NEWS - MAY 09
So much to tell and so little time to sit at the computer and write about it!
A very busy show and stud season has come and gone at Manorvale.
After such a long time since our last news update this issue is going to be an epic ... you might want to grab a cuppa and a biscuit and settle down yourself in for a good old catch-up session!
On the foaling front our lovely galloway mare Helden Park Fantasia (by Coutland Boy Blue imp) produced a striking liver chestnut filly by Manorvale County Royal.
With an Omo-white blaze and presence to burn, this filly already looks likely to make big galloway height.
At home she is referred to as not-so-little Liz, but her show name will be Manorvale Private Dancer.
A few weeks after Liz arrived, the old marvel Everon Park Tamiel, now 23, popped out a bay full brother to our wonderful show colt Manorvale Royal Show (aka Earl).
Like his big bro, little "Brad" has a front a mile long, but unlike Earl this little guy also has plenty of eye-catching chrome.
His name will be Manorvale Royal Court.
Liz and Brad are now weaned and showing the delightful temperament Tamiel's descendants are renown for.
Both these quality youngsters are available for sale.
In the breeding barn, our big boys kept up their end of the deal, getting all their mares in foal.
In his first stud season Manorvale Royal Show proved himself to both highly fertile and enthusiastic!
Helden Park Fantasia is due to produce his first foal for us in early October.
The 2007-08 stud season had ended in near disaster for our senior sire, Manorvale County Royal.
On Christmas Day he copped a nasty kick to his "jingle bells" while covering a difficult mare.
After weeks of intensive treatment (which included he and I spending up to an hour a day standing in the local creek) "Mappa" was finally able to return his paddock.
Two days later I found him in a terrible state, upright but unable to move.
My own heart nearly stopped when I found two sizeable puncture wounds half way up his crest.
My beautiful boy had been bitten by what must have been a huge King Brown snake.
With-in 10 minutes our vet was on scene and administered anti-venom, which got Mappa moving freely enough to get him back to the stables.
Already the effects of the poison were apparent - my round, shiny pony was literally wasting before my eyes.
Snake venom causes massive tissue death - muscle vitually melts away.
Five days later we saw the consequence of this when Mappa abrubtly began to go into kidney failure.
The vets prepared us for the worst , but incredibly, after a night in intensive care on the critical list Mappa rallied back and was allowed to come home the next day.
The road to recovery was not without it's dramas, including two late night colic attacks, but he made it through.
As the 2008-09 stud season approached the question was; would these traumas affect his fertility?
As it turned out there was no need to worry - his first five mares of the season all dropped in foal with-in the same week!
The Beauparc Stud in Victoria are looking forward to four M. County Royal babies , all due in September.
Also in foal to Mappa is the Double TT Stud's much decorated saddle hack Double TT The Dream.
For Manorvale, Mappa covered Kolbeach Questions (by Camargue Tribute imp) , who had unfortunately slipped her 2008 foal, but is now expecting a late September '09 baby.
Our Beauparc Serenade (by Fairlight Acres Windsine) returned a positive test to Manorvale Finale and is due in early November.
Finale's "grandparents" the Redpath family of Chippenham Stud, breeders of his sire Chippenham Warrant, are awaiting a Fin foal out of their lovely TB mare Black is Black.
Finale is the one of the last breeding links to the Redpath's great producing mare Chippenham Gazelle (dec'd).
The frozen semen from UK-based stallions Rotherwood Peter Pan and Lemonshill Top Note was again a great success.
Top Note's 2008 foals are currently taking the Victoria foal show circuit by storm.
Peter Pan's 14.2 son Manorvale Lost Boy is also creating a stir, having won his novice galloway class at the 2009 Canberra Royal for the Watkins, Quayle and Allen partnership.
Good luck to all the mare owners who have supported Manorvale's stallion roster.
We look forward to news of your babies come Spring.
On the showing front we enjoyed a busy and successful season.
At the Victorian Riding Pony Pageant at the end of November Manorvale Diamond Diva was judged reserve champion in hand senior show pony mare and M. Royal Show was the Champion Arabian Riding Pony male.
I also handled the lovely Rotherwood Peter Pan (UK) daughter, Ashtan Park Sheer Elegance (AI) to win the yearling filly under 11.3hh for her own proud owners Alan and Christine Symmons.
On the ridden side, our fabulous little show hunter, Swanreach Lyric, showed he is more than just a pretty face by winning the under 13hh working hunter class at the Pageant.
Well done to "Harley's" regular rider, Gabrielle Thompson, who has done a great job of making him a super all rounder.
Harley is now ready to go on to a new home and is proudly offered for sale.
In February it was on to the triple header weekend of the Victorian Riding Pony Youngstock of the Year Show, the Victorian Riding Pony Classic & the National Riding Pony of the Year Show.
