Although Australia has been extremely successful in containing Covid-19, having less than 1,000 deaths and 29,639 cases all up, running a horse show is still a risky venture.
The Australian Arabian National Championships was held in Melbourne this year between 3-6 March, and it was definitely a case of will it/won’t it be on in the run up to the event. Australia maintains its low Covid rates by snap city lockdowns and borders shutting with 24 hour notice, so it was a challenging decision for competitors from interstate to enter this year’s show. However, everyone was eager to get back out and into the ring. Many, I included, sent their horses to Victoria well ahead of the Championships to compete in other shows in the run up. Even if the owners were in another state, at least the horses might get to the show. My stallion did get caught up in one of those snap lockdowns – on the way to another show, the state closed for three days. Everybody packed up and went home, better luck next week! Australians are pretty stoic – everybody panics, swamps the supermarkets and buys all the toilet paper every lockdown, then breezes out to a horse show the next week. It is the price you pay for controlling a virus.
Australian National Champion Mares – Gold Joi El Jiuliusz, Silver Shayala, and Bronze Breathless Vision PCF for Sabble Farms
With a fair amount of luck and the huge support of our Arabian industry sponsoring the event, the show went ahead in the wonderful mild Victorian weather. The borders were open, and 268 horses entered from Victorian, New South Wales, Tasmania, and Queensland. It must be said that the Championships only went ahead due to the dedication and hard work of a small group of people headed by Katherine McMahon, who overcame all obstacles to make the show a success.
Inverdale Mahvellous Melody and Gemsfield Clementine discuss their respective Gold abd Silver titles in the Junior Arabian Stockhorse Led Championship
This year’s feature Derivative registry was the Arabian Stockhorses sponsored by SPLASH, a group of dedicated owners and breeders who supplied embroidered wool rugs for the Gold, Silver and Bronze Champions both led and ridden. Although only a new and small registry, it celebrates the cross between the Arabian horse and the Australian Stockhorse, a unique Australian horse bred to work on cattle stations and farms, and to compete in camp drafting – the very Australian sport of convincing a cow to leave its mates and complete a figure eight pattern around markers and through gate markers; yes, it is as hard as it sounds! Arabian sires were used from colonial times on cattle stations to improve the stamina and endurance of their working horses and Arabian Stockhorses are bringing back that cross.
Foxwood Golden Spark
The Gold Senior Arabian Stockhorse Champion was my own Foxwood Golden Spark (Nalla La Scala x Coldstream Silver Cloud) with the Silver Championship going to Gemsfield Cleopatra (Jindalee Casanova x Warrawee Jaliya) for Jacqui Langfield, and Bronze Champion to Sienna Abstract Art (Vancouver Park Watch my Duco x Thorpevilla Hannah) for Leanne Lawrance.
Gemsfield Cleopatra
The Gold Junior Arabian Stockhorse Champion was Inverdale Mahvellous Melody (Chalani Tempo x Mahvella) for Sharon Barry. Gemsfield Clementine (Lone Pine Flyn x Gemsfield Cleopatra) made it a double for Jacqui Langfield taking the Silver, while Bronze went to Yarradene Fantasia (Coltura x Yarradene Rhapsody) for Teresa Child. It should be noted that Gemsfield Clementine just won the two-year old class at the Australian Stockhorse National Show as an Australian Stockhorse. As with a lot of our Australian Arabian derivatives, these horses have multiple breed or colour registrations and are known for winning in their other breed classes.
Inverdale Mahvellous Melody
The Gold Ridden Arabian Stockhorse Champion was Gemsfield Cleopatra, with Silver going to Troika Widgie Bar (Docs Gay Barwidgee x Celsar Rhapsody) for Stacey Rusic with Sienna Abstract Art in Bronze.
Gemsfield Cleopatra
I Adore MI
The purebred classes were well supported with I Adore MI (Allegiance MI x Ivory MI) winning Gold Champion Yearling Filly for Reality Arabians. Jazzaba al Dawla (RHR Heir of Marwan x Sa-Har Sweet Melody) was Silver Champion for Diaa Kara-Ali with Saranza (Echos of Marwan x Briarwoods Sarah Beth) in Bronze for Jess Wilson.
