Story by Rebecca Ashton and story & photos by Julie Wilson and Rebecca Ashton
There’s a lot of talk these days bewailing the decline of youth. They’re all on their devices taking selfies with no life goals but to have their Facebook likes maxed. The EA Australian Youth Dressage Championships highlighted quite the reverse. I witnessed some very nice, soft riding and interviewed some super committed, disciplined, and very polite young riders.
The riders, and indeed organisers of such events, have to deal with what have become very busy school holiday schedules: Pony Club, Interschools and discipline specific events such as the Dressage Nationals.
“Interschools has exploded which is brilliant and that’s a good deal due to the efforts of Penny Rose, Shane’s Mum,” explains Jenny Carroll, who has always been very involved in youth dressage. Previously she was NSW High Performance Coordinator and the National Youth Development Coordinator. “It’s a balance between specialising too early and that very Australian approach of getting on and having a go, having a gallop, being brave. It’s fantastic that there are so many opportunities for young riders these days but it’s time for rationalising the calendar. Everyone from Judy Fasher down has spoken about that, and we had the same problem at the National Youth Dressage Championships in Victoria last year. There was an Interschools championships on the same weekend.”
Novice Pony Winners with one of the judges, Adam Reiss
But you possibly get the more serious dressage enthusiasts riding here?
“The qualifications have gone up the last couple of years, and I think that’s correct because we want them to be realistic in knowing where they are in the world in terms of their standard. I’ve taken two tours overseas. The whole point was that we had kids jumping up levels all the time, saying they had won on 51%. When we went to the European Championships and saw that you couldn’t even get into the junior events, unless you had about 72%, let alone the freestyles, then they could see that that was the benchmark. I think giving them the opportunity to compete overseas would be great. A lot of senior riders go and do that just before the Olympics, and it’s an intimidating thing. Doing it early would take the later shock out of it.”
What development opportunities are available at the moment for young riders?
“With the funding changes that happened last year with the Olympics coming up, the young riders did some of their own fund raising. Libby Hulin from NSW was the main driver behind a ball that they ran last year at the CDI for the young rider squad, and Victorian riders also held fund raising events. There have been lots of negotiations over the last 18 months, and changes are still going on to develop a better sponsorship model and development programme. It’s not always money though. It’s also opportunities; events like this, exposure, good judges, protocol days, advice on management of their horses, mental training. Realistically a lot of them will be on schoolmasters which is a great opportunity, but the child’s job is then to work out how to improve their score, how to ride better, not to be forcing the horse beyond its capability, and have tactics for riding a test.”
One of Dressage NSW’s vice presidents, and A level judge Sue Cunningham, was the technical delegate for the event. We got talking about the guidance that can be given to young riders, and Sue had the following suggestion, “There’s a rider mark in the tests. I’d like to see a different structure in the collective marks for the young riders. Because there is such a disparity in the quality of horses, I think that some of the children on perhaps less expressive horse, are super riders. They get a real tune out of those horses, and I think the rider mark should actually carry more weight, otherwise it’s just going to become an elitist sport. There was some really clear communication, and harmonious riding out there today. There were some tests that weren’t so special, but the riders were doing all the right things and were absolutely on the right path.”
“I would also love to see some of our young riders have the opportunity to go overseas simply because there’s a variety of horses to ride, there’s a variety of trainers, there are more events for them to participate in, and evaluate their skills, and see where they fit; more knowledge is always helpful. They have to go overseas; they have to stay there for a while, they have to see it, and feel it, and they have to know where they stand in the world, and they can come home with renewed interest and enthusiasm. In Australia it’s a small community and an outrageously expensive hobby, and unfortunately there’s just not enough money to go around.”
“I think the Olympic Games is a great motivator. They’ll all watch it and be inspired. We need that in Australia. Overseas they have constant input and are fed energy, and fed competitions. Here we have to make it ourselves. I think this event is a stepping-stone, and as a national event I think it has a lot of kudos. If you do well here, you know you’re on a good path. When you see the young riders, clearly a lot of them are really talented, and they need as much help as they can, to get where they want to go so I think this event is an important one and it’s important enough to travel around Australia. It’s wonderful. This committee hasn’t organised the event before, and they volunteered, and have done a great job. We’ve had a lot of FEI classes today, and it’s interesting to see how the riders coming along, their strengths and weaknesses and some of these tests are quite hard. I think it’s our responsibility to keep running events like this and supporting our future.”
