Champions for Abderry in the 2010-2011 season
GAB's Whata Kracka, (Broken-In at Abderry) Appaloosa stallion won Super Horse 2011 for the second consecutive year at the Appaloosa National Show in March.
He is the only Appy stallion to have ever won this award, the rest have been mares or geldings!!To qualify for Super Horse, the horse must compete and gain results in a minimum of 4 out of 7 categories, throughout the show season and also at the National Show itself. These categories are, Halter, English performance, Western performance; Timed events (ie barrel race etc) Cow work events; Racing; Endurance.
Kracka amassed enough points from competing in all but the Racing & Endurance. He had a very hard week as the weather was appalling, and he did so many disciplines. I am so proud of my boy. Photos show Kraka with his silverware and one of him babysitting his two young sons, recently weaned & gelded.Allison Alderton ( GAB Appaloosa's Whangarei)
NRM Seremonie VDL (Broken-In at Abderry) wins 2011 Bell Tea Olympic Cup
The team at Abderry celebrated after "their" horse NRM Seremonie VDL won the Bell Tea Olympic Cup in the hands of Katie McVean at the 2011 NZ Horse of the Year Show in Hastings.
Usual rider Ike Unsworth broke his hand a few weeks back and the decision was made to offer the ride to the Olympian Katie McVean who was coming home from Europe just for the six-day show.
McVean's efforts provided the fairy tale finish to the show when she beat Australian Jamie Kermond in a nail-biting jump-off.
Within an hour of hoisting the Olympic Cup, the defending champ was back on a plane to prepare for a World Cup show in Holland later in the week.
Eighteen started the class, with just 11 with 12 faults or less coming back for the second.
As the faults mounted for the Kiwi riders, it started to look increasingly like the Showjumper of the Year title, and the $40,000 winners cheque would be crossing the Tasman with any one of the eight Australian combinations.
Last to go was Australian 21-year-old Danielle Butcher aboard Twins Big Higgs, who produced the only clear of the round, but picked up three time faults for her caution.
Best performed of the Kiwis in the first round was McVean on Seremonie, sitting on eight faults.
Ahead of her were Australians Butcher on three faults, Billy Raymont on Stardom and Jamie Kermond on Colthaga with four apiece, and Julia Hargreaves aboard Vedor on five.
The second round saw McVean go clear with just a single time fault, as did Raymont on the NZ-owned Nicalette NZP. Butcher, in her first season in the big time, had three rails down and picked up four time faults knocking her out of contention.
When all faults were tallied Kermond and McVean were tied on nine faults forcing a jump-off, which Kermond looked like winning until the last fence.
The Abderry team were thrilled when they heard the result "She showed right from the beginning that she had grit and determination," Cheski said. "I remember feeling the power in her trot and canter even in her very first ride."
"She's quite a different ride to my horses," McVean agreed. "She's a lot more European and it's taken a couple of days to adjust as she's quite strong."
But adjust she did and an Abderry graduate with the aid of a top class rider won the country's most prestigious showjumping trophy.
Henton Attorney General (Broken-In by Abderry) takes out 3* Eventing title
Henton Attorney General (Frank) riden by Hamilton's Lizzie Brown came from behind to take the glory when they won Alltech CIC3* eventing crown at the 2011 Horse of the Year Show in Hastings.
Brown jumped clear in the final Show Jumping phase to put pressure on overnight leaders Clarke Johnstone and Orient Express, who had no room for error, with just 1.2 faults in hand. Dropping the two fences dropped him into second place, with Canterbury's Alice Montgomery and Gordon in third with one rail down.
Brown said afterwards that having Johnstone, World Equestrian Games team bronze medalist, competing against her was more pressure than she'd been under for a while
The win gives her a massive lead in the Bell Tea Super League, she picked up 45 points to add to the 97.5 she carried forward from the spring season, and a big boost before her final competition in New Zealand, the Kihikihi World Cup round next month, before leaving for Britain to campaign for the London Olympics. What a thrill, we could have an Abderry Olympian!
Bates Amaretto MVNZ (Broken-In at Abderry) takes out Cushionride 7yr Showjumping series
A stonebruise saw Bates Amaretto MVNZ out of action for most of the HOY show, unfortunately missing the 7yr and Lady Rider of the year classes. Although he did came sound enough to jump on Saturday in the Premier Stakes 1.45m event to just have 4 faults. A huge effort for a 7yr.
