Five Minutes With... Winning Western Trainer - Raelene Gilboy

Raelene and Ampluer Hot and Hawnie on their way to winning the Three Year Old Hunter Under Saddle at 2011 Halter Showcase.

Raelene Gilboy, of Carousel Performance Horses, is no stranger to those involved with the more prestigious Western Performance shows across Australia - Raelene and her clients have won Championships at most of them.  From NPHA to Australian Halter Showcase, dedicated and hard working Raelene is out there showing and winning, sometimes on Quarter Horses and Paints, but mostly with Appaloosas.

During the recent Appaloosa National Championships at AELEC, Raelene and her devoted team of clients were very much in evidence, having travelled up from Victoria to try their luck against the best Appaloosa horses in the country.  It wasn't hard to find the Carousel Camp - it was the one with classy goosenecks and plenty of laughter.  Raelene and her team are not only successful in the Western show pen, they also have plenty of fun!  The Carousel crew always seem to be enjoying themselves and are genuinely pleased when other members of the team do well. 

Raelene and Censational after winning the Three Year Old Western Pleasure Futurity at the 2011 National Appaloosa Championships.

This was very much in evidence when Amateur Gillian Allen and RQH The Wizard, who are coached by Raelene, won the prestigious Appaloosa Nationals $1000 Hunter Under Saddle Classic against an impressive field of trainers and horses. It was obvious that the Carousel team were all truly thrilled for Gillian and several of them, including Raelene, were in the class with her!

Raelene and the team had a brilliant show, winning all Two Year Old ridden Futurities with gelding Censational (owned by Anne Brooksbank and currently for sale on Horsezone!), as well as Runner Up High Point Two Year Old; while the beautiful mare Ampleur Hot and Hawnie (owned by Amelia Leeman) won the Hunter in Hand, Hunter Under Saddle and Western Pleasure Three Year Old Futurities, equal High Point Three Year Old of the Show and to top it off, the ultimate goal for all Appaloosa showies, Overall High Point Performance Horse of the Nationals.  These successes, coupled with a great show for Anne Brooksbank riding Every Kid's Dream and Gillian Allen on RQH The Wizard, meant the Carousel team were one of the most successful camps at the Nationals. 

When not terrorising the opposition at horse shows or caring for and training horses, Raelene enjoys spending time with her family, friends and delightful little Cavoodle dog, Chelsea, at home in Victoria.

Horsezone were lucky to catch Raelene between horses during the Appaloosa Championships - she'd just finished showing one horse and was about to work a two year old - when we managed to tie her down for a quick chat.

Raelene, you've been having great success in the showing pen with Appaloosas for several years now, how did you first get into horses?

I started riding the ponies at Turners Horse Farm (Guildford, Victoria) when I was about 12 years old, then when I left school I lived there for a while and Sue Turner had Palouse ponies that I rode and looked after.

When did you first decide that Appaloosas were the main breed for you?

I loved all the colours of the Palouse ponies at Turners so moving onto Appaloosa Horses was a natural progression from there.  I really like the people who are involved with Appaloosas - we're all like one big family and it's great to come to Nationals and catch up with everyone.

...And when did you first start training horses professionally?

Probably in the early 90s but I didn't think I was a trainer at all - I was riding horses for Amelia (Amelia Leeman is a long-time friend of Raelene's as well as one of her clients) and she kept calling me her 'trainer' and I was adamant - 'I'm not a trainer I just ride your horses!', but I guess that was when I really did start as a trainer!

Anne Brooksbank riding her well performed gelding, Every Kid's Dream, at the 2011 National Appaloosa Championships - Anne and her handsome boy are both trained by Raelene.

You've won many Championships and High Point Awards - what do you see as your biggest achievement so far?

It's a always big buzz when I win or place on an Appaloosa in open company (ie: against Quarter Horses and Paints) at say NPHA or Halter Showcase, however, the absolute highlight of my career was seeing my friend and client, Amateur Anne Brooksbank and her gelding Every Kid's Dream, win the Champagne Western Pleasure at the 2010 National Appaloosa Championships.  That was a huge thrill!

So seeing the horses and people you train out there doing well is important?

Yes! Absolutely! That really gives me the biggest sense of achievement - working with the owners and being able to help make horses that they can go out and win on is the best feeling.

You seem to have a really great relationship with your clients?

The Carousel Team are very tight knit because I don't take on that many horses - I usually only bring three or four to a show - one in each age group.  We all get on really well and I think of them more as friends than clients. We're an all girl team and always have a ball when we go away to a show.  We even get together for 'Girls Weekends' without the horses where we can relax, have a few drinks and generally have an absolute ball, you know how it is?

Girls of the Carousel Crew all enjoyed the Nationals and are pictured here having fun at the 2011 Victorian Appaloosa Championships L-R: Anne Brooksbank, Tayla Fellows, Andrea Brewer and Raelene.

Oh yes, I know how it is - that sounds like a great plan! On the topic of friends and clients - Amelia, what do you think of Raelene as a trainer?

I wouldn't have horses with anyone else - I used to live in Victoria but have lived in Queensland for the past 10 years - when I moved there I had to take into consideration whether Raelene could still train my horses.  Raelene is what I want in a trainer and there was no question of taking the horses elsewhere - she is the best trainer for me and my horses.  If I couldn't have Appaloosas and have them with Raelene, I wouldn't be in horses.  Raelene's also a great friend - everyone in the Carousel team are mates of Raelene's rather than clients.  The team is full of lovely people and there's always a great atmosphere around everyone at shows - winning is a bonus! Amazing really that a bunch of girls can get on so well!

Raelene, you couldn't get a more glowing testimonial than that!  What's next on the agenda with shows?

NPHA in May will be our next big show.  I'll be showing Ampleur Hot and Hawnie (Topaz), who is a really special horse and am hoping the mare will do as well there as she has at Halter Showcase and the National Appaloosa Championships!  We are also still considering maybe travelling up to Queensland for the Appaloosa State Show in June.

What are your showing goals for the future?

Doing well at NPHA in 2012 with Topaz's half sister in the two year old classes would be nice!  She's out of the same mare, Christy Lee Hawn but by Chips Texas Star, (Topaz is by HF Something Hot) and I'm really looking forward to riding her.

One quick last question - English or Western - which is your favourite?

English! Hunter Under Saddle is my favourite class.

Raelene then had to leave the interview and mount up on two year old Censational for a training session... Horsezone thanks Raelene for her time and wishes her all the best at NPHA and maybe we will see the Carousel team at the Queensland  State Appaloosa Championships in June?