News

2012 2011 2010 2009

Final Pointscore for 2011

National Pointscore

In the 2011 National pointscore, Blake's Heaven was very pleased to finish the year with Blake's Heaven Venus taking out Middleweight Points Horse on 92.5! More than any other horse in the adult divisions. Her lowest placing all year was 7th, at the FEI Australian Championships Al Reef Endurance Festival 120km**, which she completed in 6h55min, which she completed carrying 13kg of dead weight. Venus was 2 seconds behind the 5th place horse and was held back in what would have otherwise been a gallop finish. Over the year Venus completed 1120km. Of this, only 240km of this was 80km rides, the other kilometres all came from longer rides, including 3 X 160km events.

In the rider pointscore, Talea ended the year as 3rd National Middleweight Points Rider. Having just turned 18 at the end of June 2011, she rode against not only older riders, but professionals as well as amateurs. She also achieved 6th National Middleweight Points Rider with 1420km, more than any other NSW rider, this did not include 370km at Shahzada where she withdrew with only 30km to go, as he mount BH Summer Reign was struggling with girth galls.

Also in the pointscore, was Blake's Heaven Caruso, owned by Jeremy Banwell. He ranked 4th National Points Junior Horse and 6th National Distance Junior Horse on 640km. Congratulations to Jeremy and Caruso who also recieved a number of awards after their Shahzada completion.

The Tom Quilty Gold Cup

Mount Pleasant, South Ausralia - 30/9 - 1/10

Our two horses shortlisted for the World Youth Endurance Championship were ruled out from attending the Quilty by the selectors. So Reign, and Kaliph were chosen to make long trip to the Barossa Ranges in South Australia.
Terry Wood, who has sucessfuly represented Australia at the World level in the past was looking for a horse to ride to obtain his 19th Quily Buckle on. We initially suggested Kaliph, but Talea gave up her ride on Reign when we realised that Reign's very smooth gaits would make it much easier for 72 year old Terry to make the distance.

The trip over was pleasant. We had an overnight stop at Balranald Pony Club and are very thankful for being allowed to stay there in both directions. When we arrived at the ride base, it was quickly renamed Mount UNpleasant, due to the unrelenting rain and wind which continued throughout the whole week, ending only once the ride was done and dusted.
The weather made it very difficult for many horses to eat and exercise properly and boggy mud on the course also brought some to grief. But Reign (with a bit in his mouth) and Kaliph travelled steadily and never mised a beat for excellent mid field completions in 15h46min26sec (VGIH) placing =25th Middleweights.

Terry was thrilled and we were very happy to have been able to help him achieve the amazing feat of a 19th buckle. Fantastic also for Kaliph whom we had bought back from Victoria in mid July after a long break from endurance.

Blake's Heaven Hiraani

Born 11/9

Blake's Heaven was delighted at the arrival of Blake's Heaven Hiraani on September 11. Hiraani is by Blake's Heaven Carousel and out of Lentara Park Heather. She was born perfectly healthy and is already proving to be a very inquisitive and brave filly.

World Championships

30/6/11

Nominations for the World Endurance Championships, to be held in Norfolk, UK 2012 closed today. Talea, already nominated and qualified with both BH Bombora and BH Venus for the World Junior and Young Rider Championships, has also nominated for this event. There are alot of qualifications required, and our bid for World Championship Selection may not eventuate for 2012, however it is something to strive for, and something we know that Bombora (Talea's number 1 mount for this event) could achieve, whilst representing our country to a high standard.

Anzac/Easter Weekend: Gundagai and Cedar Ridge Endurance Carnival

23-25/4/11

There were 3 major endurance events in NSW on the Easter weekend and we wanted to go to all of them – not possible! Adeline decided to head to Gundagai wth Ventura and Bonny for 80 and 100km rides, while Talea and Fia went to Cedar Ridge for the FEI rides required if Bombora was to be a contender for the WYYRC.

Talea entered the 120 FEI 2 star on Bombora, while Fia opted for the 160 kms over 2 days. The challenge for Fia was to make middleweight, as Venus was doing very well in the national middleweight pointscore. This was achieved with the help of 10kg gel pad and some other weights – which must have bee hard going for Venus but her results did not show it! Talea was going to back up with an FEI 80kms on Reign – his comeback ride... The game pkan was to go steady and get around.

A lot happened on this weekend. We have to say a huge thank you to Ian curtis for coming and strapping for us. Firstly, the new heart rate monitor failed to work. Talea was one of the first back from the first leg of the FEI ride and Ian took Bomb’s heart rate with his fingers! It all worked out and although Bombora lost FOUR shoes during the ride (his racing slippers which we had kept on to save money) he was a total star and was second across the line overall, with a vet gate into hold ride time of 8h03mins! Talea was ready for a gallop finish and it was announced that 5 riders were going to challenge her but perhaps they knew they would NEVER beat the Bomb in a gallop, so Talea and Bomb cantered in (Bomb's head raised and ears pricked forward at the awaiting crowd,) unopposed.

Mean while, Venus was going well in the 160 kms, despite a number of anomalies in the ride organization. In fact after a course marking error and poor CS decision, little Venus had to do the last 14 kms leg twice. This was very hard on her and Fia let her go as slow as she liked.
The following day Venus and Reign set out and cruised around the first 2 legs of the 80kms together. Talea then went ahead and she was in contention for 2nd Youth, but sadly, Reign vetted out lame. The better news was that it was not the hind end lameness which had plagued him for 2 years, which was something positive. Venus continued and completed her second 80kms of the weekend with speeds of 17.1, 15.6, 10.9 and vetting through with all As at the end after just 6 minutes. She was the only horse in middleweight to complete the arduous 160km or in her case, thanks to a very unfair order, 173 kms. Without the repeated leg, her time for the 160 VGIH was just (10 hours). What a star.