One dressage rider who felt the same responsibility was Mary Houghton. Organising the event with partner-in-crime Jo Gunn, I asked Mary what had motivated her to take on this often-times thankless role. “I don’t have kids, but I do have a horse! It’s an opportunity to support dressage. I think there’s an obligation to give back to the sport. If people don’t volunteer, we don’t have a sport. The youth are the future so we want to support them in riding to a high standard.”
Organisers: Jo Gunn, Averill Langtry and Mary Houghton
“Jo and I have worked together for the last three years at local dressage club level, but this is our first national event. We’ve been organising it for quite a few months, but the last few weeks has been crazy. I’ve got two horses at home that haven’t been ridden for two weeks. I think it has gone really well. There has been little fires to put out behind the scenes, but that’s inevitable. From a competitors perspective, I think it has run very smoothly, everything has been to time, the results have been getting out and presentations are happening to time.”
It wasn’t just the event organisers who had come from club level dressage. There were also plenty of events sponsored by local institutions such as Galston Equestrian Club, Central Coast Dressage Association, Young Dressage, Sydney Dressage and Warringah Dressage Club.
Although there were no overseas judges at this event, Adam Reiss perhaps comes close. A native German, he was one of three interstate judges to lend their services to the weekend. I asked him what he thought of the combinations he had seen.
“I judged the FEI junior rider and elementary today, and the FEI young rider and novice yesterday. I think the standard is quite good. Sometimes the riders could be more accurate. For example, in the pony novice, the riders could use their corners more and prepare better so they don’t throw marks away and create loss of balance for the horse. But they will learn from it.”
“Leg yielding for example, some of the young riders pull on the inside rein, and I think where is the coach to address this? It’s called leg yielding not pull on the inside rein. For me, because I’m from Germany, I disagree a little bit with what the Pony Clubs are doing. It’s just my opinion, but I would like to see more emphasis on the basics, correctness of the aids, seat influence, leg aids, not necessary all these games. Fun you can have somewhere else. As a child at a riding school, there needs to be discipline and structure. I’m not sure there’s enough of it. When I grew up it was strict and I think you need to be. You don’t wake up and think, I will not ride today. You have to ride.”
“However, I have been 20 years in Australia now, and it is definitely better.”
The standard of riding really has improved in the young rider ranks. I didn’t see any yanking in the mouth or temper tantrums when things didn’t go to plan either. Amy Reilly, Edwina Hutton-Potts and Grace Kay were the three riders in the KEA Horse Training Intermediate 1, and each one was just lovely to watch. I sat down to find out more about them. 
Edwina and Heathmont Echo
EDWINA
“I started showing when I was eight years old until recently, but not so much in the last two years. I’m 21 now. My horse Heathmont Echo, is 14 years old, and was gelded early 2013, and I’ve owned him since October the same year. We started in Medium and did our first small tour start last February. We did the Aachen Challenge last year and made the final. He got the award for best horse because he was beautiful for everyone!”
“I train with Robbie and Ali Soster of Robali Equestrian and I’ve trained with them since 2009 (although it was David who got the job of warming Edwina up for the Inter 1). They’ve been pushing for me to move into dressage from the time I started with them. Finally I gave in! I love it.”
“I’m in third year Uni doing a Bachelor of Commerce with a management major, but I think I might do another degree. I’m tempted to get into physio actually. I don’t want to be at a desk all day!”
Grace and Karingal Jamirqui
GRACE
“I just have Karingal Jamirqui here for the small tour because I’m too old to do anything else! I’m 21 but 22 at the end of the month.”
I was watching the three of you warming up and you all looked so lovely…
“Yeah everyone’s doing really well and there are some nice horses and the riders are starting to ride really nicely. It’s very encouraging.”
