by Kelly Wilson
Now the only event left for the day was Bragg, Shyla and Argo competing in the Battle of the Breeds that night. We made sure that all three had lots of rest before they had to head back to the arena. Again, 2500 people filled the grandstands; Alexa welcomed them and got the crowd clapping and stamping their feet in time to Queen’s song ‘We Will Rock You’. The stadium shook as we entered the arena in formation, carrying the flags of each of the nations where the horses had once roamed wild. Argo and Vicki boldly led the way, unfazed by either the noise or the lights, Bragg and Amanda pranced behind them, and Shyla hesitantly followed with me, having never seen anything like it in her life.
Coming to a halt in the centre of the ring, we raised our flags in a salute to the crowds; I kept a firm hold on the reins to keep Shyla still when the arena erupted into thunderous applause. Beside us, Bragg pawed at the air; further over Argo was standing still, proudly carrying the New Zealand flag. Then the challenges got under way. The first was for the riders: each of us had 60 seconds to introduce our horse and explain more about the plight of the wild horses in their particular countries. Amanda took the win, by talking about the Mustangs with a near-perfect American accent — by popular demand, she managed to maintain the accent throughout the evening.
The next round was Best Sidepass, which to my surprise Shyla won. Although Argo actually performed better, the judges — Warwick Schiller and Dan Steers — said they had to allow for him having had more than two years of training, and that they were impressed with how well Shyla had progressed in such a short time. Next came Best Canter to Halt, to the sound of ‘Stop Right Now’ by the Spice Girls; again Shyla won, stopping perfectly in sync with the lyrics. The horses then competed in Best Jump. Shyla made a gallant effort, clearing 1 metre before I retired her gracefully. Vicki and Amanda had been handicapped by the judges for this round, and were required to compete bareback; Bragg was the eventual winner.
Just three more rounds remained, with Shyla and Bragg on two points and Argo on one point. Hoping to gain favour with the judges, Vicki leant forward and removed her bridle for Best Turn on the Haunches (or Spin), and sitting perfectly balanced she and Argo performed an extravagant Western spin with no gear to aid them. Admitting defeat, Amanda and I forfeited the round and we progressed to the next, Best Rear. This was supposed to be Bragg’s moment to shine, but when Amanda dismounted to cue him he trotted away. This made Argo the winner, as Shyla had never been taught to rear on cue; it seemed like a terrible thing to train a kid’s pony to do!
With the horses now on equal points, there was just one challenge left. Whoever won Best Lay Down would be the overall winner. In practice Shyla had refused to lie down, unsettled by the new arena, but for the past few minutes she’d been dropping her head and buckling at the knees; I’d had to keep her moving to stop her lying down with me sitting on her! I quickly dismounted and removed the saddle — as soon as we were given the go-ahead from the judges, Shyla was on the ground and rolling, enjoying the soft sand beneath her. Argo, who was still bareback and bridleless, lay down smartly to voice command; and Amanda, who had not trained Bragg for this, lay down herself in the sand, much to the amusement of the crowd.
The judges deemed Shyla to be the winner, but when Argo lay down flat and then rose into a sitting position, it went to a public vote. Argo was declared the winner and the overall champion of Battle of the Breeds. It was a well-contested victory for the New Zealand horse; he’d won on home soil and the audience couldn’t have been happier.
It had been two years since Vicki had competed Argo at Equidays in the very first Stallion Challenges, finishing as Reserve Champion in the Ridden Freestyle and also in the overall rankings. Looking back, we realised how special their pairing was. No other Kaimanawa in the country was as big — at 16 hands high, Argo was not only an amazing example of what Kaimanawas are capable of, but also a practical height for Vicki to keep in the long term. Most of the wild horses we work with are only ponies, which makes it hard to have a long-term future with them. For Argo to be both big and talented was even more remarkable. Watching Vicki jump Argo 1.30 metres bareback and bridleless has always been amazing. As young as he was, there was no telling what he’d be capable of in the coming years.
