It’s the ultimate cliché – a young girl is given a rocking horse, falls in love with horses and dreams of one day not only owning her own pony, but spending her life surrounded by them. For Bailey Allen, it is a dream that has come true. Growing up in Victoria’s Wangaratta, 24-year-old Bailey always loved to be outside and surrounded by animals. She spent weekends and school holidays at her grandparent’s dairy farm, riding around the paddocks with her cousins on horseback. *Bailey Allen A relatively self-taught rider, Bailey got her first job at age 14, working for local horse trainers Chris and John Ledger of Ledger Racing. She’d muck out stables before and after school, soaking up all know
As a child growing up on a 3000 acre sheep and beef farm in Dannevirke, on the eastern side of New Zealand’s North Island, Justine Hales traversed the property and helped her parents with farm work from the back of her pony. Next month, she’ll be again traversing land on horseback – but this time, it will be across the rugged grasslands of Mongolia. Justine will be joining 40 other competitors in this year’s edition of the longest and toughest horse race on earth – The Mongol Derby. *The Mongol Derby (Image: The Adventurists) Nearly 800 years ago, in 1224, Genghis Khan set up the world’s first long-distance postal transmission system. Using a massive network of horse stations – ‘morin urtuus
Goldners Horse Transport have been putting horses first for the past 75 years and will continue to do so for an indefinite time. The brainchild of James Gustav (J.G.) Goldner and his wife Ethelene, the company started with modest beginnings, transporting horses from Morphettville Racecourse in 1945. After J.G’s passing in 1978, his daughter Beryl assumed the Chairmanship of the family business. Beryl was a female pioneer in Australian business, especially in the transport of horses. With her brothers, Donald and Maxwell, as shareholders, she worked long hours to ensure that Goldners quality service was always delivered. The success of the Goldners business and the continual building of a rep
In the pipeline for the last 4 years, my recent European adventure was originally instigated by my mum as a trip to Paris for Benji’s 10th birthday present (spoilt grandchild much?!) But with my Irish ancestory and a new found interest in international racing, I may have slightly hijacked the itinerary by adding on a visit to the Emerald Isle. It sounds so cliché but Ireland’s scenery is truly nothing short of breathtaking. Rolling hills, clear streams, ancient ruins, cloud-scattered skies and a checkerboard of green. So.Much.Green. It really drove home just how brown and drought-stricken we are here. I was fortunate enough to visit a number of amazing stables and studs. Self-sufficient farm
