Red Hill at Boneo Park

Team Joyce went to the Red Hill show held at Boneo Park. It is so pleasurable knowing your show is going to be a great one because it is held at the best equine facility here in Victoria. Boneo Park offer state of the art grounds for everyone to enjoy. How could one not want to go and camp its so luxurious!! Driving up parking on a grassed area with full power ,water and sanded heavy duty yards out the front of your truck what more could a competitor ask for. But there’s more as mentioned many times before in other stories the riders retreat is fully heated and  or cooled a television with cafeteria and a separate clean’ shower/toilet block. Really I have to stop woffling on but where else can you go and have all this? I hear it is even expanding as well with more arenas and stables!! Ok so we are all settled in with five horses all rugged, fed and put to bed. Team Joyce took, LH Albert for Sarah who was driving down from NSW after University finishes at 4pm Friday afternoon and LH Johnny for Tiffany who was also coming from University. Wes has no horses of his very own at the moment but has been kindly offered three super stars in the making Ulouve BZ  , Bolero de la Vie Z and For Fly Heldenlaan Z all owned by Ian & Pat Mouser who live in Bairnsdale. These horses are all very young and have not had a lot of experience in the competition of showjumping. Bolero has had the least done and is progressing extremely well through the ranks. They are all D Grade level and Wes has been riding two of them since September 2013 Ulouve and Bolero are easily competing in the 1.30m classes. This was only the second event for Wes of Fly so they need more time to get used to each other, he is jumping up to 1.25m comfortably. It is a very exciting road Team Joyce are traveling on and we look forward to sharing our journey with you all. The highs and lows of starting fresh from the ground up we shall see how we go!

Our team of 5 horses in the yards

So the first class on Saturday morning was the Red Hill Garden Supplies 1.05m and Tiffany rode her favorite LH Johnny and he just had one rail and jumped terrific. Wes jumped Fly in this also and had one down in the combination. Sarah was off on LH Albert for the 75cm Open in Ring 2 and with pleasure I can write they placed 4th. It was lovely to catch up with Giseelle Johnson on Franklin they placed 2nd. The pair were very happy hence it had to have a photo to show you all!

Next was the Open Speed Granny Reilly Products 1.20m and both Bolero and Fly were in this class and both had one easy rail but Wes thought Fly jumped much smoother and  is finding him a bit easier to ride. Sarah went over for the 85cm and had two rails and was beaming with delight having a wonderful time riding her best pal Albi.

We saddled up both Ulouve and Bolero for the Open Hillview Quarries 1.30m and Bolero was very calm and relaxed plucked out number 1 and then sailed easily over the rest of the course. Ulouve just chewed up the whole course and had the very last fence it was quite funny having the first fence on one horse and the last on the other!!

Last to go for the day was LH Johnny in the Open 1.10m and just had one down jumped really nice. The day has ended and all the Lals Haven team horses jumped superb.

Boneo Park put together a very nice dinner in the riders retreat and then offered a comfortable couch to watch the night’s game of football or if you wished to taste the fine wines offered by the Red Hill show.

Team Joyce were up early ready to start in the Open 1.25m with Fly and it was a perfect way to end his last round as he was very receptive to what Wes asked of him. Sarah went off to do the 90cm and all of us went over to cheer her on and with only one down Albi was champion of Ring 2 in the Team Joyce camp. Bolero and Ulouve were then saddled for the main class of the show the Open 1.40m, this was just going to be a practise class for both of them and ask the question of have you got the potential to do it and more? Bolero was the first horse to go and boy did he shine’ Wes gently coaxed him around the big course and set him up perfectly for each fence. With just two down Sarah, Tiffany and I jumped for joy! Then it was Ulouve’s turn and she warmed up well, in they went and all I can say is amazing! This mare is massive in height and conformation, Wes looks a real treat on board her going around the arena. He gripped her tightly with his legs and seat and actually looked like he was trying to  help heave her over each fence. Goose pimples grew on my skin approaching the last three fences and I adsorbed Sarah and Tiffany’s arms holding my breath hoping and praying and as they sailed cleanly over the last fence I went numb! They did it, a clean round and a magnificent clean round one of those to be super proud of, what a gigantic personal achievement in the Team Joyce clan. We ran to Wes and shared our delight and he too kept patting Ulouve  saying that was good, real good. We had made up our minds this was not the time to go again in the jump off, there were 5 clean rounds so enough riders for a exciting jump off for the spectators and our mare was so green, she needs more time and more competitions before we go thundering her around two challenging courses. She looked tired and we were going to keep her for another day. She had done her job and done it well, keep her happy no need to bust her gut for maybe a place higher…..we scratched from the jump off and placed a very chuffed 5^th.

Team Joyce felt this show proved these three Mouser horses really showed a lot of potential and we think with more time they will be the next up and coming stars in the showjumping circuit but you hope to expect this when one invests in good quality young horses. Ian and Pat Mouser really did take a huge gamble buying three six month old Zangersheide youngsters. They have been waiting patiently and watching them grow and now hope they make the top level in showjumping.

Off to Yarra Valley Show over Easter , so bye for now chat again then.