Every wild horse we work with is given the same opportunity to be as special as Argo; the love and time we invest in them is the same regardless of what they can give us. Often, though, their height, age, conformation, nature or soundness can limit their potential, and we have to adjust our training to focus on each horse as an individual. Vicki’s current Kaimanawa, Mascot, had a limited future because of the injuries he’d sustained in the wild, and his level of training in the Stallion Challenges at Equidays reflected this. Although he couldn’t jump, and would go unsound if cantered for more than a few strides or ridden on the hills, he had a sweet nature that allowed kids to handle him and was safe to ride bareback, lie all over, carry things and drag things off. He also loved to lie down; quietly watching everything while he rested his weary body. Although Mascot was restricted in his capabilities, Vicki had found a future for him where he could thrive; at Equidays she focused on showcasing his lovely nature, giving the public a chance to meet him before he went to live with a family of young kids that Vicki had gifted him to as a lead-rein pony.
Argo, Bragg and Shyla entering the arena, to the thunderous stamping of ‘We Will Rock You’, for Battle of the Breeds.
Alexa’s horse, Instigator, also had limitations as to what he was capable of, and so she also focused on what he excelled at. Like Mascot, Instigator was quiet and easy to work with — Alexa was able to stand on his back, carry things and walk and trot him around on a loose rein. Not once did she ask him something that he wasn’t 100 per cent comfortable doing, and in the ring this was obvious; they were the only combination that showcased faultlessly, and although they didn’t canter he looked incredibly relaxed and happy. To our surprise, Alexa wasn’t marked down for not showing all three paces and they were announced as the class winners. Vicki and Mascot, who’d placed consistently in all four classes, finished third overall, with Alexa and Instigator fifth. To our delight Vicki was awarded Fan Favourite for the second year; it was a fitting tribute to Mascot, who had fully embraced his life with humans.
Exhausted after three huge days, we sat down with friends to reflect over a great show. The horses had done well, the book signings had been hugely popular (it had taken more than six hours to get through everyone), and we’d made some great friends; including Dan, who we were looking forward to catching up with in just three weeks’ time at Equitana when we went over for the Australian Brumby Challenge.
Vicki stays dry under an umbrella while Mascot is awarded second place in the Trail Class during the Kaimanawa Stallion Challenges.
Alexa and Instigator winning the Freestyle during the Kaimanawa Stallion Challenges.
CHAPTER 22
Olympic Dreams
Amanda holding Quintesse Z, the first Team WS mare, after she arrives in New Zealand from Holland.
Daminos, an approved Holstein stallion from the United Kingdom, free-jumping as a three-year-old before arriving in New Zealand.
Harrington Horses
The cover story in New Zealand Horse and Pony about the Team WS concept and the first three horses to join the team.
When we got back home, the property was in the middle of a make-over. Six months earlier, the home property, where Amanda’s and my horses were based, had been re-fenced with Equine Fence Wire supplied by one of our sponsors, Gallagher, to make it safer for the horses; now the paddocks surrounding Vicki’s stables were also being done. We were just days away from having three valuable new showjumpers arriving from overseas and needed to ensure that they had safe paddocks to enjoy. Vicki’s property also wasn’t set up for stallions, and with two coming, the re-fencing also gave her the opportunity to redesign the layout of her paddocks and put in higher fences where needed.
The three new horses were the first of
10 that would be jointly owned by Team WS; an innovative initiative that would enable Vicki and Amanda to work towards achieving their dreams of showjumping at international level. For the past decade, ever since they’d competed in their first Grand Prix classes, both girls had strived to produce élite showjumpers and they had enjoyed huge successes over the years. Horses like Showtym Girl, Witheze, Wurlitzer, Showtym Viking, Showtym Levado GNZ, Showtym Cadet MVNZ, Ngahiwi Showtym Premier, Showtym Cassanova and Caretino Jewel had established them as some of the nation’s most competitive and successful riders, with wins right through to both Super League and World Cup level. However, while these horses were competitive in New Zealand, most weren’t of the calibre needed to compete against the best in the world.
