Pryde's EasiFeed,

Since sponsorship with Pryde’s EasiFeed began back in late August of 2011, we have consistently performed well in the show ring with a number of our horses ranging from led yearlings through to ridden ponies.

Our first major show was Adelaide Royal where we campaigned 4 of our team for the following results:

Gryffindor – 2nd Open Show Hunter over 16 hh

Kolbeach Finest – 3rd Open Show Pony over 13 hh ne 13.2hh
                          2nd Show Pony Mare over 12.2 hh ne 14hh

Kolbeach Pin up – 5th Novice Show Pony over 12.2 hh ne 13 hh

Belvedere – 2nd Novice Show Hack over 16.2 hh
                  6th Open Show Hack over 16.2hh

Our next major event was Equestrian Australia S.A Horse of the Year. Here we exhibited 5 of our team with 3 gaining qualification to the prestigious Equestrian Australia National Show Horse Championships held in December at Werribee Equestrian Centre. The results at the HOTY were as follows:

Rivalry – Champion Newcomer Show Hunter over 15hh (his first competition since finishing his career as a handy racehorse (Special Causeway). Sadly we lost him in early March in a freak accident here at home, certainly a loss as he seemed to have what it took to be a star.

Gryffindor – Champion Show Hunter over 16hh (6th consecutive win in this class – in previous years it has been over  15hh). He has now qualified for the Nationals 8 years in a row for 2 wins and a runner up national  champion – the nationals will be his last show as we feel at 15 he has earned his retirement after being in  the ring and at the top since 2003.

Kolbeach Finest – Runner up Show Pony over 12.2hh ne 14hh. She will also retire after nationals but this time to the broodmare paddock. We obtained her 2 years ago for this job but decided to campaign her and in that time she was declared Best in Show at Melbourne Summer Royal, won an open class at a Royal and 2 HOTY runner up titles.

Argyl Royal Flush- Champion Pony 12.2hh and under. This was a huge win for the mare (the first of our home bred ponies to be shown under saddle) as she was only broken in 5 months previous and she was ridden in the class by an 11 year old – most ponies with this much saddle experience would just do the newcomer class (restricted to ponies that have only been shown in the last 12 months) 

Belvedere – 4th Show Hack over 16hh.

The EA Show Horse Nationals were next on the calendar and although none of the 3 was champion or reserve, at the end of the day all 3 looked and went well – representing the state, our stud and Pryde’s EasiFeed with distinction.

Next was the big young stock show of the year; Melbourne Summer Royal. Here we took 3 yearlings (one of which we had sold prior to the show but were asked by Hayley Malseed to show it as she was delighted in how it looked when she bought it 4 weeks prior to the competition).

Argyl Chorister – 2nd yearling Colt 12.3 and under and Reserve Champion Colt (this was a really strong class and any of the top 6 were worthy of the win). We had a number of offers on this colt but he is to be retained as a future.

Argyl Royal Heirloom – 4th Yearling Filly 11.3hh  ne 12.3hh.

Argyl Wedding Portrait – 3rd Yearling Filly over 12.3hh

We headed straight back from The Melbourne Summer Royal for the SA Riding Pony of the Year show. Here we showed 3 for a very impressive day at the office.

Argyl Chorister – 1st Yearling Colt and Champion overall Colt where he then went on to be Supreme Youngstock of the show which then put him into the Grand Supreme Led of show which to our delight he went on to win over some lovely more mature show ponies.

Argyl Royal Heirloom – 1st Yearling Filly and then Champion overall Filly where she was beaten then in the Supreme Youngstock class by Argyl Chorister.

Argyl Royal Flush – 1st ridden show pony ne 12.2 hh and then Champion Show Pony ne 12.2hh. She then went against all the other heights and was declared Supreme Ridden Show Pony. This again like the colt earned her a run in the Grand Supreme Ridden of Show where both judges declared her the winner.

It was a great day for our stud showing we are breeding and producing quality ponies that go and look like Champions.

We loaded up 3 of our team and drove to Melbourne for their Barastoc Horse of the Year. This is judged by 3 English Judges so it is quite a big challenge. We had only entered “Royal Flush” as we were going onto Canberra Royal and thought it would be a lot to ask for the other 2 as they needed more work down. We could not have been more pleased with the young mare – she made the top 10 in the morning so went into the final later on that morning where she was declared Barastoc Champion Small Pony. A great result for a pony still in her newcomer season.

So the next day we took the trip to Canberra Royal for another very pleasing result.

Argyl Royal Flush – 1st Novice Pony 12hh ne 12.2hh
                             Best Novice ne 12.2hh
                             1st Open Pony 12.hh ne 12.2hh
                            Champion Small Pony  ne 12.2hh – this is a huge win for such a young pony’s first Royal Show, not only to win her novice and be best novice but to then go on and back up her Barastoc win from the previous weekend against some very well performed ponies was incredible.

Kolbeach Pin Up – 6th Riding Pony 12.2 -13hh

Belvedere – 6th Novice Show Hack over 16.2hh

The last BIG show of the season was Sydney Royal (which looked a little touch and go with all the floods as the main highway was closed right up until the week prior to us leaving) but again the trip proved worth while.

Argyl Royal Flush – 1st Open Pony 12hh ne 12.2hh
                         Champion Small Pony ne 12.2hh – again this was amazing, this mare has exceeded all our expectation. What she has won this season is more than most ponies win in a life time and she still has many show years ahead of her before she returns to the broodmare paddock one day.

Belvedere – 2nd Novice Show Hack over 16.2hh
                  3rd Gentlemans Hack over 15hh

Following Sydney Royal Belvedere was sold to M & M Performance Horses.

We finished this season off with 2 Riding Pony Foal shows where we showed Argyl Harmony and Argyl Heavenly. Both won their classes and A. Harmony was Champion filly at both shows and A. Heavenly was Reserve Champion filly at the second show. 

All in all we have had a great season with some FANTASTIC results. Next year we will be a lot quieter with only “Royal Flush” being shown under saddle as Andrew and I are expecting our first child in early October (just in time for all our mares to foal down!!) We would like to thank Pryde’s EasiFeed for the sponsorship we could not be more delighted with the way our show team and broodmares look on the feed and ALWAYS recommend it when asked.

Kind regards,
Charlie Hunt