However "Beetle" (as we knew him) took out the Cushionride 7yr series for the 2010-2011 season by a substantial margin. He was virtually unbeatable from January. This horse is such a superstar, he won or placed in every 7yr start he had (except for Taupo) Lisa Coupe is very excited about jumping some big classes on him next season and we are excited at the prospect of seeing him in the big time.
Breaking-in (Approx 8 weeks).
The Abderry Breaking-In syllabus has developed from 26 years experience introducing NZ horses to their ridden careers. Established in 1984, Abderry has been involved in the education of thousands of horses. If you want your horses to develop into calm, trusting and confident horses then “we’re on the same page”!
Attention To Detail
We pride ourselves in paying attention to detail and using down to earth common sense. If the horse is not progressing as confidently as it should we are always asking the question “What’s up dude?” “What part of this step are you having trouble with?” We pay attention to the message they’re trying to tell us. We don’t smother them with over handling but respect their space and allow them to be independently confident. We understand how precious they are to you.
Communication
We are keen to stay in communication with you during the education process so you have clarity of what is being done and why. We allow for the horses to have individual personalities and it’s important that we follow through by making sure you understand any challenges your horse encounters. We welcome your participation in the education process and will ensure that your visits coincide with the time your horse is being worked
Unless there is an emergency, your permission will be sought before vet, physiotherapist or chiropractor charge is made to your account. Likewise we will let you know if there are any other problems or changes that are going to affect the overall cost of the education programme.
If there is something that you should know about your horse, especially if it’s something unpalatable we won’t hide this from you. We won’t tell you something because we think it’s what you want to hear, we’ll show you “warts and all” because it’s important that you know what’s actually going on.
We will ask you lots of questions about your horse before it comes to Abderry. Questions about it’s attitude, way of going or experience, what it’s found easy or difficult. Your input gives us a clear idea of what might be worrying for your horse and therefore how we can tailor a work programme that develops his talents and minimises his stress. We are constantly on the look-out for changes in behaviour such as weaving, pawing, pacing or if the horse suddenly develops a “mouth like iron”. We read these as clear signs of the horse saying “I’m having trouble here”.
Education/ Training Methods
We don’t use force.
We don't molly coddle either.
Kindness is not a weakness.
Fair, firm & friendly, but never familiar.
We work on & encourage mutual respect.
We want happy horses.
We don’t let them develop bad manners because we’re clear on our pressure and release signals teaching them a consistent way of getting good and not so good results for themselves.
We don't move onto the next step until your horse is ready
The Team
Naturally the Abderry team has changed over the last 26 years but by industry standards we have a very low staff turn over rate so the team has always been experienced in working with young and potentially excitable horses.
We are proud to say that previous team members have included Paul O’Brien (NZ 3-Day Event Team Sydney Olympics 2000), Fiona Fraser (Ready Teddy’s groom for Blyth Tait), Joanna Norseworthy (Des Lowe’s right hand girl for many years), Vanessa Lush (mother of rising star youngster Laura Lush) Clyde MacLean (owner of Maltese Cat Polo Ponies), Pepe Ewen of Ewen Equine Management and Sola Laurence-Bade of Solequine
- Essential pre-requisites for joining the team are:
- To show a genuine interest in learning to “read” the horses and
- The importance of respecting the horses as individuals who when they aren’t going as desired are usually saying “I can’t” as opposed to “I won’t”.
It is really important that your horses are comfortable and happy in their work because when they’re happy they're easy to work with and we don't live dangerously! We know that to be comfortable and happy we have to pay daily attention and take particular notice of the balance of their feet. The foot is designed to be a shock absorber, if it’s not properly balanced & level & under the limb, somewhere higher up the leg joints and/or tendons will be working overtime and may sustain an injury that could affect the horse’s entire career.
The work and diet for each horse is determined by it’s level of fitness, body condition, and energy levels. All horses at Abderry on a work programme have their diets supplemented by “The Hanley Formula”. Included are magnesium, salt and a myco-toxin binder.
The end result
Our aim is to produce calm, happy, confident horses at the end of our Breaking-In programme. We charge on a flat fee basis to give your horse “as long as it takes” to complete it’s education.
At the end of the process, you’ll be shown (either in person or via video) your horse working confidently under rider in trot and canter working in an open area. Your horse will be in self carriage, & used to being ridden with light hands.
Our aim at the end of this first stage of training is for your horse to be able to balance itself under the rider without leaning on the reins.