Australian rider Lyndal Yelavich competing with Karen Miller’s Classic Goldstrike at Addington this year in the UK. Image by SBM Photographic.
Lyndal Yelavich, who runs Ballodair UK, always believed that British international dressage star Gareth Hughes was one of the world’s best dressage trainers – even before she was presented with his Grand Prix gelding, Classic Goldstrike.
Karen Miller of Ballodair Park Equestrian in Wilberforce NSW purchased the 14-year-old chestnut KWPN gelding (Glock’s Tango x IPS Krack C) in April, and Lyndal has just recently debuted with him in her very first Grand Prix test.
All her life she has been with horses in one way or another, but only in recent times has she concentrated on pure dressage. “I wasn’t born into a horsey family,” said the 44-year-old during a brief visit to Wilberforce from the UK, “but I think I was born to ride horses. My parents bought me off the track thoroughbreds, I worked in a jumping yard when I was 14, later I evented, show-jumped and ran three properties with up to 200 horses in a pre-export quarantine facility, a schooling stable and an agistment yard.”
Lyndal Yelavich with Gareth Hughes. Image supplied.
“It has become a
long-standing friendship
and working relationship
– our goals are aligned.”
And she had a son and daughter, Dylan and Emily, now 22 and 17.
“Part of the reason I met Karen was because of my eventing mare Riggles,” she explains. To boost her finances, she had needed to sell the mare with whom she had enjoyed some major successes. “Karen didn’t want to see the partnership separated so she bought her – and Riggles stayed with me.”
Lyndal then worked for Karen managing the equestrian park, which was developing into the world-class centre it is becoming today. It was there she began riding “pure” as opposed to eventing dressage. “It’s become a long-standing friendship and working relationship – our goals are aligned,” says Lyndal.
5-STAR COMPLEX
Now Lyndal is based overseas helming the British arm of the business out of Bromson Hall Farm where they have 36 boxes – six of which home Ballodair’s own horses. This five-star livery complex in Warwickshire has all the bells and whistles, including indoor and outdoor arenas, turnout fields, on-property hacking and a team of skilled staff. “And it’s only 15 minutes from Gareth’s yard at Bishop’s Bridge Farm!” says Lyndal.
Even before having Goldstrike, Lyndal regularly trained with this British international who has had a significant impact on her dressage training. “Sometimes he’s away overseas but I work the horses as if he’s standing in the arena and do the exercises he’s given me.”
Lyndal remembers the first time she sat on Goldstrike. “He just offered the piaffe/passage, and I rode the Grand Prix pirouette line pretty much straight away. He’s so well trained with such an even temperament. When I make a mistake, he forgives me and we go on.”
“When I make a mistake, he
forgives me and we go on.”
Happy horses in the stables at Bellodair UK, based at Bromson Hall Farm in Warwickshire. Images supplied.
After Karen bought him, he stayed where he was for the first six weeks so Gareth could help Lyndal be confident that she wasn’t undoing anything. In that time, she competed him in an Intermediate II test and scored 73%.
Since speaking with Lyndal, she and Classic Goldstrike have completed their first Grand Prix together at a British Dressage event hosted by Solihull Riding Club; they scored an impressive 67.61%.
Lyndal recently showed Asterix (Astrix x Warkant), another of the Ballodair horses, at a major venue. Last year he had been the first horse she had competed in the UK. He’d won the Medium class with 75%. This time he won the Advanced. “It had taken a long time to get his changes!” she declares.
Lyndal in the snow with Ballodair Park Dauphin. Image supplied.
“People I didn’t know were very congratulatory after the test and someone offered to buy him. Although Karen never sells them,” says Lyndal. “And knowing your horses aren’t going to be sold from under you gives you great security.
“At this show I recently saw Charlotte Dujardin who was warming up a rider. I got the overall impression people were supportive of her and happy she was back in the sport.
“In the UK our aim’s to progress. It’s such a good environment with shows nearly every day. There aren’t the competitions or the training in Australia.”
WELLBEING OF HORSES AND RIDER
The overall wellbeing of the Ballodair horses is a priority, as is the fitness of their rider. “I work with a personal trainer three times a week,” explains Lyndal. “Gareth wonders why I’m so serious about fitness, he’s so flexible and athletic, but for 20 years I rode racehorses and eventers, sustaining a lot of injuries. I need exercises to strengthen my body or I’d be in constant pain. When I was at Ballodair Australia I’d work out in its gym every morning before work.”
In Warwickshire she lives in the village of Upper Brailes. “It’s just me in the house with my silver Labrador who people think is a Weimaraner! We’re just 25 minutes from the horses.”
Lyndal made a big sacrifice when she left her children, but they were keen to stay in the country. “My son is living with his partner, and my daughter is with her father and just loves being in Australia.” They’re in constant communication and regularly visit one another.
.Lyndal and Asterix after winning an Advanced class at Addington in the UK. Image by Spidge Photography.
“I have every opportunity
in front of me to get into
the next level of riding.”
Her social life mainly consists of a journey to the local pub with like-minded Australian riders such as Edwina Hutton-Potts, Steffie Bryant, and Rachelle Hirst formerly from New England Girls School (NEGS). “We meet religiously each week and talk about horses incessantly!”
The rest of the time is running Ballodair UK and riding. “I’m very motivated and dedicated. Gareth’s an ‘end game’ guy and with him I have direction,” she says. “I have every opportunity in front of me to get into the next level of riding and I’m supported every step of the way. To be in an elite sport without someone like Karen is virtually impossible.” EQ
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