And you were all so close with your scores…
“I had little mistakes. It was a bit frustrating, he felt really flat today and I’m not really used to riding him like that. Normally he just sits and comes up, and I have to contain everything but today… but he was well behaved so that’s all we can ask of him.”
Which lower level horses couldn’t you bring, you old thing?
“We have EBI Sorrento, Maggie and Julie Hitchcock’s warmblood. He’s six and he went out last weekend at Tarree at the regional festival and got all four of his tests over 70% and novice and elementary champion. He’s working his socks off, and I’m really happy with him. He’s out at the moment though having a “baby break”, getting his little brain together.”
“I also have another six-year-old mare I’m eventing and I also started eventing Faberge. It’s hard to know what to do with him. He’s training small tour at home, jumping 1.30 metres and we’re just getting our pre novice qualifiers. It’s so much fun. I have a three-year-old colt that I just broke in as well. He’s really sweet.”
“I’m still at Uni. This is my last year. I took last year off as I trained overseas a lot, which was really really helpful, especially with the young horses. I have a better understanding of where I’m going with them. I could really see the progression over there. I might look at going back overseas next year, but it just depends what I do with the horses coming through. I’ve got some really nice ones and some lovely clients. So I have some decisions to make but it’s a good rock and a good hard place! I’ve also got my wonderful sponsors Trailrace and Equipe.”
“Jamirqui will go Grand Prix. Most of it is there, we’ve got our ones and passage. I just want to tidy up his piaffe a bit. He’s got the baby steps, it’s just not 13 steps on the spot! I feel like I’ve been doing small tour on him for ages but he’s just a horse that needs to keep competing.”
(You can catch up with Amy Reilly in our Saddleworld Rising Star feature on page 82)
Inter 1 riders: Grace, Edwina and Amy
Queensland Year 12 student Elloise Devlin has become a familiar face amongst the ribbons, and she was up the front during the presentations more than once in both high and low levels, including winning the Galston Equestrian Club Elementary 3:2 with over 70%, and second in both the Mulawa Performance FEI Under 25 Intermediate 2 and Mulawa Performance FEI Under 25 Grand Prix.
“This weekend I rode the Elementary and Medium on Brimstone Florente and the Grand Prix and Inter 2 on Brimstone Anakiwa. They both travelled down here really well and settled in really well… eventually. They’re both a little bit like stress-heads because they’re not stabled at home. They’re half brothers and we bred them both. Sam (GP) is 12 and the other is six.” 
How do they compare with each other being brothers?
“They’re both very similar in their calm nature. That comes form the mare. She’s got a beautiful temperament. The young one’s a bit quirky and cheeky because of his Dad who is Furst Tyme (Nicole Tough’s horse). The older one is by Anamour.”
“We’ve just come straight from State Interschools at Toowoomba. I finished school and we left the day after. I think I’m spending about two days at home in the holidays. We’ll head off tomorrow for the two day trip home.”
Last year of school. What are your plans for next year?
“I’m taking a gap year and going to Europe to train. I want to go to a few people, but to start I’ve been talking to Ton de Ridder as I’ve already had a few lessons with him, and he has basically said it’s all sorted, just give me your dates, so it’s brilliant.”
Elloise is sponsored by Prydes EasiFeed, GiddyUpGirl Australia and Horseland Sunshine Coast.
Another lovely young rider at the lower levels was 21-year-old Jessica Clark on Remember Me. Jess took home Central Coast Dressage Association Novice Champion and had good results, including a second place, in the In Conjunction Real Estate Elementary 3:3 as well. Jessica was one of a few riders I spoke to who really have to put in the extra miles, quite literally, to achieve her dressage goals.
“I live at Brighton Le Sands (which is just on the south side of Sydney Airport) but my horses live next to the Ryans in the Hunter Valley. They used to be in Centennial Park but they didn’t like it so much there. I make it up there about four times a week. It’s about a two-hour drive one way. I have two horses in work and a two-year-old sister to Rinaldo plus his Mum, who is in foal. My horse is six and we bought him as a foal through Auction of the Stars. He was never meant to get this big.” (he’s 17:3hh and Jess is a tiny little thing) 
“I train with Heath (Ryan). He’s the boss; he’s the one who screams at me. We always say, if he’s not screaming, there’s something wrong! I was watching some of the tests today and thought the competition was going to be hard, but I don’t get nervous, I just try to be really focused and try to be really accurate and confident for the horse.”
