffe and passage from a horse that is so willing and generous with his work.
Being able to ride a horse with Saxie's perfect education and training is inspiring to want to reach that level of harmony on one of my own horses one day! A huge thank you to Shelley for letting me ride such a wonderfully talented horse who still enjoys his work so much, what an awesome way to spend an afternoon!
He is a true gentleman, and his antics in the arena belie his years (he will be 22 this year). Still loving his dressage, it was fantastic to be able to feel movements such as single tempi changes, piaffe and passage from a horse that is so willing and generous with his work.
Being able to ride a horse with Saxie's perfect education and training is inspiring to want to reach that level of harmony on one of my own horses one day! A huge thank you to Shelley for letting me ride such a wonderfully talented horse who still enjoys his work so much, what an awesome way to spend an afternoon!
Harry goes to the AWHA SA Gala Day
We recently took Harry to his second ever show at the Northern Equestrian Centre, for the AWHA SA Gala Day. Harry was well behaved in all of his classes and came away with 2nd in the 3yo Led Male Warmblood Class, and 3rd in the 3yo Led Male Open Breed class.
Update on Harry and Bird
We are very pleased with how both of the young horses are progressing at the moment. Some new photos of them both working at home below, this was Harry's 5th ride with Kate...
Harry is home!
We are very excited to have Harry aka 'Harry Potter' back home again after he was broken in by Ben Loades! He has come back an absolute gentleman, and thanks must go to Ben for taking such good care of Harry and keeping him in such perfect condition!
Photos of Harry's first ride at home below.
Photos of Harry's first ride at home below.
Bird shines at Thomas Meuhlenbeck clinic :)
We took Bird 'Gambling Rose' to Thomas's clinic this week, and what a good girl she was! She is showing fantastic natural engagement and some super talented paces, both Kate and Thomas were very pleased with her progress! A few photos below.