Shadwell Arabian Mile

9/4/11

On Saturday the 9th of April, Blake's Heaven Bombora was entered into the Shadwell Arabian Mile in Caulfield, Victoria. Despite limited training, (Bombora was not permitted on to the race track to train,) he ran a great race, finishing 2nd. The race was very suspenseful with Bombora blocked being a group of 4 horses coming into the straight. Thankfully, Bombora was ridden well by jockey Jason Debono, finding a gap and pushing through to 2nd place, 3 lengths ahead of the next horse.

BLAKE'S HEAVEN ADVENTRESS IS BORN!

Wickwood Keera X Blake's Heaven Carousel

Blake's Heaven was over joyed at the birth of the beautiful chestnut filly, Adventress, on the 28th of March. After a few initial complications, both Mother (Keera) and baby are healthy and happy.

Toongabbie Endurance Ride, Victoria

18-19/3/11

Fia and Talea drove Venus and Bombora to Toongabbie in east Gippsland for the two day endurance ride carnival. We had to take Bombora to Victoria anyway to go to the race trainer before his Caulfield race, and figured we may as well do a ride on the way. Initially we were going to take Harissa for the Friday 80kms and Bombora for 100kms the following day, but literally at the last minute we decided that it was too risky to take Harissa as she had overreached and cut a heel, so took Venus instead.

Venus had been ridden once, 8.5 kms, in the previous 4 weeks, so we were not expecting her to go too fast. Nonetheless there were only 4 horses ahead of her off the first leg. Her HR was high, 53, but this seemed to be because she was obsessing about Bombora. Sure enough she had plenty left for the second leg and when Talea caught up to some other riders and they tried to outrun her, Venus stepped up the pace. Eventually there was a gallop finish for second place, which Venus won, also achieving her fastest time yet for 80km, 4h52min. That's our girl!

That night we tried to get a nail or two put in one of Bombora’s shoes, as it was held on by just one nail (they were the plastic shoes used in QLD 4 weeks earlier). We failed as although a farrier was present, he ignored our request. So Bombora set off with a flapping shoe which turned sideways, and finally fell off a few kms from the end of the first leg! Despite Bombora being a bit miffed to be leaving Venus, he had strolled around the first leg at a trot – still achieving 19.8 kph! After that, he had one boot and one shoe at the front for the rest of the ride. But nothing was going to stop the Bomb!
Talea set off again with Hans Peuker (who seemed to expect to win) and they stayed together for the 2nd leg, well in front of any other riders. The last leg was just 20 kms, and they headed off together. But at the end it was Bombora who appeared first, as he finally decided to get a move on to return to Venus and came cantering home! His ride time was 5h44min for 100 kms with Hans 5 minutes behind. So Talea brought home the Toongabbie Cup!

If that was not good enough, at the ride we met Rick Foley who was doing the 20 kms on his young horse. Rick had been a highly competitive junior ride in NSW more than a decade ago. He became a friend and has ridden Reign and Bombora very successfully in several ride since then!

Canberra Schools Equestrian Club Gymkhana

12/1/11

On wednesday the 12th of January, Talea and BH Summer Reign participated in the 2010 CSEC Gymkhana (carried over into 2011 due to flooding). The pair did extremely well, placing in the hacking ring, and then cleaning up in the sporting to win the overall YR 11 High Point Score for the day. A great effort considering Reign, only just back from his spell, had only been ridden once in the month prior!

2010 FINAL NSW and NATIONAL POINTSCORE

NSWERA Pointscore:

Horses- POINTS
Lightweight:
BH Bombora - 1st 120.25 points (next placed horse was on 82.5 points)
Wantley Kaliph - 7th 53.25 points (Note Kaliph also had 14 points in Junior)
BH Dubonnet - 10th 47 points (plus 9.5 in MWT)

Junior:
BH Summer Reign - 6th 31.5 points
BH Venus - 8th 18.5 points

DISTANCE
Lightweight: BH Bombora - 1st 1390km
BH Dubonnet (Bonny) - 8th 790kms (Note Bonny also had 160kms in Middleweight, the Quilty)
Wantley Kaliph - 9th 740 kms (Note Kaliph also had 190 kms in junior)
(Veuve 11th distance horse 640kms. Veuve also had 80kms in junior)

Junior: BH Summer Reign - 4th 440kms BH Venus - 10th 280km

Riders- POINTS
Lightweight:
Fia - =1st 122 points (equal with Sue Todd)
Adeline Gibson - 6th 65 points (and Snowy Zone and South Coast Zone champion)
Bridi Rice - 10th 48 Points

Junior: Talea - 2nd 59.5 points (and Snowy Zone Champion)
Jeremy Banwell - 10th 18.5 points

DISTANCE
Lightweight:
Fia - 3rd 1490km Adeline Gibson - 6th 1010km Bridi Rice - 7th 960km

Junior:
Talea - 2nd 830 kms Jeremy Banwell - 8th 400 kms

One Horse/One Rider combination:
Fia and BH Bombora - 1st lightweight 1230 kms
Talea and Reign - 4th Junior 440kms
Talea and Venus - 10th junior 280kms