October was truly a jam packed month with shows and events of all disciplines being held across the state. From Dressage to Barrel Racing and everything in between, the thoroughbreds were on full display showing their versatility in their careers post racing.
For more details and results from each event please visit the events social media pages or website.
Reynella Horse Trials (21st & 22nd October)
Reynella Horse Trials is one of the biggest events on the eventing calendar in South Australia. With a total of 50 retired racehorses listed in the entries of October’s event. The Thoroughbreds were seen competing across each grade.
The Thorough Care SA CCN1*-S was taken out by Kaitlin Teichert and her own retired racehorse Tenacious Red. The now 13 year old who also raced as Tenacious Red had 4 starts for 0 wins and 0 placings, though this hasn’t stopped the gelding by Ferocity from having a successful eventing career, finishing on their dressage score of 31.10 at this event.
The CCN3*-S was won by successful Event Rider and Architect Luke Jones and his retired racehorse Spirit. Spirit, known to his racing connections as Muradeem, had a racing career spanning 28 starts for 0 wins and 0 minor placings though he was able to earn $5,350 in prize money. Luke and the gelding by Nadeem were sitting in second place after the dressage and cross country phases, though were able to secure the top spot in a close finish in the Show Jumping.
Full results from the Reynella Horse Trials can be found on the Reynella Horse Trials Facebook Page.
Highest Placed Thoroughbred in each grade:
EvA65 Div 1 - Indy Berden and MB Parkinson
Race Name: Parkinson (Host (CHI)/Play Mizzty For Me (Can))
EvA65 Div 2 - Jeanine Miller and Hussarama
Race Name: Hussarama (Hussonet (USA)/Nabeul (NZ))
EvA80 Div 1 - Sarah Zohar and Trinity Park Trademark
Race Name: Graceful Wolf (Amadeus Wolf (GB)/Gilded Grace)
EvA80 Div 2 - Sahara Warren and Shropshires Lone Ranger
Race Name: Diamond Thief (Lohnro/Lifetime Story)
EvA95 - Courtney Munro and Riverbank Whiskey
Race Name: Irish Bay (Teofilo (IRE)/ Ashraqat)
CCN1*-S - Kaitlin Teichert and Tenacious Red
Race Name: Tenacious Red (Ferocity/Jibena)
CCN3*-S - Luke Jones and Spirit
Race Name: Muradeem (Nadeem/Element of Fire(NZ))
Equestrian SA Horse Of The Year (14th and 15th October)
Equestrian SA hosted their annual Horse of The Year Show which included an individual class for Thoroughbreds bred for the purpose of racing. This Year’s edition of the event saw Chris and Vicky Lawrie’s Newcomer Thoroughbred Swan Lake (Raced as Starouz) and Kate Halliday take first prize.
Starouz is an 8 Year Old Gelding by Zoustar who had 42 career starts for 6 wins, 6 seconds and 8 thirds, earning $273,805 in prize money.
1st- Swan Lake and Kate Halliday
Race Name: Starouz (Zoustar/ Ballet Society)
2nd- Dominos and Erin Bradshaw
Race Name: Deeling Us In (Dundeel (NZ)/Darkling)
3rd- Harlow and Audriena Ainslie
Race Name: Harlow (Encosta de Lago/Shanghai Moon (NZ)
Show Horse Council of SA Horse of The Year (21st & 22nd October)
This year’s Show Horse Council of South Australia Horse of The Year Show incorporated a prize for the Highest Placed Bred-To-Race Thoroughbred in each eligible led and ridden class.
Dominos (Raced as Deeling Us In (Dundeel (NZ)/Darkling) and Erin Bradshaw followed up from their success at ESA Horse of The Year by claiming third place and the Highest Placed Bred to Race Thoroughbred in the Small Show Hack 15hh NE 16hh Class.
