HOW IT ALL BEGAN

I have always loved the idea of breeding horses that people love to ride. My goal is for people who love horses and dressage to experience what I did with the horse of my dreams.

I remember the morning my parents said we were going to go to a riding school like it was yesterday! Our whole family began together at a school in Victoria and very quickly we purchased our first horse. Given there were five of us riding, one horse quickly became several more. As time passed and priorities changed, my sister and I became the ones who wanted to continue, and we did so for a long time with her bay ex-steeplechaser, from Bay of Plenty in New Zealand, and my chestnut Galloway with attitude, Bronze King.

We would set out early to ride around Templestowe and across to Eltham, stopping at the milk bar for lunch and only arriving home when it got dark. As members of the Templestowe Pony Club we jumped, did what we thought was dressage, and competed at the local shows.

As I grew up and moved out of home, I continued to ride for pleasure, and kept my horses in New Gisborne with friends. Three children later, I returned to riding with renewed passion, and a determination to finally get serious about this dressage thing. I found my way to Julia Battams at Balmoral, who I began to ride with regularly, and who encouraged me to find a horse better suited to my goals. I bought Flowervale Metallic from Case Wietjens as a yearling, with the express wish to break him in myself and train him to Grand Prix. After 20 years and several major injuries and illnesses, we will ride our first Grand Prix test together in 2021.