M. Royal Show was awarded Reserve Champion colt under judge Nancy Miller.
Ashtan Park Sheer Elegance teamed up wth our yearling filly, Manorvale Pandora to win the progeny class for the British-based sire Rotherwood Peter Pan (UK).
Later that day, as the temperatures soared into the high 40s and winds topped the 100km/h mark, the tragedy that would be the Black Saturday bushfires began to unfold.
A competitors meeting voted to continue with the scheduled Victorian Riding Pony Classic.
With roads everywhere closed by the fires, many competitors were stranded at Werribee unsure what had become of their homes.
It was an incredibly difficult situation for all involved.
In the midst of all this, the show went on.
Despite the horrendous conditions M. Diamond Diva showed like a trooper.
After being chosen as a finalist in the very nice class of 12.2-13.2 mares, she then stood champion led mare and to my very great delight was sashed the Beckworth Stud Supreme Champion In-hand Show Pony .
Swanreach Lyric was a Top 3 finalist in led show hunter, ridden show hunter and ridden by a child.
The next day, as a storm ushered in a belated cool change, the National Riding Pony Show was held.
Diamond Diva was again a finalist in the senior led show pony championship.
M. Pandora also made it through to her final after going Top 3 of the led show pony yearling.
Little Lyric continued on his winning way, taking out Runner-up National Led Show Hunter of the Year.
He was also a finalist in the Ridden Show Hunter championship and the Ridden by a Child section.
Hot on the heels of this catastrophic weekend Gabrielle and I took Lyric back to Werribee for the Barastoc Horse of the Year Show.
Harley turned in a super workout to earn glowing praise from the UK judge, who awarded him Runner-up Ridden Show Hunter of the Year 12-13hh.
After Barastoc it was off to Canberra - the friendly Royal!
Classes at Canberra Royal seem to be incredibly well supported compared to other Royals shows.
And no wonder! You can camp near your stables, you are allowed to work on the main arena in the mornings and the whole programme is over and done with in 5 days.
One small gripe is Canberra's insistance on lumping Riding Pony youngstock colts, fillies and geldings into the same class.
The Riding Pony classes were very big indeed.
M. Royal was placed 3rd (and was the highest placed colt) in a huge class of led 2 year olds.
M. Diamond Diva was also 3rd in the led RP mare class and then performed very well to be 4th in both the 13-13.2 novice (ridden by Chanelle Hunter) and her open (ridden by Briony Payne).
Due a previous committment to our home town ag show, we knew we would be unable stay for Canberra's show hunter classes.
Instead Swanreach Lyric was entered for the open pony hacks, where he turned in his usual good work to be 5th in the novice 12-12.2 (ridden by Miss Lizzy Hoy) and get a call in the open (ridden by Gabby).
Manorvale Returns to Arabia!
Recently Manorvale made a return to the Arabian show circuit.
Although many of our Riding Ponies are dual registered as Arab RPs, it has been several years since we showed at the major arab championships.
However the return of an old friend as a client has led us back into the world flowing manes and woo-hooing spectators!
Debbielee White of Orabanda Arabians has entrusted Manorvale with the care and showing of her beautiful purebreds and derivatives, including the wonderful ridden purebred stallion Orabanda Acolade and the very exciting imported purebred colt Kharbonation J (USA).
To date we have some great results culminating in super show at the Queensland Challenge in May.
The Arabian Feature Show - January.
* Orabanda Rosemount - Champion Jnr Partbred Arabian gelding (judge Luiz Mendez-Brazil)
* Manorvale Royal Show - Supreme Ch Arabian RIding Pony (L. Mendez)
* Manorvale DIamond Diva - Champion Derivative RIdden Newcomer (ridden by Bec Farran)
Victorian Arabian Classic - March
* Orabanda Acolade - Res Ch RIdden Purebred Stallion (ridden by Tim Hadlow)
* Manorvale Diamond DIva - Supreme Ch Arabian RIding Pony, 1st Ridden Derivative Newcomer (ridden by Tim Hadlow)
Australian Arabian Championships
* Orabanda Acolade - Res Ch Stallion Bridle Path Hack (Andrew Buckley), Res Ch RIdden Purebred Stallion (Bec Farran)
* Manorvale Diamond DIva - Res Ch Arab RP Mare 3 & 4yo
* Manorvale Royal Show - Top FIve Arab RP Colt
QLD Arabian Challenge
* Orabanda Acolade - Champion RIdden Purebred Stallion, Supreme Ch RIdden Purebred, 1st Phillipa Tyas Memorial - Purebreds (ridden by Tim Hadlow)
* Orabanda Viper - Champion Junior Purebred Gelding (handled by Greg Andrews)
* Kharbonation J - Champion Intermediate Purebred Colt (Greg Andrews)
* Manorvale Royal Show - Champion RIding Pony stallion or colt
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