Svetski (Raced as Svetski (Universal Prince/She’s In Control) and Alissa Klingberg had a stellar show to claim Runner Up Led Hack over 15hh and the Highest Placed Thoroughbred award, as well as qualifying for the 2024 Grand Nationals as the Runner Up Large Show Hack over 16hh, once again taking out the prize for the Highest Placed Thoroughbred.
Finale (Raced as Glossy Ganoderma (Charge Forward/I’m Mary Too) and Rebecca Struck continued their recent success from Wilmington and Quorn Ag Shows by taking out Runner-up Led Show Hunter Hack over 15hh and the Highest Placed Thoroughbred award, as well as the Highest Placed Thoroughbred Award in the Small Show Hunter Hack 15hh NE 16hh.
Adelaide Hills Spring Dressage Festival (7th & 8th October)
Highest Scoring Bred To Race Thoroughbred – Dalpura Bullets and Bows ridden by Lucinda Hoppe Race Name: Bullets and Bows (Bullet Train/Fairy Bow)
Bullets and Bows had 2 Career starts for 0 wins and 0 minor placings, though has already seen success in her life after racing. Lucinda and Bullets and Bows recently travelled to Victoria to represent South Australia at the 2023 Marcus Oldham Interschool National Championships held at the Werribee Equestrian Centre.
Eyre Peninsula Dressage Championships (22nd October)
Highest Scoring Bred To Race Thoroughbred – Hard At It ridden by Leah Bryant
Race Name: Hard At It (Hard Spun/Tierani)
Raced as Hard At It, the now 12 year old gelding had a solid racing career with 58 race starts including 7 wins, 9 seconds and 10 thirds earning $103,155 in prize money. Hard At It is now continuing his success in his life after racing with his owner and rider Leah Bryant.
Marcus Oldham Australian Interschool Championships (29th Sep – 3rd Oct)
The Annual Australian Interschool Championships saw horse and rider combinations from each state travel to the Werribee international Equestrian Centre to compete across 5 disciplines. The South Australian team featured 8 retired racehorses including one who travelled to the championships as a pool horse. Full results can be found at https://ausequestrianinterschoolchamps.org.au/
Retired Racehorses that represented South Australia
- Beau Rivage (Race Name: Beau Rivage (Monaco Consul (NZ)/Swan River) and Indy Berden
- Dalpura Bullets and Bows (Race Name: Bullets and Bows (Bullet Train/Fairy Bow) and Lucinda Hoppe.
- Dawns Conquest (Race Name: East Cape (Dawn Approach (IRE)/St Gilgen) and Lisa Cowling
- Gardening Leave Gordon (Race Name: Gardening Leave (All To Hard/Ya Michelle) and Carla Maccissi
- Highland Duke (Race Name: Synsaver (Super Saver (USA)/Rapid Fire Lady) and Annabel Mallord
- Malvado J (Race Name: Malvado (Hussonet (USA)/Wicked Secrets) – Pool Horse
- Masterdom (Raced as Masterdom (Masterpiece (ARG)/Flying Ella) and Peggy Bosworth
- Tyrannosaurus Bex (Race Name: Snobby (Devaraja (NZ)/She’s Posh) and Emily Condo
SPPHASA Breed O’Rama (29th October)
The Standardbred Pleasure and Performance Horse Association of SA hosted its annual Breed O’Rama Show at the Strathalbyn Polo Grounds. This event was well attended by horses and riders across all levels and it was brilliant to see so many thoroughbreds take to the show ring, some for the very first time.
Mount Gambier Ag Show (19th-21st October)
The Mount Gambier Ag Show Society presented a program that was spread across multiple disciplines. From Show Jumping to Barrel Racing and Show Horse events. The Mount Gambier Show perfectly displayed the versatility of thoroughbreds in their second careers.
Kangarilla Pony Club Show Jumping Day (22nd October)
With classes from 35cm up to 95cm the Kangarilla Pony Club Show Jumping day was successful for many riders and their retired race horses across an array of levels. Results can be found on the Kangarilla Pony Club Facebook Page
