Photo by Lorelle Mercer - Sydney, 2006

NSW Horse of the Year 2005

Photo by Lorelle Mercer-Sydney, 2005

Photo by Lorelle Mercer - 2005

Nell Evans - of Robertson, NSW continues to do well with her riding and her horses, hack Marena Memories and galloway Thompson's Destiny.

2006 - Sydney Royal - 3rd in Open Hack, 1st in Child's Hack, Runner-up in the Crane Trophy  and 2nd in her Turnout class, all  on Marena Memories.

Canberra Royal - Marena Memories won 2nd in the Ladies Hack, 4th in Open Hack and Nell took 3rd in her new Riding Class 15 & U17 as well as 6th ASH Junior Judging.

She is looking forward to taking her 2 horses to Sydney in April.

2005 - Canberra Royal - 4^th Rider Class 12U15, 1^st ASH Rider U17 ,
1^st Hunter Under Saddle, with Thompsons Destiny ( third consecutive year), 1^st Mare Hack with  Marena Memories (for the third time).

Sydney Royal - We were thrilled to see her win the very competitive Turnout Class for girls 12-15 yrs on  Marena Memories.  Nell then followed up with 3rd in the Girl Rider 12-15 yrs, which was an excellent result with so many well performed riders in the class.  Nell also won 5^th ASH State Junior Judging.

NSW Horse of the Year - Nell riding Marena Memories was:
- Runner-up Rider of the Year,  qualifying her for the 2006 Grand National.
- 1^st  & Champion Junior Equestrian Hack, Marena Memories
- 1^st Junior Equestrian Galloway,  Marena Fanfare
- Top 10 Finalist Hack,  Marena Memories
- Top 10 Finalist Show Hunter Galloway, Thompsons Destiny

2004  - Canberra Royal - Nell on Thompson Destiny won the  Hunter hack class for the second year. Marena Memories won Res. Champ ANSA Mare & 1st in the Mare Hack.

Sydney Royal  - 1st & Champion Show Hunter with Destiny & Reserve Champ ANSA with Memories.

Bathurst Royal - 1st ASH Mare & 2nd ASH hack with Thompsons Destiny.

Totals for 2004 are: 13 Champions, 14 Res. Champs, 34 First places and qualified for 2005 Grand National Show Hunter Galloway with Thompson's Destiny.

2003 - For the year Nell won 26 first placings, 10 Champions, 13 Reserve Champions and 2 Supreme Champions.

Photos by Lorelle Mercer - 2004
and  Tracy Babington - 2006

Photo by Lorelle Mercer - Sydney, 2006

Photo by Sydney Morning Herald - 2005

Nell having a lesson on Marena Memories
at Marena Stud 2003

Will on Thompson's Destiny
at Canberra Royal '06

Will Evans - Will  has only been competing since August 2005, commencing whilst away at Boarding School studying for the HSC. After turning 17 he had to commence competing as a Gentleman Rider.  By Christmas that year, at 7 shows,  he had won Champion Gent Riders at Castle Hill and Singleton.

Canberra Royal 2006 - Will, who finished his HSC last year, is enjoying his riding and the shows.  He was fifth in the Junior Gentleman Rider 17 & under 21 years and at his first attempt at Junior Judging in the ASH competition he came fourth.

At St Ives Show in March he won Champion Gentleman Rider.

Will has two new horses - Both are Australian Stock Horses - one is a young hack in training and the other is a black gelding with some campdrafting experience and Will will train him for Show Hunter classes as well. 

Will enjoys hacking and riding classes but his main interests are led and working ASH classes. 

Will riding at Canberra Royal - 2005
Photo by Tracy Babington

She commenced in the leading rein classes at Gosford Show 2002 and won her first ribbon on Marena Windflower (pictured above).

REACH FOR THE STARS, ELLIE !

Ellie Nichols -  We call her the "Pocket Rocket" because she is so small and always wants to go further, i.e. "Reach for the Stars".

Ellie started ridding with us in 2001.

By 2005 she had progressed to riding Marena Sweet Kiss and won Champion Beginner Rider at her first outing as a sole rider.  She is pictured at top right when she won Champion Ridden Australian Stud Pony on Marena Sweet Kiss at Frenchs Forrest in October 2005.

At bottom right, Ellie is riding Marena Moondust at Morisset Show 2005.

Canberra Royal 2006

Ellie rode at her first Royal Show in Canberra 2006.  The pocket rocket rode in the 7 & under 9 years Girls Riding class of 43 riders and she ended up in the final ten.  Well done Ellie!

Kath with the New Boy, Apptrak Lord Nelson at Canberra Royal 2006.

