Five Minutes With... Showing Superstar - Gina Montgomery

Gina riding Lost Lady - winner of three Cane Trophy's at Sydney Royal           (Photo: Alicia Birch)

In a career spanning 30 years with Show Horses, Gina Montgomery has competed consistently at the highest levels, producing multiple Royal Show Champions and numerous State and National Horse of the Year titles with Ponies, Galloways, Hacks and Hunters.  In the past Gina enjoyed a stint in showjumping and more recently has turned her attention to dressage with wins at State and National levels.  Gina is also a well respected Show Horse Judge and has judged at many shows, including Sydney Royal Show.

Home to the Montgomery Family, AmberWood Park, is a 58 acre property at Kiar, near Wyong, on the NSW Central Coast.   It is from here that Gina and her hard working team run a very successful horse training stables.  AmberWood Park's extensive facilities include a barn with 10 stables, hot/cold wash bays, 14 day yards with shelters, holding yards for visiting/lesson horses, ample parking, a dressage arena with Soiltex surface, a sand arena & a large turf arena.  Gina is happy to take horses for training and also conducts private lessons and Clinics - this coupled with her showing, dressage and judging committments ensures Gina is one very busy lady!

Gina with Denzel (Photo: Roger Fitzhardinge)

After judging at Sydney Royal Show the last 2 years (2009 Hacks and 2010 Show Hunters), we are looking forward to seeing Gina back competing this year - riding the gorgegous Coast and CS Primadonna. Gina will also be competing at the prestigious Grand National Show with Coast this weekend.

Horsezone managed to catch up with Gina before she takes off for the Grand National and Sydney Royal, to find out more about this determined and dedicated, yet humble, horsewoman...

 

Gina, you've had a hugely successful career in showing - how old were you when you first start riding and showing?

I began riding at six years of age, just a few years ago now!  My first pony Bambi and I went to our first show together when I was eight.  I left school at 15 to begin my professional career at Marburg Equestrian Centre in Queensland.

Gina and Manuscript (Photo: Julie Wilson)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There have been many highlights throughout your career - is there any one achievement that stands out from the others?

Hmm, hard to single out just one… Lost Lady’s three consecutive Crane Trophy’s at Sydney Royal were very special.  Manuscript’s Reserve Champion at Sydney Royal and ond the dressage front, winning the Advanced Tournament at Sydney CDI*** with Wallmeyer. (every win with Wallmeyer really, as they are sooooo hard to come by!!!)

 

We're sure you've had many great horses over the years - do you have a favourite?

Yes, I’ve been blessed to have worked with a number of super horses over the years, all of which I’m very fond of but some have become favourites for sure – firstly Bambi who was with me till he was 35 years old; my own hacks Hand Painted and Twin Alps; the Whelan Family’s Lost Lady; Manuscript, owned initially by Barbara Whitehouse before Lisa MacDonald bought him; Denzel owned by Kylie Waldon as a show horse then when I bought him and retired him from showing to concentrate on dressage; and my own and Lisa Mac’s Wallmeyer of course!  Then there’s Gillespie, Geisha Girl, State Affair, Wattles Petunia, Mirinda Royal Emblem, Smash Hit… LOL, I could go on…!

 

Wow! There have certainly been some wonderful horses in your life! In addition to competing, you are also a Royal Show judge - what do you enjoy most about judging?

I love judging, thoroughly enjoy it and I feel that I am a fair and honest judge, because I am also a competitor, I’m very aware of giving everyone their fair chance to impress me.  I also love getting frocked up!

As well as showing you also compete in dressage and have imported the wonderful Wallmeyer, as mentioned above - can you tell us about him?

Gina competing on Wallmeyer (Photo: PhotoFinish)

Wallmeyer is a handsome, black Hanoverian gelding by the legendary sire, Weltmeyer, that I bought during a short training stint in Germany.  We purchased him as a six year old from the equally as handsome, Christoph Koschel, Wallmeyer arrived in Australia in December 2007 and his stable name is “Koschel”.

We have just had so much fun with him since he arrived – he can be both brilliant and naughty, but for the most part he is just great and we’ve had some fantastic success along the way.  He has been on the Dressage NSW Talent Development Squad for the past couple years and he has all the ability to take us to Grand Prix.... but dressage is sooo hard!!!  I just love it and I love working with him, I look forward to riding him everyday and trying to figure it all out.  We are competing at Small Tour level and have just returned from an enjoyable run in Victoria where we finished second to the beautiful Diamontina in the Prix St George Cup at Dressage With The Stars.  Next is the Sydney CDI at the end of the month so we will keep our fingers crossed for that.

 

We look forward to hearing how you go at the Sydney CDI! What are your showing and dressage goals for the future?

I really still enjoy my showing although I have scaled down a lot in recent years.  While Roy Davis continues to find me beautiful horses to sit on I will keep showing!!  I just love the process of producing a beautiful horse I guess.  In dressage it’s the small things that excite me – I don’t have Olympic aspirations - this is all new for both Koschel and I so I just hope to be able to ride a good pirouette in the ring one day,  I hope we can learn how to piaffe and if all that happens maybe one day we can ride a Grand Prix!

 

Gina riding Coast - this stunning combination will be competing at both the Grand National and Sydney Royal  (Photo: SWD Images)

There is no doubt the day will come when you'll be riding perfect pirouettes and piaffes!  One last question, if you weren't involved with training and showing horses what would you be doing?

I would probably be married to Matthew McConaughey as he lived in the neighbouring suburb to me but that was when I moved to Queensland to ride horses!  I’m sure we would have met otherwise!

 

Mr McConaughey missed out when you decided to become involved with horses - his loss was the equestrian industry's gain!  Thanks so much for your time, Gina and all the best for the Grand National, Sydney Royal and CDI. We're confident you'll be riding Grand Prix in the future!