Dandenong Agi show

Team Joyce went to the last Agricultural show for the year 2013 this weekend and it was at Dandenong. We have been going their for over 15 years as a family and Wes has gone for many more years! Wes and myself went in the truck with LH King Arthur, LH Johnny , LH Adele and LH Pugsly. Sarah drove her car because she was leaving on Sunday to start her placements for Vet and Tiffany also came in her car as she had her very last exam for University. We made our yards and finally late that afternoon we were altogether again in the Beast having a good time.

The first class on Saturday morning was the Westernport Tractors Maiden D Grade which was a good start for our very young horses LH Johnny and LH Adele. Both jumped clean rounds to make the jump off and Adele had one soft rail but jumped terrific with Sarah on board coaxing her gently around the course and LH Johnny jumped a cracking clean round to win the class.

Sarah then attempted the Eddy Batur Industrial Painting D Grade and again jumped very well and just came away with two rails . Wes then had LH Pugsly in the Page Bros Caravans Open 1.20m and they had one rail. It was LH King Arthurs turn and he had one rail in the KWA Building Permits and Inspections Open 1.25m but Wes felt he was ready and jumping well for the main class tomorrow.

On the Saturday afternoon Team Joyce went walking around to see all the wonderful things the Dandenong Agricultural Society had to offer. What can we say but we loved every bit and wanted to share some pictures with you of how great the amusements were for everyone. No wonder the crowd was so large. There was one whole Pavilion full of animals.

Team Joyce were also delighted to catch up with some long time special friends. The famous Robinson family and Thorpe family were hacking in the show arenas and were both winning ribbons in many classes. It was so great to have a good chat and all be surrounded by our most loved passion and doing what we enjoy most. All of us love horses!!

It was time at around 8.30pm to get organised and load all our horses onto the truck ready for the fireworks at 9pm. It is always nice to watch and from our truck we could hear the crowd roar for the count down waiting for the first blast and then the cheering once it was all complete. Team Joyce could relax and safely watch from our window while our horses stood calmly tied in the Beast.

Sunday morning the sun was shinning it was going to be a beautiful day! LH Johnny and LH Adele were first up in the Guthrie & Associates D Grade and Sarah battled with the jinkers but kept Adele going forwards nicely and had just two rails and LH Johnny was jumping very well until he slipped after fence three and fell down on his side and Tiffany fell off gracefully! Yes this means Elimination. Johnny just stood beside Tiffany waiting for her to stand up and lead him out. Both were perfectly fine and live to jump another day! Wes then had the pleasure of riding Bolero de la Vie & Ulouve B Z in this class also and Bolero stopped at a fence and on a re-approach jumped a clean round. Ulouve also had a stop in the first part of the double and then jumped a clean round.

The next class was the Freedom FM Facilities Open 1.25m and LH Pugsly had two rails down , Bolero and Ulouve both pleasantly and very easily jumped clean. In the jump off Wes tried a tighter turn on Ulouve and they just had the rail down behind ,Bolero jumped a lovely super classy clean round and what a treat to place second and third!

The next class was the Norton Gates 1.30m this was to be the main class of the day .Our King was to have his chance to shine in the sun but first we had to gently wake him up!

LH King Arthur was not so keen on all the hype next to the practice ring, Wes was lucky that Kelly Lees kindly lead him into the gate way with her horse which encouraged Arthur nicely. Once he was in the ring he settled down and jumped nicely. The pair jumped the only clean round and won the class. Wes also then achieved an extra award from Equinade a $100 voucher.