EQUITANA 2012: A Few Of Our Favourite Things

Django of Cacherel and Jeremy Janjic competing in the Equestrian Grand Final Grand Prix Dressage Freestyle

Horsezone's Leah Dale with Jo Formosa in the Horsezone stand

Equestrian Grand Final Showjumping

Magic Browbands stand complete with bubbles!

Australian Open Reining Championships

Flexible Fit Equestrian bridle

Equestrian Grand Final Exhibition Eventing

Ken Faulkner - winner of The Way Of The Horse

The lovely ladies from Black Label Equestrienne

Trick rider (Photo: Tom Griffiths)

Waiting for the mounted games

Cakes for horses by Ultrabeet

EQUITANA is over for another year and we're suffering withdrawal symptoms after this amazing event, which celebrated the magnificent animal that brought us all together - the noble horse!

It was a wonderful opportunity to see all things equine across a wide variety of breeds and disciplines in the one location. Where else can you watch western pleasure training in one arena, horse ball in another and a dressage demonstration in yet another? Not to mention buy a new stock saddle or a stallion service to a top Warmblood, all under the same roof!

Horsezone was proud to sponsor the hugely popular Equestrian Grand Final Dressage, Showjumping and Eventing, which showcased Australia's top talent and gave everyone a chance to watch the best in the business across the three disciplines. There were good crowds for all events, however, the Grand Prix Freestyle Dressage had the largest crowd and attendees weren't disappointed with fantastic performances by Australia's top horses and riders.

This was the first year Horsezone had a stand at EQUITANA and it proved to be the perfect way to meet existing customers, hear feedback and also introduce new people to Horsezone. We loved chatting to everyone, hearing their success stories with selling horses through us - or just hearing about their horses in general - and meeting fans of the Horsezone Facebook page.

It was a delight to work with Jo Formosa over the four days and her wonderfully positive outlook on life and all its challenges, couldn't help but make everyone she spoke to feel hopeful. Jo was more than happy to chat at length to visitors about their horses and their equestrian dreams. On more than one occasion I saw her put an ambitious young rider's hands around the gold medal and say, 'Now close your eyes and picture yourself performing and winning at the Olympics. Follow your dream - you can do it!' I think Jo's gold medal must be the most handled gold medal in history. The Horsezone team felt privileged to wear it on more than one occasion, just so we knew where it was during all the activity in the stand, of course, and a common cry was, 'Who's got the gold medal?'

Horsey youngsters also had fun in the Horsezone stand, 'mounting' up on our showjumper and having their photo taken as part of the Equestrian Australia Treasure Hunt. There were quite a few people, probably not quite young enough to partake in the treasure hunt, who also enjoyed a 'ride' on our showjumper!

The Horsezone daily prize draws were also very popular and thank you to everyone who entered. The winners each day were as follows:

Thursday: Ella Bradshaw (VIC)

Friday: Samantha Carevic (VIC)

Saturday: Liz Baillie (VIC)

Sunday: Fleur Litster (WA)

It's impossible to cover everything from EQUITANA succinctly, however, a picture tells a thousand words, so check out our comprehensive EQUITANA Photo Gallery. There are plenty of photos from a wide variety of events, clinics, stands and of course heaps of different horses - the reason we were all there in the first place!

Here are a few of our favourite things... (in addition to cream coloured ponies and crisp apple strudels)

Events?

Leah: I really enjoyed the Equestrian Grand Final Grand Prix Freestyle Dressage and Showjumping and would loved to have seen the Australian Open Reining Championships as I think this would have been a great event too. The Way Of The Horse was a really different type event to watch and had a huge crowd for the last day.

Jo: All the events were top class, however, if I had to pick one, probably the Australian Open Reining Championships, or maybe the Equestrian Grand Final Showjumping or the Grand Prix Dressage Freestyle or Exhibition Eventing or The Way Of The Horse. Too many to choose from!

Tim: Equestrian Grand Final Showjumping and Trick Riding. Being a jumper it's always good to see my sport being exposed to an extended audience. The Webjet Australian Trick Riding Championships were amazing, what those girls and one guy do on horses is out of this world. When Teleah Jenson (the Australian junior Trick riding Champion) climbed under her horses neck at a flat gallop everyone's heart was in their throat!

Jenny: Equestrian Grand Final Grand Prix Dressage and Showjumping and the heavy horse display.

Jo Formosa: I enjoyed watching the Equestrian Grand Final Dressage and Showjumping - loved the speed in the jumping. I also enjoyed watching some of the western events, which I hadn't really seen much before. It's interesting seeing the different types of horses used in the various sports and now I have learnt more about the western disciplines. I didn't understand the flat knees but feel much more educated now!

Clinics?

Leah: I didn't get to see very many all the way through due to the Horsezone stand being so busy, however, the Mary King Eventing Masterclass was interesting, as were western and dressage clinics and Jo Formosa's para-equestrian education session.

Jo: Josh Lyons and Richard Winters Western Performance Clinic. I loved how they rode a wide variety of horses from green two year olds through to more experienced horses and showed relevant techniques, depending on the horse's age and level of training for reining, cutting and western pleasure.

Tim: I missed most, however, I enjoyed Jo Formosa's educational session on the para-equestrian program. Having met her on our stand she is a true inspiration to us all.

