WHEN Susan Leahy qualified for the Galloway hunter national championships she didn’t expect to get far.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
However, the Bega based trainer went on to win the event earlier this year.
Hosted at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre by the Show Horse Council of Australasia, the national championships is one of the most prestigious events in the country.
“I was stunned when I learned I had won,” Leahy said.
“We run working stock horses and had never really chased shows as our main form of competition.”
Myee Celebration was reared at Leahy’s Cobargo stables - Myee Stud.
She qualified once before in the training process of a client’s horse, but was thrilled to ride a horse she bred and trained locally in the top level competition.
“The prestige is insane, they are some of the top level horses in the country and you have to qualify and then be invited to compete.”
Entrants were given two and a half minutes to impress judges and strut their stuff.
“You have to show them what your horse is capable of and they pick the top 10 or top 15 to actually show,” Leahy said.
“Then a stranger gets on your horse to see how suitable it is for that discipline.
“The biggest compliment she [the judge] gave us was that he looks, rides and works like a hunter.”
Leahy said the judges were looking for a very specific type of horse and had to show Myee celebration unsaddled as well in the competition.
Leahy said she had a lifetime of riding and show experience and now looked to share it.
She is hoping to launch horsemanship clinics and courses for local riders to develop their riding partnerships and improve safety.
“I was born into it and want to teach people how to be safe and well presented so you can be the best you possibly could as a competitor.”
She said there was a huge horse riding community on the Far South Coast and wanted to be able to share her skills among local groups.
If you have an interest in learning horsemanship to improve your show experience, give Leahy a call on 0429 489 281.