“I work at the ATC doing mounted security at Randwick and Rosehill races. I really like it. We also do social engagements with the horses. I tend to find if you’re nice to people, they tend to do what you want. If you say they look nice, they forget the fact that you’re kicking them out! I’ve been doing that since the beginning of the year. It gives me time to ride my own horses too.”
“When I was little I really liked jumping, but I fell off a few to many times so Mum said it’s either dressage or nothing. I’ve been riding since I was about six and competitive dressage
since about 12 years old. Mum, Dad and Jas my sister are all interested. We’re almost always at a competition together. It’s definitely a family thing. I couldn’t do it without them.”
Seventeen-year-old Sydney Evans from Sydney’s Northern Beaches was collecting ribbons all over the place. First and third in the Advanced tests, plus first in both Mediums, led her to Champion in both levels as well as Reserve FEI Young Rider Champion, just a few of the successes she had in the 12 tests she rode with three horses over the weekend.
“It’s been an amazing weekend!”
You sound shocked!
“I am shocked! For a pony to win… I’ve got a little 14.1hh pony, Dara Park Tequila Sunrise, who’s just turned 10. I’ve had him since he was three, and he just won the open classes against all the horses.”
“My schoolmaster Belcam Geldof was awarded Reserve Champion in the FEI Young Rider, and I have a client’s little horse called Biscuit (or Fiorealainn Sir Richie if you look on the program) who scored over 60% in the novice tests and over 70% in the Prelim so it’s all good.”
“I’ve been competing since I was 10, riding since I was two. My Mum used to be a three-star eventer, but had an accident so she turned to dressage and I just followed her. She’s taught me so much. I’ve been training with Lizzie Wilson-Fellows for about six weeks now and she’s been really helpful. I’m based in Duffys Forrest and she comes once a fortnight for about six of us.”
“I left school last year and am doing the horses full time now. I just got my licence so I can travel around teaching and riding. Dressage is my thing. I can’t jump at all, I’m terrible! My 18-year-old sister Jordan lives overseas, and has been there since she was 15. I was going to go, but I think I can do it from here. I have a good base here, and I have good sponsors and lots of clients. I love it. We don’t own a property but live in a little house on Collaroy Plateau and our own and clients’ horses are agisted. So, we get a bit of both worlds.”
Sydney is sponsored by Rosehip Vital and Horseland Terrey Hills.
Brianna Cartwright took out the Dressage NSW Elementary Champion on her six-year-old mare, Pacific Fable. The last time I spoke to Brianna she was about to make the transition from ponies to full size.
“Yes, it’s gone well. We bought the mare when she was 18 months old from Nichola Paff at Taree Equestrian Centre. I was the first one to ride her after the breakers. She won the Novice Champion last year at this event, so hopefully we’ll keep going up the levels like that!”
“I’m doing my HSC this year and still ride one of the ponies, but Fable is my main focus and I’m loving bringing her up the levels with the help of my aunty, Eva Wright.”
Brianna is sponsored by Mitavite and Horseland Central Coast.
It wasn’t all about the girls during these Nationals with some of the lads putting in some great results. Fifteen-year-old Angus Fripp from Berry, NSW won the Central Coast Dressage Association Novice 2:2 on his homebred five-year-old Foxwood Remy, doing most of his training on his own.
“I’ve been riding dressage for about five to six years. It’s the only type of riding I’ve done. I took it up because my nan Maxine Fripp used to ride Small Tour dressage.”
“We used to live on her farm and I would help out. Then a neighbour lent us a pony, which I rode for two or three years. That pony and Remy are the only two horses I’ve ridden. I only started riding Remy last year.”
You cracked 70%! Well done!
“I’m pretty surprised! The first test was a bit of a disaster. I got 66% and I’m happy with that but it didn’t go so well but the second test was good.”
And when you’re not riding?
“I’m at school and I work in a cafe two or three times a week, and I do volunteer tutoring at the PCYC. The rest of the time I’m riding.”