Jenny: Kyra Kyrklund –  I feel so fortunate to have witnessed a clinic by this delightful lady, one of the most accomplished dressage riders and trainers ever. Her freestyle display before the CDI-W Grand Prix Kur was hilarious. She made it all look so easy.

Jo Formosa: I didn't get to see many other clinics but I enjoyed riding in the para-equestrian sessions with Julia Battams and educating spectators about the program. Cossack, the lovely horse I was riding, is a very big boy and the arena was quite small so we couldn't do a lot but I think people did learn more about what is involved with para-equestrian.

Horses?

Leah: I loved OO Seven in the Grand Prix freestyle dressage, especially when he started the test with Gangnam Style! What a great choice of music. There were so many gorgeous horses across all the events and in the Breed Village. It's hard to pick a favourite.

Jo: The gorgeous reiner Ruf Lil Renee, beautiful Friesians in the Breed Village who couldn't get enough smooches, the exquisitely elegant Diamantina IV, fabulously cool OO Seven, 18hh Cossack who Jo Formosa rode and the brave showjumpers and eventers. Let's not forget the heavy horses, plucky mounted games ponies and high-flying 'Mini-Tana' miniatures.

Tim: The Sportaloosas in the Breed Village and the cutting horses.

Jenny: Two dressage horses - the absolutely exquisite mare Diamantina IV ridden by Maree Tomkinson and Django of Cacherel, the beautiful Friesian stallion broken in and trained to Grand Prix by Jeremy Janjic.

Jo Formosa: All the horses were beautiful!

Stands/product?

Leah: I loved that absolutely everything to do with horses was in the one place. I was impressed with Peter Horobin Saddlery and also with Magic Browbands. There was so much choice and I would loved to have spent more time checking them all out. Next year!

Jo: Black Label Equestrienne had beautiful tailored shirts; Horsemans Trading Post for all the latest and greatest western gear; Horse Show Colour had innovative products, including 'wipes' made specifically for removing the stubbornest horse makeup; and Magic Browbands for their gorgeous bling and groovy bubbles machine, plus heaps more, too numerous to mention!

Tim: I think the stand out for me was, wait for it, the Horses Birthday/Christmas cake! What a great product! It's unique but clever and cheap - costs under $10 to spoil your horse. The cakes are made by Ultrabeet.

Jenny: Flexi Fit Gel Padded Girth from Flexible Fit Equestrian. My horse would love one.

Jo Formosa: Due to being so busy meeting people I didn't get much time to look at the stands or to shop, which I would have loved! I really liked products from Magictails, Magic Browbands, Free Rein Equestrian and Pocket Ponies. Of course my favourite stand was the Horsezone stand! I had an absolute ball working with the Horsezone team, meeting people and chatting about their horses and riding. It was so much fun and you guys are all so down to earth and easy for people to talk to. Plus it's great that you've got staff who are knowledgeable across all the disciplines. Whether people did dressage, jumping, western or showing they felt comfortable chatting to someone from the Horsezone team.

 

Overall highlight?

Leah: Watching Jo Formosa ride Anne Skinner's beautiful 18hh Warmblood, Cossack, during educational sessions on the para-equestrian program. Being part of a wonderful event, working in the Horsezone stand with everyone, chatting to our customers, learning what's working for them and getting feedback.

Jo: In addition to all the wonderful horses, events, top trainers and products, working with the Horsezone Team and Jo Formosa in the Horsezone stand, meeting so many people who use Horsezone and follow our Facebook page; and introducing new folks to the joy of Horsezone!

Tim: The overall highlight was the number of people all so keen on the horse industry. It really showed me how strong an industry we are involved with and how many wonderful people there are from diverse and interesting backgrounds. 

Jenny: Spending time with Jo Formosa who was so inspiring, as well as being a genuinely lovely person. Overall, events like this remind us of the amazing diversity of equestrian sport and how we are all united by our passion for horses. I enjoyed meeting people associated with many different disciplines. One lady who stood out was from the Creswick RSL Light Horse Troop which participates in parades paying tribute to the Australian Light Horse of World War I.

Jo Formosa: I was overwhelmed and humbled by how I couldn't walk anywhere without people stopping me to chat and congratulate me! I feel very honoured by all the people who lined up to see me. I am so grateful. It is amazing what my ride in London has done for people and how inspired they are - they said I made them cry and then at EQUITANA they were making me cry! I'm just so happy to be able to inspire people and give them hope - if I can do it anyone can. I truly never knew it would be like that. I am the shyest person around, and prior to London I hated photos and talking to strangers and now I'm out in everybody's face! I'm changed, well, I'm still me but I'm more confident. Thank you so much to everyone for all their best wishes!

(Jo leaves tomorrow for Hong Kong, where she is competing with two other riders on borrowed horses. She will arrive home on 30 November and her beloved Worldwide PB, following his time in quarantine, will arrive at her door the following day. Jo is beyond excited about being reunited with her beloved boy - stay tuned for news on the Hong Kong event and Jo and Worldwide's reunion!)

So that's it for EQUITANA for 2012 and we look forward to doing it all again in Sydney 7-10 November 2013. See you there!

Quick Links

• Horsezone's EQUITANA Photo Gallery
• Full results from EQUITANA competitions
• All 2012 EQUITANA news
• View recently added listings on Horsezone

By: Jo Johnson/Horsezone