THOROUGHBREDS IN THEIR ELEMENT

The Australian eventing team at the FEI World Championships in Pratoni featured two talented off-the-track Thoroughbreds, proving the breed is still capable of matching it with the best at the elite level.

From an Australian team perspective, this year’s FEI World Championships didn’t go as planned; unfortunately, that’s eventing. However, it was exciting to see two Australian off-the-track Thoroughbreds (OTT) competing on the world stage – and they certainly did their country proud.

HAZEL SHANNON & WILLINGAPARK CLIFFORD

For Hazel Shannon, 30, and 17-year-old WillingaPark Clifford (Passing Shot x Twin Pearls, by Double Income), an Australian team berth was a long time coming and well deserved. They started out with a solid dressage score of 30.3 and were clear on cross country with just 11.2 time faults.

“Clifford handled the cross country course very well. He cooled down quickly and pulled up very well. The time penalties weren’t from exhaustion; the twisting and turning down the side of a hill is where I lost time,” explains Hazel of the course. “Clifford loves his job and his enthusiasm can sometimes slow us down.

“My first priority was always to go clear. The use of the terrain was different to anything I had ridden at. The majority of the questions on course weren’t abnormal but the way they were placed is what added the extra difficulty. It is probably something that was hard to see and appreciate on the live stream. I felt like it required more organisation and balance to jump safely.”

Watching along, spectators all wanted to know how the “slide” rode; Hazel explains that it looked scarier than it was. “The slide rode well for me. It felt simple on Clifford. At the end of the day it did cause a fair amount of problems to good horses and riders though.”

Unfortunately, a very tough show jumping course – some say the most difficult they’ve seen at a World Championship – saw the duo accumulate more penalties than they would have hoped, finishing on a total of 61.5. Still, 39^th from nearly 90 competitors on debut at a World Championships was an outstanding effort.

Having competed at the likes of Kentucky and Pau CCI5*, Hazel explains that the atmosphere on the final day wasn’t hugely different to what she’s experienced before – but the course was. “I think the show jump course was really tough and added to the intensity on the final day. Clifford does feel the atmosphere, but he doesn’t normally have that many faults.”

Hazel says she feels very lucky to have ridden for Australia at a World Championships; ever the competitor, she would have loved a better result but says that just makes her want to do it again and do it better next time.

Clifford’s story is, of course, well documented. Bred by Sue Devereux in Tasmania, he was broken in and trialled (under the name Side Spin) by Sue and her sister Wendy – apparently, he had no desire to be a racehorse. “It’s funny, because he has so much desire to gallop now!” laughs Hazel.

The little chestnut OTT ended up in Wendy’s paddock neighbouring the Ryans’ property in Heatherbrae, where Hazel was working and training – and the partnership grew from that paddock all the way to Pratoni. Along the way there has been three Adelaide five-star wins among countless other victories, and a change of ownership in 2017 when Terry Snow of Willinga Park stepped in to save the partnership when financial difficulties almost ended it. After a decade at FEI level, a World Championship berth was well deserved for Hazel and Clifford, as well as owner Terry Snow and wife Ginette, groom Bronte Buttel and all those who have been a part of the pair’s incredible journey.

Heading home, she says she’s yet to plan the next step with Clifford – but retirement isn’t on the cards just yet. “To be honest, I am not sure what’s next for Clifford. He is 17, but at the moment he is in great shape and loves doing his job, so you will be seeing him back out and about in Australia next season.”

Travelling back to Australia with Hazel and Clifford will be WillingaPark Chelsea, a seven-year-old who is currently competing at two-star level: “He is a very different horse to Clifford, but at this stage he is ticking a lot of boxes. He has big shoes to fill!”

SHENAE LOWINGS & BOLD VENTURE

“It feels pretty surreal to think back to it,” says Shenae Lowings, 26, of competing at the World Championships with 12-year-old OTT Bold Venture (Devaraja x Zamoff). “This has been a huge goal of mine and I have been so determined to achieve this. The fact that I made it there was a pretty special feeling, especially with my horse ‘Bentley’, who I’ve always had so much faith in since starting him back in 2016 as an OTT. Of course, you always wish the end result could have been better but to have completed my first World Championships at this stage in both our careers I believe is a big step forward.”

Pratoni was Shenae and Bentley’s first trip overseas to compete, and Shenae was pleased with how the horse handled the travel and event atmosphere. “Bentley and I have such a strong partnership, so it was very exciting to be experiencing our first international journey together. I was very pleased with how he travelled and handled the whole trip, and to feel how he coped with the pressure of an international stage is pretty amazing.”

Strong in the dressage phase for quite some time now, Bentley produced a score of 26.3, which is comparable to what he was achieving at home; in fact, it was enough to have them in the top 20 following that phase. Like Hazel, Shenae was thankful to be partnered with a Thoroughbred for the cross country. “On that first course walk when I saw how extremely undulating the track was I felt pretty lucky to be sitting on a Thoroughbred. To feel like you’ve still got as much horse under you at the end as you did at the start is a very good feeling!” The pair jumped clear and came home with just a few time faults – not because of any lack of gallop from Bentley, but due to the sheer difficulty of the course.

“I was quite shocked with how difficult the time was. Bentley and I usually chase the time down fairly easily as he is such a good galloper. The combinations were definitely tough enough questions I didn’t want to take lightly, so my set-ups for those did waste time, but I thought I’d be able to chase that up on the gallops between. However, those gallops were either going up or down a steep hill or on a camber, as well as many turn-backs and twists. That made it very difficult to make up the time. It was unfortunate to have those time penalties, but to finish on a tough track with a confident and full-of-running horse was a good feeling.” The pair added three rails to their score following the tough show jumping course, finishing on a total of 47.1 and inside the top 30 – another amazing effort.

Bentley raced as Hell On Wheels and was underwhelming on the track. When Shenae purchased the bay gelding from a Facebook advertisement for $1000 in 2016, viewing him as a World Championships contender wasn’t her first thought. However, Shenae says he always showed natural movement and jump, which was something to work with. “He was an extremely quirky character, and still is, so that was definitely the trickiest part to overcome. However, the more trusting of me he became the more and more willing he was. He is such a trier for me and handles the pressure of being at the top of the sport, which is really important. It’s been really exciting seeing him grow and to see what the future holds.”

At the moment, the big future goal for the talented duo is a debut CCI5*L start, pencilled in for the Australian International Three-Day Event in Adelaide in April next year. “I’m very excited to take on our first five-star. We both gained so much from the World Championships in Pratoni, experience that will be very beneficial going into Adelaide!” EQ

READ MORE ABOUT OFF THE TRACK HORSES:

Thoroughbreds Making Their Way to Melbourne – Equestrian Life, June 2022

Thoroughbreds Shine in the Ring – Equestrian Life, April 2022

A Grand New Career – Equestrian Life, February 2022

The Women Transforming Equine Welfare – Equestrian Life, December 2021

Clear Vision for a Better Future – Equestrian Life, October 2021

A Thorough Belief in Thoroughbreds – Equestrian Life, September 2021

General Ready To Conquer Again – Equestrian Life, June 2021

Sparks Fly When Cutting Meets Racing – Equestrian Life, May 2021