Jazzaba Al Dawla
Ulyssia
The Purebred Junior Female Championship saw the undefeated Ulyssia (Ulysium x Narcisse) take Gold for Graeme and Sheila Jones. Bohemian Al Sahrae (El Chall WR x Beguine OH) was awarded Silver for Al Sahrae Arabians with Pshania KA (Pshalomar x Asher KA) Silver for Krishlah Arabians.
Bohemian Al Sahrae was also named Gold Champion Led Breeding Exhibit NPTH (Non-professional to handle)
Joi El Jiuliusz (US)
The Senior Female Championship saw an incredible clean sweep for Sabble Farm and Future Farms with Joi El Jiuliusz (US) (Jiuliusz de Wiec (US) x Enjoi E (US)) Gold, Breathless Vision PCF (US) (PCF Vision (US) x Breath of Spring Psy (US)) Silver and Shayala (Shael Dream Desert (US x Cassiopeia BPA (US)) Bronze.
Shayala
Jasper FF
The Gold Champion Purebred Yearling Colt title went to Jasper FF (Volcom FF x Mystica Jamarlee) for Sabble Farm. Pshiva KA (Pshalomar x Asher KA) took the Silver for Krishlah Arabians and in Bronze was Ubiquitous AAJ (Ulysium x Gaisha Girl) for Alice Rosewall.
Kharacter MI
Kharachter MI (Advise MI x Karess) was Gold Junior Male Champion for Sally Harvey. Silver went to Max’sea (Maximilliano x Stephlyn Abalette Shaklan) for Shane Edwards Arabians and Bronze was Hermes MI (Allegiance MI x MI Harmony) for Reality Arabians.
Volcom FF
The Senior Male Championship saw Volcom FF (Crave FF x BeguineOH) win Gold for Future Farms. Echos of Tomorrow (Echos of Marwan x Falzon Tomorrow’s Dream) take Silver for Steven McCurley and Robyn Roger – and it should be noted that Echos of Tomorrow won the Gold Champion Ridden Purebred Stallion Championship the next day. Bronze Senior Male Champion Led was Voyager W (Sir Charmed FF x Amira Mulahn) for Jayne Bellchambers.
Echos of Tomorrow, Gold Champion Ridden Purebred Stallion, Purebred Ultra Award winner, and Silver Champion Led Purebred Stallion
The Purebred Gelding Championships always hotly contested and this year, the Gold Yearling title went to Valhalla FF (Crave FF x Beguine OH) for Sabble Farm with Catalyst KA (Crave FF x Breathless) Silver for Krishlah Arabians and Lovica the Dominater (Spades LRA x Santinah Rose Lovica) Bronze for Kylie Dewyse.
Volt KA
The Junior Gelding Championship saw Volt KA (Vitorious KA x A’Real Diva KA) take Gold for Krishlah Arabians. Silver went to Valiant Al Sahrae (Volcom FF x Burren-dah Valentina Image) for Al Sahrae Arabians, and Vain MI (Allegiance MI x Always Valentine MI) took Bronze for Nikki Frisby and Brittany.
Valiant Al Sahrae
Allegiant MI
The Senior Gelding Championship saw Reality Arabians Geldings battle it out for the top spot, with Allegiant MI (Allegiance MI x Mi Angel) taking the Gold and Allegro MI (Allegience MI x Krystal MI) the Silver. Meanwhile, Xanaphon (Ajman Moniscione x Nemesis SPA) took Bronze for Veronica Mortimer.
Allegro MI
Butterfly FF
The Ultra Arabian and Ultra Derivative Awards are based on combined halter and ridden scores, and they were won by the purebred Echos of Tomorrow and Arabian Pony Butterfly FF (CraveFF x Krystal Park Buckwheat), owned by Sabble Farm, respectively. The Versatile Purebred Award went to Oso Leonardo (Aloha Kaaba x Oso Locket) from Oso Arabians while the Versatile Derivative Award went to Gleniph Tiramisu (CraveFF x Gleniph Bombe Alaska) owned by Sabble Farm.
Gleniph Tiramisu
For part two of this report, click here.
You can find full results including the numerous derivative sections as well as scorecards for all classes, on the AHSA website.
For all the photographs, visit the Glenys Lilley Foxwood Photography website or the Australian Arabian National Championships page on Facebook.
All photography by Glenys Lilley Foxwood Photography
Read more show reports on The Arabian Magazine.
