By Nikita Stowers
It has been an exciting journey to Horse of the Year 2012, for client of the month for April, Jodie Thorne.
Jodie, who is also sponsored by JLT Bloodstock was diagnosed with FacioScapularHumeral Muscular Dystrophy (FSH) at the age of 12 years old. In early 2011 after nearly 8 months, Jodie found her perfect horse Tech to fulfil her dreams of competing in Para-Equestrian Dressage.
The annual Horse of The Year show is the goal of many horse riders and it is such an achievement to get there. It was no different for Jodie who has now competed at the 2011 and 2012 Horse of Year shows.
Jodie’s first Horse of the Year experience in 2011 was nothing short of amazing. After only six weeks of owning Tech, they jumped straight into their first test at HOY. Not only was it the first HOY for Jodie but also for Tech who had never set foot in a Dressage arena before.
In 2011 they rode the Grade 1a Championship test and the Freestyle tests. During 2011 Jodie competed in the North Island champs in September and the Mitsubishi Motors Paralympic NZ Championships in Novemberwith Tech leading up to the 2012 Horse of the Year.
After making the long trip to Hastings for both the Para Equestrian National Championships and Horse of the Year the following week, March was all go for Jodie who rode three tests in three days at the National Championships.
Jodie and her horse Tech scored a personal best at the Champs with a Freestyle score of 70%! They then had a few days off before starting their preparation for Horse of the Year. Riding another three tests throughout the HOY week, Jodie and Tech scored over 65% in all of their tests.
We wish Jodie all the best with her future with Tech and her journey towards the Paralympics.
To learn more about Jodie’s story visit her website at www.jodiethorne.co.nz
You can watch Jodie and Tech's freestyle test on my YouTube channel here: http://youtu.be/IemSz8FGub0
Talking hoof care with farrier Adam White
By Adam White
A wise old trainer once said to me you never stop learning. Isn’t that the truth, and after two NZ Cups, half a dozen Jewels, and Breeders’ Crown winners and 20 odd Group 1 winners I must admit I thought I was well on the right track, but my latest farrier course in Oakbank, South Australia, opened my eyes to many things that need attention in NZ.
New Zealand has always been an interesting place to shoe with inherited gait problems and conformation issues. We, as farriers, always need to upskill - that goes without saying and I don’t claim to know everything but I have a lot more confidence in repairing an issue now.
David Farmilo is an accredited master farrier with a list of acknowledgements as long as your arm not to mention over 50 years of farriery. He is a marvel of information. The trip to Adelaide was a long one with five hours stop in Sydney giving me time to get a heads up on what was involved in the 5-day course. On arrival at Oakbank in the Adelaide hills I was surprised to see a farrier and blacksmith workshop in what looked a suburban area.
The course was a one on one with certificate of achievement attached. I’m still not sure if it was presented for lasting the 12-13 hour days or for the ability to process all that I learnt .
The most important thing I took out of the five days was the importance of sole preparation and cutting out the bars. The bars should never be weight bearing which is why we have so many problems with bruising of the corn/bar area. But by correct sole preparation we can find the three critical junctions of the hoof. We can maintain sole concave profile on every hoof every time. Also, the importance of a t-squared hind level (heels level and 6mm above the heel junction), but most important was to eliminate flares - flares are our enemy.
One of the most interesting things I learnt was an easy way to achieve this total balanced hoof with level heels and a pastern angle every time with the use of the David Farmilo hoof line.
This easy tool calibrates the centre balance of the hoof which marks the absolute centre of a balanced hoof which is 19mm back from the active tip of the frog. The measurement from the point of the toe and to a line across the trimmed buttresses of the heels should be equal when the hoof is trimmed in accordance with my new prescribed trimming method.
The finished heel buttresses must never be lower than 6mm above the critical frog and heel junction.
Basically, when this balanced measurement is achieved in the bottom of the hoof, the front of the hoof wall is parallel with the pastern angle; the hoof shape is a mirror image of the idea/normal coronary band.
There are no flares in the hoof wall and the hoof is now stress free which will result in no hoof problems, bruises, abscesses. A balanced hoof will stop forging back and weather pain.
I learnt that 90% of all horse soreness is hoof related, but by having a balanced hoof we can make the horse more comfortable and as a result more results on the track.
We covered the symptoms and treatment of all hoof related lameness and had a long and successful day straigthening up foals legs at a young age.
The course was more than I expected and the knowledge I took away will enable my clients to have correctly balanced feet every time. I shoe and the results will speak for themselves .
I enjoy talking about hooves and horseshoeing so if anyone has any problems drop me a line or e-mail me a picture. Between David and myself, we will sort your problems. addman-nz@xtra.co.nz
Stellar Horse of the Year Show 'Better than Ever'
By Samantha van der Sande
What’s been dubbed one of the greatest horse shows on earth has come to yet another thrilling finish, with showjumping golden girl, Katie McVean, riding a hat-trick of Olympic Cups.