Unlike many riders, whose access to big budgets allows them to purchase horses that are already competing at the biggest heights, Vicki and Amanda had spent years producing horses that other people had given up on, or wildcards with no notable breeding that had proven to be fantastic jumpers. All of their World Cup jumpers had cost between $500 and $7000; they had never been in a sufficiently strong financial position to afford more. While we had no doubt that their team of horses, which was improving year by year, would eventually produce showjumpers capable of campaigning on the world stage, the Team WS initiative was making this possible years earlier.
Quintesse Z arriving off the plane, after flying from the other side of the world.
Carpaccio BDV Z, a four-year-old Zangersheide stallion from Belgium, and the third horse to join Team WS.
In late August, Vicki and Amanda had travelled to the other side of the world to select the first horses. Vicki chose two four-year-old stallions, one an approved Holstein by the name of Daminos, from the United Kingdom, and the other a grey Zangersheide called Carpaccio BDV Z, from Belgium. The third horse, chosen by Amanda, was Quintesse Z, a stunning chestnut Zangersheide mare from Holland; she was an absolute powerhouse with an incredible jump. Never in a million years had Amanda imagined that she would ride a horse of that quality, and she was so thankful to the first 40 owners for joining Team WS and making it possible. Eventually, with the full team of 250 owners behind us, Vicki and Amanda would be training a team of horses specifically with the Olympics in mind. The plan was that within two years all 10 horses would be on the team, competing at the top of their game, in what we hope will be one of the most exciting teams of showjumpers this nation has ever seen.
Two days after our return from Equidays, the Gallagher fencing was complete and we could barely recognise our property. Although our previous fencing was reasonably horse-friendly, we could see what an improvement the new fencing made, highlighting several areas where it had previously been less than ideal. Even avoiding a single accident would justify changing the fencing over. Our property looked like a show home.
With the fencing completed on time, we all piled into the truck for the drive to Auckland to collect the new horses from the airport. Alexa and I would be seeing them for the first time. The groom who’d travelled with them was the same one who had flown over with us and the Brumbies; we had a moment of déjà vu — less than four months earlier we’d also been unloading three horses off a plane, but horses of a completely different breed and for a completely different purpose.
The groom grinned at us and joked about the quality of these horses compared with the Brumbies, and as we watched Vicki and Amanda unload them we couldn’t help but laugh at the difference, too. These sleek, high-strung beauties were nothing like the dull, hairy Brumbies we’d led down the ramp a few months ago. As each horse was led past us and loaded onto the waiting truck, however, our laughter changed to awe. We’ve had some exceptional horses over the years, but never had we seen three horses with such presence. Although we’d seen countless photos and videos of them, it was nothing like seeing them in the flesh; Vicki and Amanda had selected well, and we knew that their owners would be just as excited when they saw them.
On arriving home, Vicki settled the stallions into stables, while Quintesse, Amanda’s mare, was led straight out to a paddock. She was very lean from her six weeks in quarantine and from the travelling; for her, the only job for the next month was to rest and regain the weight she’d lost. The stallions were soon out in paddocks as well; Carpaccio who’d grown up in a field, was in his element and quickly settled down to graze. For Daminos, though, this was a novel experience, as for the past nine months the only time he’d left his box was to be exercised in an indoor arena. For the first week, he would nervously wait at the gate, keen to be back in the confinement of his stable, although he soon adjusted to New Zealand life. Both stallions had remarkable temperaments and were settling in well. Every day when we looked out to the paddock and saw these horses, we’d shake our heads in disbelief, amazed that the Team WS concept was now a reality.