Kath Jones - Her young Warmblood gelding, Lord Nelson competed on the first day of Canberra Royal 2006 and thrilled us as his "star quality" shone brightly  from ring centre.  He was green and a bit bewildered by the "big time" but held fast to win 3rd in the Sport Horse Gelding for his handler, Lindy.

At Blacktown Show, Nelson had a very successful time winning Champion Warmblood against a strong turn-up of Warmbloods and was also first in the ANSA Gelding.

Lord Nelson pictured at Canberra Royal 2006.

Kath with the very successful Vashti in 2003

Warmblood mare ,Vashti won top in the State for Hacking.  Vashti went from Bronze to Gold in one year.  But that was not all; she was also Runner-up in the State for the Led section.

Carlee Lind , at left, is one of our latest pupils to commence showing.  Carlee rides the faithful Marena Sweet Kiss who has started so many children off in their show careers. 

Carlee is pictured at left winning her Novice Girl Rider.

From Maeve Lawson, 24/9/06 ....

Hi Lindy
I just wanted to say hi and that on the weekend I went to Milton Australian Stock Horse Show and Focus worked very good in her double bridle and snaffle bridle, and we got champion rider under 18 and champion hack, I just wanted to say thanks for all your help and that I cant wait for the camp.

From Maeve.

Maeve on Focus

Jared's horse, Marena Outback,
at his first show, Morisset 2005.

Jared Ashbrooke - Sydney Royal 2006 - 1st in Riding Class and Reserve Champion Boy Rider. Canberra Royal 2006 - Jared rode Marena Fanfare (pictured right) and was placed second in his Boy Rider 15 & under 17 years.  A very keen rider and diligent worker, Jared will accompany our team to Sydney Royal 2006.

2005 - Jared won several Champion and Reserve Champion Boy riders during the year.

Jared commenced competing at shows with us and rode at Sydney Royal 2004 for the first time.  He has a new horse Marena Outback,  that he will be competing on in the Spring (pictured).  Jared is very dedicated and should have a good career in the show ring.  So far he has won Champion Boy Rider at Frenchs Forrest & Castle Hill and Reserve Champ. at Singleton 2004.

Jared riding Marena Fanfare
at Canberra Royal 2006

Nikki Melross - Pictured left on Marena Fanfare at Canberra Royal 2006.  Nikki rode with us at Sydney Royal in April.

Nikki is a keen rider and wishes to expand her competition goals towards Stock Horse and Western classes as well as hacking.

Pictured at right with a first ribbon won at her first show, Gosford, 2004 where she won her Novice Girl Rider. 

We gave her the last mare from our miniature line that we have bred for 43 years, Marena Buttons and Bows who is enjoying a lovely retirement with Nikki.

Ben Maytom - Ben is is continuing his winning run in Campdrafting but still has time to saddle up for his riding classes.

2006 - At Sydney Royal, Ben was second in his Riding Class to Jared Ashbrooke and won Reserve Champion Boy Rider.  A country boy in the best Australian tradition, he works hard to improve his riding techniques to enable him to perform better in such diverse equestrian activities.

2005 - Ben won Eastern Zone Junior Champion Campdraft Rider for the 2004-2005 season when he only competed for 6 months of the point season before he went up to the next age group.  He has also been asked to represent the ABCRA over in Western Australia for 2 weeks in November.  Ben also won 6 Campdrafts in 2 months and was placed in the top five placing in Novice and Open Campdrafts.  He won Champion Boy Rider at Wingham, Gloucester and Stroud shows just before and after Sydney Royal show where he won 3rd in his rider class on a borrowed horse and 4th in his Turnout on Sky - one of our show/campdrafters.   Ben also won the two under 18years Campdrafts at Sydney Royal as well.

In 12 months (2003-2004) in Riding and Hack classes, Ben has won 14 firsts, 12 Champions & Supremes.

2003 - At his first Royal at Canberra he was fourth in his riding class and at Sydney was second in his class & Reserve Champion Jnr Boy Rider.  At Brisbane Royal he was 2nd in both his Rider and his Turnout classes.  In these classes his handicap was a broken thumb sustained in a fall in a Campdraft 2 weeks before.

In Campdrafting & Sporting from February 2003 to February 2004 Ben won 22 times with 5 Champion Point Scores as well as many placings including 11 seconds in Campdrafts with scores between 80 & 84.

His riding position & techniques learned for the Show ring regularly draw favourable comments at the various Rodeos he attends.

