The excitement is building in the standardbred community, with the ‘Together for the Standardbred’ project renewed for the upcoming 2024 Equitana, held at the Melbourne Showgrounds across November 14th-17th.
After a successful collaboration in 2022, HRV Hero will be joining forces and sharing resources with the Standardbred Pleasure and Performance Horse Association of Victoria (SPPHAV) and Raising the Standards to promote the standardbred across several areas at the headline equestrian event.
“There was such a great energy at the last Melbourne Equitana, with standardbred organisations cohesively coming together to showcase the many talents of the breed beyond the track’, says Hero Operations Manager, Tara van der Minne.
“We’ve got plans to run some fantastic initiatives across this year’s Equitana, including competitions and giveaways, experts on hand to answer questions and ambassadors participating in demonstrations”.
Working alongside the Hero team is Nic Tassone from Raising the Standards, who brings a wealth of experience in the standardbred retraining and education space.
“There’s a great synergy between our groups at Equitana, with everyone working towards a common goal to spread positive information about standardbreds to the 25,000+ Equitana guests expected across a massive four days”, Nic explains.
“Our organisations all complement each other, with Hero facilitating the rehoming of standardbreds into their post-racing lives, Raising the Standards providing online educational programs to support standardbred owners with retraining and SPPHAV coordinating an impressive calendar of events and initiatives to encourage standardbred owners to get out and about and enjoy competitive and social opportunities within a likeminded community of breed enthusiasts”.
Positioning standardbreds in the spotlight for over thirty years, the SPPHAV team have a long history at Equitana, hosting stalls in the Breed Village and organising horses to attend the event as breed representatives.
“I’m looking forward to chatting to fellow standardbred owners, meeting people potentially interested in buying a standardbred and letting everyone know we are one big family who all support each other”, says long-serving SPPHAV President, Shelley Murcutt.
“Each day across the Equitana timetable there will be a standardbred taking part in a breed demonstration across led, ridden and even harness classes”.
The standardbreds selected to represent the breed at Equitana are of the highest calibre, with many boasting awards across multiple disciplines.
An example of this is Hero Ambassador Katie West, whose standardbred Future Bliss (aka Barry) has successfully competed in dressage, jumping, sporting and showing events to Royal level, including qualifying for a list of Show Hunter Galloway classes at the 2024 Melbourne Royal and holding State Champion titles in dressage and show jumping.
“I’m looking forward to answering people’s questions at Equitana and showing the general horse pubic that standardbreds are the most capable and willing partners you could have”, says Katie.
Another Standy breaking stereotypes and proving the versatility of the breed is Jen Phillips’ talented gelding Red Sky at Night (affectionately known as Bailey), who has a decorated history as an all-rounder.
“I got Bailey straight off the track as a four-year-old and since then we have trained to Level 3 in HRCAV across dressage, jumping and combined events”, Jen explains.
“A highlight was finished third at a ‘Top Teams Trophy’ event (HRCAV state team championship), which proved that Bailey was just as good as horses of other breeds.
“I’m looking forward to attending Equitana and helping to dispel breed misperceptions. It’ll be great to educate people about standardbreds and demonstrate how kind and loving they are”.
Fellow HRCAV superstars Fee Williams and her beautiful mare Dolly (aka Sevenknightsaweek) are excited about their second attendance at Equitana, following on from their attendance in the Breed Village in 2022.
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“I am looking forward to meeting all the standardbred owners that come to Equitana from all over Australia and New Zealand”, says Fee.
“Dolly has won titles competing in dressage, showing, show jumping, combined training and horse trials. I feel it is very important to showcase the standardbred, to demonstrate their versatility under saddle”.
Another Equitana attendee who’s been doing impressive things since retirement from harness racing is Keystone Trapper, who has attended high-profile harness and Lighthorse events, including the 2023 ANZAC Eve AFL match at the MCG.
“Keystone Trapper and I trained and raced together in harness until he was six years old”, explains owner Lisa Coleman.
“I’m looking forward to showcasing how fantastic the standardbred nature is and that these horses are capable of so much after their racing careers end. Once retired, standies can be worked in harness or ridden by any level of rider or competition”.
With Equitana the perfect platform to showcase standardbreds at the top echelon of performance sport, a team of champion show standardbreds will be participating in led and ridden classes against representative horses of other breeds.
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This includes Hero Ambassador Kasbah Kid, known to his fans as Hollis, who will feature in the led competition for all breeds.
“Hollis won $185,520 in prizemoney as a pacer, joined our team upon retirement and has since won many Supreme titles along the east coast of Australia, including at the Bathurst, Sydney and Canberra Royals”, explains Fox Equestrian representative Brooke Sweeney.
“Hollis has also turned his hoof to fox hunting in recent months, enjoying days in the sunshine and popping over small jumps out in the field.
“I think Equitana is a great way to promote the breed to people and demonstrate that standardbreds can be shown to a high level, but are also easy for people to enjoy in any discipline you put your mind to”.
Another immensely successful pacer-turned-show horse is Savesomtimetodream (aka Buck), who earned a whopping $222k throughout his harness racing career, before his retraining journey was documented as part of Harness Racing Australia’s ‘There is No Finish Line’ project.
Buck’s career under saddle has rivalled his accomplishments on the track, with an impressive resume of State Champion and Supreme awards at Victoria’s preeminent events and at the Sydney and Canberra Royals.
“Equitana offers a wonderful chance to meet new people and to showcase our beautiful standardbreds and their versatility, trainability and amazing temperaments”, explains Buck’s rider Hollie Hildebrant.
These sentiments are shared by talented mare Mazza’s Delight’s co-owner Kylie Gleeson, who believes it is ‘extremely important’ to have standardbreds ‘turn people’s heads’ at Equitana and help to raise awareness of how ‘wonderful and versatile a breed they are’.
by Tell the Tail Photography
“With multiple Royal wins and Supreme Ridden and State Champion titles, Suzie is predominately a show horse. But, we have ventured out into dressage arenas since joining HRCAV and it’s been great to have Suzie out on the open stage. She always gives 110%”, Kylie explains.
“I’m looking forward to having all the people visit Suzie at Equitana, which she will absolutely love. She laps up attention, especially from children!”
Rounding out the Equitana standardbred team is MP Ataya Secret (Taya); an accomplished show standardbred owned by SPPHAV Honorary Chair, Rebecca Lund.
“Taya is the first coloured standardbred to be registered and compete with the Victorian Pinto Society and she has received a list of major achievements throughout her career, including National Champion High Point and State Champion titles along with Supreme Led Exhibits in standardbred, pinto and open breed classes”, Rebecca explains.
“The SPPHAV and Hero stands at Equitana are essential to the support of the pleasure and performance equestrian standardbred and have proved to help the perception of the standardbred for any discipline other than racing”.
You can visit the Together for the Standardbred team across Equitana at stall #352 in the Off The Track Pavilion (HRV Hero and Raising the Standards) and in the Breed Village (SPPHAV).
Stall visitors can scan the QR code to share their standardbred story and for a chance to win a fantastic prize pack, kindly provided by NRG.
Follow the HRV Hero social pages for dates/times of standardbred demonstrations, giveaways and other key events, in the lead up to Equitana.
