SEPTEMBER 2007 NEWS REPORT

September got underway with us here in South Australia still in lockdown over the Equine Influenza (E.I.) outbreak in New South Wales and Queensland. Nick Rodgers, part-owner of Kinnordy Serena had travelled all the way from Hong Kong to watch Serena compete at the big World Cup Shows (Gawler, Adelaide Royal & Metro) only to find out that there were no shows to go to!
Even though we kept our fingers crossed (for Nick’s sake) that Metro was going ahead with a competition it too was cancelled at the last minute. Thankfully Nick was happy to help us work the horses at home and we were grateful that we could use his expertise. We also got the chance to meet Vanessa Day for lunch and spend the afternoon at her new house – pool and all!
After much discussion with Nick and the other owner John Prymmer also from Hong Kong, we decided the time was right to try our chances with getting Serena in foal and doing an embryo transfer. After having Serena examined by the Vet here to ensure she was fit to conceive, we arranged a permit to take her to Michelle Denham’s Jubilee Stud in Victoria where the experienced Veterinarian James Vanner would perform the procedure.
Nick and I set off in the truck via Mt Gambier and had an overnight stay with John and Charlma Phillips. This was a great opportunity for Nick to meet the Phillips family, have a look at their wonderful farm and inspect all the quality young horses they have bred. After a great evening we spent the morning looking at all the Phillips’ horses before heading off to Jubilee Stud. Thanks for the hospitality guys – we really enjoyed our stay.
We arrived a little late at Michelle Denham’s place but still had time to look at the young horses being bred at Jubilee Stud. As Nick was thinking about getting a new horse to keep with us we also headed off to Fiona Johns, Kate Wallace and Michael Goldsworthy’s properties to look at potential buys. After a long day we started the trip home via an overnight stay in Ballarat, Victoria. To our amazement no one stopped our horse truck at the border (or anywhere else) to make a check. PIRSA must have been on their lunch break!
The following weekend Nick and I flew back to Victoria to look at some more horses we missed on our previous visit – and Nick was happy to organise to have a couple vetted. We also mad a quick stop to check in on Serena. It was then time for Nick to head back to Hong Kong before his next trip to Taiwan. Although Nick couldn’t watch any shows during his visit it was great to have him around working the horses and bouncing ideas around. With the possibility of Nick having more horses here we are hoping he will make more visits. It has certainly been a pleasure having him stay with us and I am glad we ended up packing a lot into his visit.
Next I leave for Singapore. The clinics go well with Julie, Pedja, Alice, Tirtha, Phillipa, Emily, Shane, Katinka and Sarah all doing very well and having good results at the show after I left. I had a positive meeting with Ellen Ryan, an enthusiastic member of the EFS regarding plans to improve Singapore’s showjumping. Our first real goal is to have more competitors at the 105cm and 120cm FEI classes next year. From there we want competitors in K.L. next year and then the SEA Games/ Asia Games representatives and then finally results at the SEA Games when they come to Singapore. It is great we are continuing to work our way forward with pleasing results.
I also spent another successful session at Singapore Zoo and met with Shanker and Subash who have decided to put their next “pony buying” visit to SA on hold until the E.I. situation eases. I enjoyed catching up with Sue Freeman, PK & Monisha for dinner and it was also nice to have the time this trip to meet up with Steve and Julie Burridge one evening.
It is with regret that I report we now have seven horses bound for Singapore stranded in Australia because of the E.I. situation. Out of our hands there are four still in quarantine (there before the E.I. outbreak); two ponies for the Singapore Zoo had to be agisted with their pervious owners and one dressage horse purchased by the Polo Club is at our place.
Tirtha’s new horse Kittywaike is one in quarantine and this has been especially difficult for a teenager so excited about having a new horse – but not able to have her with the arrival delayed indefinitely. I am sure when Tirtha is reunited with her new horse she will get every chance to succeed as her parents PK and Monisha know what it takes and support her greatly.
After a short stay home I travel to Darwin for a clinic. Private clinics on the Friday started well until we got rained-out for the last two sessions. The standard has improved quite considerably in the past 18 months with many riders showing a lot of progress and there are certainly some nice new horses there now. Again it was nice to catch up with Karen & Fred, Tracy, Bobby & Dan, Peter & Amanda (and daughter Olivia who asked me to autograph her cap) and all the others I see regularly. The stand out riders this trip were Kylie, Emily, Taylor, Elizabeth, Susan, Shalee and Stephanie. Keep up the great work. Special thanks to Amanda for arranging the fantastic Barra fillets - they were so big we had to find another freezer to store them.
Home at the Northern Equestrian Centre things are going along nicely with all horses going well. We received great news that our good friends Nick and Holly Crowe are returning home for good from the US – we look forward to catching up with them next month. We welcome Amy Clark to the staff on a casual relief basis – thanks to Narnia for the recommendation. Congratulations to Kathleen and Pete on the safe arrival of Joel (a little brother for Jessica).
Although September was particularly quiet with most of our Indoor Arena bookings cancelled – some hirers are starting to return with their clubs organising clinics and modified show programs making the most of the PIRSA permit we have in place each week. It was also unfortunate that one of our regular clubs were forced to cancel their local competition the night before by their governing body in NSW. It was amazing how pressure mainly from people over 1,000 kilometres away from our E.I. FREE State of SA can have this effect. This would be two or three countries away in any other part of the world. Internet forums have a lot to answer for!
In closing this report I must thank Chris van Dissel from PIRSA’s Northern Office for his level-headed approach to the E.I. situation and we have appreciated his assistance – particularly when the PIRSA main body seems set on discouraging horse activities in South Australia. Their stance on limiting equestrian activities to a maximum of 30 horses – just in case the virus gets here, surely must be based on an administration budget, nothing more? The situation could have been handled better if their efforts were directed more in advising everyone of the main danger of people carrying the virus to SA from infected areas in NSW or Queensland. Not SA horses giving it to SA horses!

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