Mum's turn!

[Stardust]

Hey Ann,

It looks like you and I are the matriarchs of the board! Come on lurkers, there must be some other originals of Qld dressage from the 60's hiding out there, or are you from the 50's and don't want to own up! (Did we have dressage here in the 50's?)

Like Ann I was a Brisbane pony clubber (joined Runcorn at second or third muster from memory, 1964) and rode my first ODE at Southport in 65 or 66. As there were very few shows, gymkhanas or ODEs and not much in the way of transport I did everything I could get to. Including 50 mile endurance rides that we rode 5 miles to the start venue and then rode 5 miles home!

The two riders I admired most in those days were Deb MacNicol and Ron Patterson. Deb's Isadore N and Ron's Tweed were the most amazingly obedient and beautiful animals I'd ever seen, especially after the scrubbers I rode. However the least attractive of these scrubbers was also an extremely talented jumper and at 14hh cleared in excess of 5 foot in a zone showjumping championships 6 bar, as well as winning and placing at ODEs and making the State 3DE team, which was remembered by the team and forgotten by everyone else because the this particular National event was cancelled 3 days before the team was due to leave for Wagga. Never did find out why. Its just as well he was a brilliant jumper because we usually were last after the dressage. My goal for each event was stay in the arena.

The family was PC to the core, Mum, Dad and I all served on committees at club and Zone and both parents at State. In 1973(?) Zone1's Chief instructor retired and it was decided that a panel of 3 young instructors would take on the positon.... Deb MacNicol and "moi" filled two of the spots.

1974, marriage at 21, and retired from competition...silly girl! Played netball, and squash to C grade (Brisbane). 1980 needed a horse fix and bought Conando, a horse Pat Dale was leasing and on the Qld Dressage team. Enter serious dressage! Although I'd had lessons and clinics with fantastic instructors, Olive Nunn, Franz Mairinger, Coloman de Bolgar, and every European that rode past our door, the soul of dressage had always eluded me. I decided I had this great horse and I was going to do it properly. But I also taught him to jump and off we went eventing. Did the Mark Phillips/Andrew Hoy clinics and trained with Ray Van der Drift for a while and Sandra Pearson-Adams for longer. Joined the EFA Eventing Committee and ended up as event secretary, assisted by my offsider Sally Evans who still trains with Sandra. Also eventing at this time... one Ricky MacMillan!

1984 husband decides that we had better have kids because we were getting old!!!!! I said I had enough 4 legged kids to keep me happy, husband not impressed, husband wins.

1986, Hello Danica and goodbye competing! 2005, new little horse, 2006.....maybe prelim. In between I had a quick try at arena polo, then decided to become a modern pentathlete at 40 (mid-life crisis). Managed a couple of events including Victorian championships, Masters compete with the juniors!!!! Consequently took up fencing and shooting and still shoot air pistol at B grade very unseriously.

How to find me.....look for the little wizened-up skinny old blonde with the granny glasses strapping for Dan and hanging on to the Monster Man, aka Rocky! Sometimes accompanied by daughters 2 & 3, Toren and Liv, sometimes strapping for all three. Come and say hello!

Liz