Angus wasn’t the only rider who impressed me with their hard work and diversified outlook on life.
Aidan Hartley is 22 this year and rode 13-year-old Warlock’s Spell in the Dressage Qld Prix St Georges, an accomplishment that almost wasn’t.
“He was lame leading up to this event so I’ve only really had him back in work since half way through last week. I cancelled his clipping because I didn’t think we’d be coming!”
Aidan with Warlock’s Spell and his parents, Brett and Rozanne
Your horse has had an unconventional career path…
“I was having lessons off various people then stumbled upon Sue (Cunningham) at Moore Park where I was having lessons about once a fortnight. She was a guest clinician. Sue helped us buy Warlock. He used to be one of Heath Harris’s trick horses, but he got too big. He’s Percheron/ Quarter horse. I don’t know why that combination happened, but it did! When we first got him he knew Prelim dressage and could do tricks. He could stand on pedestals and do Spanish Walk. He would even try to walk up steps.”
“We bought him for both Mum and me to share. He was brilliant when we got him and then he went through a bad patch. Mum rode him for about 18 months, but where we kept him, they fed him up and he started to spin and threw Mum off and she ended up in hospital. Then he started tossing everyone off. We didn’t really know what we were doing because he was our first horse.”
“I used to jump him up to 90cm, but we put him out for a spell once and he stuck his front foot down a rabbit hole and did a suspensory ligament. He’s quite a heavy horse so it’s too risky to jump him. I decided to stick to dressage for a while and then you realise what a challenge it is, it’s not as easy as it looks, and it takes a lot of effort. Aiming for that perfection was really interesting to me. We’ve reached Prix St Georges from Prelim in about three years. I remember the second test I ever rode on him had a lengthened trot across the diagonal, and he did that but kept going! But I always looked at the higher level riders with their tails, and I thought I want to do that. Today was only my second-ever Prix St Georges. I was really pushing to do that test because I’m too old for everything else, and it would be the last year I can do small tour level at this comp.”
“Now I just want to consolidate him at this level and we might try to get to Victoria at the end of the year for the Aachen challenge.”
Aidan is another young rider who has a formidable work ethic and sense of discipline.
“We live at Leichhardt (in Sydney’s inner west) and the horse is kept up at Tennyson which makes it about a five hour round trip. I try to get there about four times a week, fitting it in between Uni where I’m studying mechatronics engineering at UNSW.”
Smart boy!
Not everyone had the Nationals planned to perfection. There were riders who had to rely on their good training, and belief in self and horse. It could be argued that 20-year-old Lewis Newton from Western Australia was one of those!
“My first test ever was in Advanced at Bowral and then two at Clarendon and now I’m here! I was nervous going into the 5:3 today because I hadn’t read the test until last night and there’s half pass left, change and then half pass right. I’ve never done that before, so we had a go at it in the test! The change was a bit short but through. He’s such a quiet horse. He’s eight-years-old.”
You took the long way round from WA?
“I moved to Geelong last year and went to Marcus Oldham College to do my diploma in Equine Business Management. I finished there in December and moved to Mittagong to work for Matthew Dowsley and Rodney Martin. In February I bought Ferdinand off Matthew and did my first ever test in April. Before that I was just riding around, Pony Club and all that.”
Why dressage?
“The horses are so beautiful and powerful and it takes a lot of skill. It seemed hard and I wanted a bit of a challenge. I’ve been getting lessons every day from Matthew and Rodney. We were looking for young horses but I was already riding Ferdinand, so Matthew offered to sell him to me, after long discussions with my non-horsey parents, we bought him.”
“I’d love to do the Aachen Challenge at the end of the year but I’m not sure if we’ll be ready. We need to get a bit better at Advanced first although we’re getting all the Prix St Georges work at home. It’s just putting in a test and getting it to flow.”
“I really want to thank Matthew and Rodney for all their help… plus my parents!”
And Lewis is right. Three cheers for all the parents who were everywhere over the weekend in their support crew roles; grooms, drivers, cooks, videoers, sheet collectors, mobile phone answers and all manner of chef d’equipe roles. It wouldn’t happen without you.