It seems fitting that our work with the wild horses first began because of our showjumpers, when, back in 2012, the Kaimanawa Watch Me Move won Pony of the Year — the most prestigious Pony Grand Prix event in the Southern Hemisphere. Ever since then, our journey with wild horses across three different continents has attracted widespread public interest that has led to international recognition of our efforts, although it still surprises us when people know us for our work with wild horses rather than showjumpers. The showjumpers remain Vicki and Amanda’s core focus and passion, consuming nine months of every year. Now, because of the public following we have attracted through the wild horses, it has come full circle with support for our Olympic dreams.
It was especially exciting to start with young horses, four-year-olds, so that they could be trained our way right from the beginning. The process of training our performance horses doesn’t differ from that of our wild ones; they all get started bareback in a halter, all learn to be ridden out over the farm, and all enjoy beach rides and swimming in the river — a far cry from how most showjumpers begin their careers. The differences between wild horses and élite sport horses might be diverse, but one thing is true for them all: whether we’re starting a wild Brumby or a Warmblood for the jumping arena, for us it’s all about building a solid and trusting foundation based on love and kindness.
Vicki’s two stallions quickly learnt to become real horses; not shut away in boxes, but instead enjoying the freedom of large paddocks during the day. At night, they were brought in to Vicki’s specially designed stables with an open aisle and open walls so that the horses could be included in the daily comings and goings. Although it took a week for the stallions to adjust to the many changes, they settled in and were often found scratching the backs of the geldings stabled alongside them. Daminos, whose stable was nearest the entry to the barn, would often pop his head over his door to greet people as they came in, or watch as horses were saddled in the aisle. He was learning to be socialised; something that was vital to the sanity of a competition stallion and was in stark contrast to the solitary confinement they were often used to overseas.
A few weeks after the Team WS horses arrived, Daminos — who’d had 15 rides in the UK — headed out for his first ride with us. It was his very first time out of an indoor arena, or with company, but he boldly led the other horses out on the farm, eager to explore the world. Carpaccio’s first ride was also spent cantering around the farm under saddle, and although he didn’t put a foot wrong he was decidedly wobblier. Vicki called his breeder to see how much ridden work he’d done. She’d been told that he had been started under saddle, and so assumed that he’d been ridden, but quickly discovered that he’d only been sat on a few times and always on a lead rein. Taking Carpaccio back to the basics, she started him again; first lying over him bareback to get him used to the feel of a rider, then spending a few days riding bareback, getting him comfortably walking, trotting and cantering on the arena, before resaddling him. In between rides, Carpaccio learnt to swim in the river, joining our other showjumpers for fitness laps. Quintesse, who had never been ridden, continued to laze in the paddock — she would have a full month
to rest before Amanda started the backing process.
Amanda riding Ballarat at her first show.
Ballarat’s first time jumping an oxer.
Shyla jumping around a Show Hunter course at a local training day, four months from her wild ways.
In between working the Team WS horses, the Brumbies went through their final preparations for Equitana. Zali, who’d been withdrawn from the competition due to her soundness issues, was now running with a Welsh stallion; we hoped that 18 months in a paddock would give her teeth time to settle. If, after that time, she was sound and happy, Vicki would then continue to train her for ridden work; if not, she would have a good home regardless — she was a beautiful and sweet mare who deserved to live happily ever after.
Ballarat, who’d only had about 20 rides, was now making rapid progress. The extra time spent to get her healthy and happy meant that her handling was well established; it often felt as if Amanda was working with a young domestic pony rather than a wild one. Ballarat kept showing a willingness to learn that impressed us, and Amanda was really enjoying working with her again, although the pony was still very inexperienced and unpredictable at times, and Amanda fell off her twice. Two weeks before the Brumbies were due to fly back to Australia, we took Ballarat and Shyla to a Show Hunter training day. Shyla behaved like a pro, jumping around a 90-cm course, and Ballarat also exceeded every expectation. Amanda first warmed her up over a single fence, gradually increasing it from a pole on the ground up to 50 cm, then Ballarat happily trotted into the arena and jumped around a small course.
