Riding Disciplines
Dressage
Coach(es)
Kim Weston
Horses
Lassie Creek, Riverside Paddy Williams, Hugo PVS & 3yr old mare ‘Willow’ plus a few other young ones.
Name the most influential person in your riding career and why:
Kim Weston – She has helped me understand the importance of patience, calm, feel, preparation, developing a system, I could go on and on………… She has also given me an all rounded view on all facets of dressage. From competition, rider psychology, horse physiology and much much more.
Kim has one of the calmest and most in-depth knowledge of training and working with horses for dressage that I have been presented with to date.
Describe your riding history:
I started dressage when I was 21 and decided to move to England for two years to refine my Dressage skills and knowledge. I was given the opportunity to train and compete at the beautiful and luxurious Oldencraig Equestrian Centre.
On leaving England, I returned to QLD and took a position of Rider/Groom/Office Member with Ulli Klatte of Belcam – Klatte Farm for four years. This experience gave me a very thorough sight into the Equestrian Industry as a whole. This was where I acquired and competed my first FEI horse, “Riverside Pablo”.
In late 2008 I decided it was time to be closer to family and moved back to my wonderful but small home town of Bowen in the Whitsundays, Nth Qld.
I have established a very unique business in Bowen catering for all levels of riders, with or without their own horses. I have many expansion plans for the business in the near future with the addition of a new piece of land and property adjacent to the existing facilities.
I have continued to go from strength to strength on returning to Nth Qld and I would have to say that I have had some highlights of my career from here.
I now (2014) have 2 FEI level horses that I have trained from the lower levels right through to them having their first Grand Prix start in 2015.
Special highlight(s) in your riding career:
Being selected onto the QLD State High Performance Dressage Squad in 2012 & 2013 with my TB mare Lassie Creek.
I am very excited to ride my first Grand Prix Dressage Tests on ‘Riverside Paddy Williams’ & ‘Lassie Creek’ in 2015
What are your ambitions?
To ride to the highest level with success in Australia and represent Australia overseas. I would like to do this with integrity and to the best of my ability having my horses ‘wanting’ and ‘loving’ their work and competitons.
“It makes me sad to see a horse that has withdrawn to the point of blankness in their eyes”
Have you trained or coached any riders who have had success?
A lot of my ridders are frequently winning Championships and placing in events in North QLD, with riders base South to Mackay, West to Dysart and North to Townsville – in varying disciplines.
Students are very proud to be associated with and representing PVS Training & Equine Services.
Special care and management considerations of your horse(s):
Lassie Creek is a mare that I have to manage well when we are away on the road. She is very particular about where we stop, what she eats etc. She is on medication for Ulcers. I have tried her on the EasiSport which is great for horses with Ulcers however she just loved the ‘BioMare Cubes’ & ‘EasiResponse’ so this is what she has been on now with great success since, 2009.
Which Pryde's feeds do you use and why do you like them?
BioMare Cubes - Great for the extra minerals and vitamins, especially in the drier months in Nth Qld.
EasiResponse - Very economical and suits a wide variety of horses.
EasiOil- WOW – Coat Shine!! Plus for some of the horses that don’t like their food wet it helps any supplements bind to the feed.
What do you require from you horse feed?
EASY!! Cool, responsive energy; high energy; balanced minerals and vitamins; energy for work, without excess calories; coat condition; no fuss breeding feeds and specific young horse feeds.
How will Pryde's Sponsorship make a difference to you?
It has helped me have horses that not only work well but look well. They are fit and healthy, their coats have dapples and gleam from the Pryde’s products.
With the financial help that Pryde’s give, I can honestly say that it has given me the ability to travel to competitions more frequently and further than without their help.
My horses and my success comes down to many things but I can say 100% that without the support of local companies like Pryde’s I would not be where I am today and would find it harder to get to where I want to be each day after. – THANK YOU -
