26/11/2019
'A Breeders Dream’- attending the 20th International Welsh Show Sydney hosted by the Welsh Pony and Cob Society of Australia
by Salima Keswani
This week I have fallen in love with a country, it’s people, a small white dog with anger issues, and a fabulous pony.
Almost 10 years ago, a firm friendship was made with Margaret and Rod Sperrin of Mosman Park Stud, Australia when they purchased some frozen semen from Sunwillow Jubilee. The birth of the beautiful buckskin filly Mosman Park Britannia out of Mosman Park Bella in 2012 saw Margaret buy all the remaining Jubilee semen and become his ‘Down Under Mum’.
When the talk that the International show for 2019 would be held in Australia began 4 years ago a plan was hatched. Inspired by Sunwillow and Heniarth who had gone before me, the plan was to have an ‘Amilas’ 3yo to show at the show. Not all great plans go the way expected and the first insemination failed so we went back to the drawing board. The following year via the power of Facebook Madison Park Patience joined Mosman Park Stud and was subsequently leased to me. What a mare she turned out to be, the outcome of her first insemination was a beautiful filly, Amilas Pomegranate 2017, on her next, the c**t Amilas Pendragon 2018 and this year she’s had another beautiful filly Pandora. It was the yearling c**t Pendragon, who’s resemblance to his sire is uncanny, that was chosen for the long trip from Melbourne to Sydney.
I arrived at Margret and Rod Sperrin’s house on Monday this week to meet my ‘Amilas’ babies for the first time and on Tuesday we began the 900km trip to the Sydney International Equestrian Centre. My co driver Jess Jackson and I being trusted with Rod’s Ute and float and left loose on our own driving for 2 days along the Hume Highway.
The first thing you notice as you arrive at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre is the Sydney Opera House esque indoor arena, swiftly followed by the vast and impressive stable complex. Built for the 2000 Olympics it’s an impressive and well maintained legacy. Arriving on Wednesday, we were met by a quiet showground but the buzz of anticipation was already simmering. By Friday morning almost every stable was filled and the showground was alive. Several small settlements had sprung up around each amenities block (which provided showers and toilets) and the accommodation cabins on site had started to look like a Butlins holiday camp.
On Friday afternoon the inaugural Welsh and partbred Ridden championship took place in the indoor arena and it was encouraging to see the classes well supported with some breed sections so large they had to be split into heats. In the evening hotdogs sponsored by The Welsh Pony and Cob Society of France were served overlooking the arena whilst the Championships were judged and the party atmosphere (and nerves) kicked in.
Pendragon’s class was the first at 8am so an early start but the show ground was a hive of activity as we headed down to the picture perfect grass showring with Pen wearing his beautiful Welsh made Helen Reader bridle (that required me having a quick appointment with border control on the way through the airport) and the laid back, snoozy c**t turned into a fire breathing dragon.
The stewards here are very organised, you are collected in one spot in preparation to enter the ring and await instructions, which isn’t that easy to do with an overexcited yearling c**t bouncing about. Once we were in the ring the class went by in a blur. Pen was somewhat fired up, but held it together, trotting his socks off. I was so proud of him, blown away by his Squid like attitude, and so extremely grateful to Margaret and Rod Sperrin for making all this possible.
I’d have been happy had the story ended there. We achieved what we had set out to do. That isn’t how it ends though, Pen won his class and after the other junior classes were done he went into the youngstock championship, by far the baby of the group I expected nothing but he was pulled forward as Reserve Champion behind the beautiful and mature yearling filly EaglePark Venus. Venus later stood Supreme International Youngstock Champion.
The well supported in hand classes, judged across two rings ran on into the night and the championship’s had to be relocated into the indoor arena with background music provided by a live male voice choir. Whilst unplanned it certainly made an incredible spectacle to end in-hand day. The tireless and fantastic team that put on this show have to be thanked, as it was a truly memorable event.
As we head home my gratitude to Margaret and Rod Sperrin is unending, my total admiration of everyone who has worked so hard to make this event such a success is limitless and thank you to all the new friends I’ve made this weekend for you company, support, encouragement and help.
P.S. Pendragon isn’t coming home, the next plan for him is well underway and let’s hope that works out as well as this one did.
Editor’s note - this c**t carries three crosses of Coed Coch Norman a past Royal Welsh Champion when shown by John Hendy. He was imported to Australia back in the 1970’s by the Owendale Stud of Pauline,Bob and Darrell Owen