Kevin Hansen and the team behind New Zealand’s world renowned Horse of the Year Show can breathe a sigh of relief following the completion of the six-day event, but they all agree it was once again a very successful show.
Crowd-puller and star event, The Bell Tea Olympic Cup, saw a number of top Australian showjumping combinations make the trip over the Tasman in a bid to grab their share of the $200,000 prize purse. But it was our very own McVean (Mystery Creek) riding Dunstan Daffodil that took the honours and made history winning her fourth Olympic Cup. Three Australian riders made the top five, while Kiwi Olympians Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke), riding My Gollywog, was fourth and Daniel Meech (Taupo), riding Carlotta, finished fifth equal.
But it wasn’t all doom and gloom for the Australians as their four-strong team edged out New Zealand to win the highly contested Australasian test match. The challenge was part of the $50,000 CRT Silver Fern Stakes, which was won again by McVean and Dunstan Daffodil. The two big wins topped off a stellar week for McVean, having won the Lady Rider of the Year and the five and seven year old titles.
Over in the dressage arena Olympic combination Louisa Hill (Clevedon) and her impressive mount, Bates Antonello, wowed onlookers with her winning performance in the $20,000 GJ Gardner Dressage Kur. Her impressive score of 71.05% and a clean sweep across the Grand Prix board has secured her place as the leading dressage rider in this country, and a very strong start to her Olympic campaign. Hill and Bates Antonello fly to Europe in April and will compete individually for New Zealand at the 2012 London Olympic Games.
The Rush Munro’s CIC3* provided non-stop thrill and entertainment for spectators as riders took on the John Nicholson designed cross country course at the Hawke’s Bay Equestrian Park. Annabel Wigley (Amberley) was crowned Eventer of the Year, after a convincing win aboard NRM Frog Rock, and 6.4 points ahead of second-placed Donna Smith (Te Kauwhata), riding Henton Executive.
This year’s show certainly provided something for everyone, and with 18 disciplines on show, one could expect to see anything from miniature horses to side saddle riding, through to Clydesdales and Pony Club games included in the busy schedule.
Horse of the Year Show Director, Kevin Hansen, believes the 2012 show was bigger and better than previous years, yet he indicates there is more to come, “I think we are only just beginning to tap into the full potential of this event.”
2012 is the 14th consecutive show in the Hawke’s Bay, and with an astounding 70,000 spectators, 2600 horses and 1800 riders every year, the Horse of the Year Show pumps around $12.5 million into the Hawke’s Bay community. It’s no wonder the area is planning to host another four shows.
For more information and full results of the 2012 Horse of the Year Show, please see www.hoy.co.nz
JLT Bloodstock Fetus Insurance
Why insure your fetus?
When your mare has had a positive 42 day scan to confirm that she is in foal you are able to take out a fetus insurance policy.
Not all stallions come with a live foal guarantee, so if your mare was to abort the fetus or if the foal was still born you would not be covered for your loss. Financially you would lose your income from selling your mares foal for that year, and you would be have to pay for another service fee for the next season.
When you purchase a stallion service that does come with a live foal guarantee, if a loss does occur you may only get a return service for the next year. Does selling the foal contribute largely to your income for that year? If you make a living from rearing and selling bloodstock then you should consider taking out fetus insurance to guarantee your income for that breeding season.
What options are there for fetus insurance?
JLT Bloodstock offers three options when taking out fetus insurance.
1. 42 day scan to 30 days after birth JLT Bloodstock can insure your foal from the positive 42 scan through to 30 days after birth.
2. 42 day scan to 6 months after birth
3. 42 day scan to 12 months after birth. This option covers you from the 42 day scan all the way through to 12 months after birth so there is no need to take out additional foal cover.
How do you take out fetus insurance?
When you have decided to take out fetus insurance, call the team at JLT Bloodstock on 0800 383 071 or e-mail Lucinda Laxon to discuss the options available for you.
If you are satisfied with having live foal guarantee only, we can insure your foal from 24 hours after birth through to the yearling sales or 12 months after birth. We know that unforeseen circumstances do occur, so it is our top priority to protect your bloodstock investment.
For competitive rates for all your bloodstock insurance needs call 0800 838 071 today and find out why our impeccable service makes us New Zealand’s bloodstock insurance broker of choice.
Client Picture of the Month- Sent in by Lauren Stiles
This picture was sent in by Lauren Stiles from Tuakau.
The picture is of her handsome Andalusian X gelding Hollywood Oscar who is by Huntington Foxtrot.
For competitive rates for all your bloodstock insurance needs call 0800 838 071 today and find out why our impeccable service makes us New Zealand’s bloodstock insurance broker of choice.
