Xlerate Wins Show Horse Title

Much-travelled Thoroughbred Xlerate has claimed the equestrian Australian national show horse championship.

The bay gelding has raced in Australia and Hong Kong, had a short eventing career before turning to performing as a show horse early this year, reports Weekly Times Now.

Since February, he has won the newcomer, open and international titles at Barastoc horse-of-the-year show, was reserve champion hack and won the famous Garryowen trophy for his rider Alexandra Berwick.

DP Mayfair and Annabel Mulready won the class for small show hacks for the second year in a row and Greg Mickan, rode Sarah Berry and Terry van Heythuysen's Langtree Masterpiece to win back-to-back national show-hunter Galloway titles.

NSW rider Mark Kenzig showed the black Calvin Park Dark Knight to a clear win in the large Galloway championship, and perhaps the most popular win of the evening was that of the New Zealand show hunter, taking out the trans-Tasman challenge, Dorothy Lennard rode Glen Tullock confidently.

The New Zealand competitors ride in the Australian championship class, and if they win they are judged as trans-Tasman champion while the Australian horse is local championship.

He stood ahead of the Australian title winner, Samantha McMaster's bay mare, DP Destiny, that was another to take a back-to-back title in her section.

Tiffany Greenhill and Glyndebourne Monopoly also won for the second year running in the national large show hunter pony championship.

It was hard not to feel admiration for Nicole Reimer's running ability, doing laps of the big indoor arena leading Tilly Fair on the lovely leading rein champion, Radford Lodge Candy Cane, in a worthy win.

The small ponies are always lovely. The South Australian Breanna Foster and Royal Oak Little Lords won from a very strong class in the show pony section, while Rosie Metherall's home bred Burnewang Cup of Diamonds did the same in the show hunter pony class.

Argyl Royal Flush ridden by Jessica Marnie won the medium pony class and Graham Elliot's attractive young Galloway, Holly's Galaxy, ridden by Katrina Kearns added the national title to his sashes.

Story & Photo of Large show hunter winner, Glen Tullock, ridden by Dorothy Lennard: www.weeklytimesnow.com.au