Jodi Maytom - sister to Ben, Jodi began to ride with us when she was 7 years old. With her country lifestyle has been on a horse since she was tiny.  She and Ben accompany their father, Michael, and mother, Sharon, to all the Shows and Rodeos where the whole family competes.  Jodi is quite capable of riding difficult or young horses.

2006 - At Sydney Royal, Jodi rode very well to win Reserve Champion Girl Rider to Brooke Higgins.

2005 - Jodi also did well, she has won 2 drafts and was placed in top five at the past 6 Campdrafts.  She didn't ride in her Turnout at Sydney because didn't have a horse, she placed 3rd in the ASH draft at Sydney Royal and place 4th in the teams draft with Ben and her mother, Sharon.  She won Champion Rider at her last 4 shows and Champion Galloway Hack and 3 Champion Show Hunter Pony awards as well. 

From February 2003 to February 2004 she has won at Shows in Riding and Hack classes, 32 first places, 18 Champions and 3 Supremes including Supreme Lady Rider at Gloucester Show 2003.

Canberra Royal 2003 was her first Royal and she won her Riding class.  At Sydney she was placed 7th on a borrowed horse and at Brisbane Royal she was second in both her Riding and Turnout classes and was placed in five classes.

Jodi also competes in Campdrafting & Sporting Events with success.  She won first in a Junior Draft under 13 yrs with a score of 85.  Her wins include 15 firsts and 5 Championship Point Scores.

She finished 22nd in the Australia-wide ABCRA Junior Draft competition for 2003, in her first year of Campdrafting when she was only 8 years old.

Sarah & Thunder at Australian Youth Jumping
 Festival 2003 (Nowra)

Sarah McMillan - It has been a quite extraordinary year for 9 year old. Sarah who at the Australian Youth Jumping Festival in September 2003 won – the Pony Grand Prix under 18 years on her pony Thunder and on her other pony Classic Art was 2^nd in the Child Grand Prix under 14 years.  At the NSW Titles in October Sarah was first on Classic Art.  A marvellous result for a nine year old.  Her Showjumping family, John and Cath McMillan must be very proud of her.

Sarah has also become very keen on Showing and has been attending Shows with Lindy and our team of horses for nearly two years.  In 2003 she has been riding Marena Blue Skies, Marena Skylights, Marena Windflower and Marena Sweet Kiss in riding classes, Pony Hacks, Show Hunters and all the breed classes with great success winning Champions and Reserve Champions.  We find Sarah a very dedicated pupil and we are sure she has a big future.

Sarah first came to us for instruction and did a Three day School when she was only 5 years old.

Brooke, 8 yrs old on Marena Stormy Lass at Darling Downs Showjumping Championships July, 2003

Brook Higgins - from Toowoomba, Queensland

At Sydney Royal 2006, Brooke won 1st in her Girl Rider Class  and went on to be Champion Girl Rider.  She also won 1st in her Turnout Class and with mother Therese she won the Parent & Child, a class that they won at Brisbane also.

A special congratulations to Brooke Higgins of Queensland who leased our pony Marena Sweet Kiss and who did so well at 2003 Brisbane Royal winning 7 ribbons including 3 first places.  Brooke also won her riding class at the Queensland Horse of the Year 2003.

She is competing very successfully in jumping and Pony Club on Marena Stormy Lass.

Both of these Marena Ponies are by the wonderful child's pony stallion, Marena Sky Chief.  They are also both Australian Pony Stud Book ponies.

 In the New Year she will be showing her new pony, Marena Amber Flare.  Brooke will compete at the Grand National in her Rider class & following that at Sydney Royal.

Ingrid (Bugsie) Darlington - 14 years of Palmdale began riding with us when she was 7 years.  Bugsie has enjoyed lots of showring success riding many of our Marena horses from small ponies to big galloways.  Her sisters Sabrina and Vanessa also trained with us and showed with success.

Pictured here riding Marena Showgirl

Daniel Robb (at left) is from Wyee, is 10 years old and has been riding for only 2 years.  On board his horse Vernon Valarion at Gosford Show recently Daniel won 1st in his Boy Rider and 3rd in Open Pony Hack n/e 12hh.  Pictured at Hawkesbury Show 2004 they won Reserve Champion Boy Rider and Reserve Champion Hack (pictured left).

Dana Anderson - of Holgate is 19 years old has finished her schooling and just joined the workforce, however she is still as keen as ever on her horses and still manages to ride them. At Sydney Royal 2004 showing Dust and Dreams Dana won 1st in ASH Mare, Champion ASH Mare and then Supreme ASH Exhibit.  She also won supreme ASH at Brisbane Royal 2004.

Dana on Dust & Dreams in a ridden Australian Stock Horse class.