How It All Started ...

How It All Started - From an early age I wanted to present my horses to the highest standard. I recall at 8 years being taught how to plait a tail, mane and forelock and shortly after this my parents separated. And that was it, a life changing time where if I was going to compete, I had to do it all myself without help.

I remember every Saturday washing my horse, clipping, oiling a saddle and bridle, scrubbing stirrups, girths and bits; washing saddlecloths, soaking jodhpurs and clothes and ironing them; plaiting my horse; putting baby oil on her face; the list goes on. After my parent split up I remember my Grandparents dropping me at competitions for a while. By myself, at 8 years of age, I plaited my horse, saddled up, got dressed and then went out there, and won! I beat the riders whose parents did everything for them in presenting them and their horses. The very first time this occurred was at Southside Pony Club gymkhana and that felt amazing!

In those days (the 1970's) competitors could only get tyre black that was rebranded as 'hoof black'. There weren’t the millions of products that one can purchase today. Products were limited to what was stocked at your local produce. There was no such thing as Horseland, Saddleworld or online stores. I raided the bathroom shelves for items such as baby oil, powder, shavers, toothbrush, soap, and that was my life! My parents were fighting, so throwing myself into competing and working horses each day was a distraction.

​I rode in a rock-hard Indian saddle, had jodhpurs with large hip pieces (in one colour only) and a towel for a saddlecloth. Knee pads were essential as I would hit my knees on star pickets they used for bending poles .

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Dale at 8 Years of Age at Gumdale Dale at 14 Years Representing Dale at 23 Years Competing at Wynnum

Pony Club on 'Cindy' Wynnum Pony Club on 'Honey' Night Showjumping on 'Avondale

Mudassar Silque'

​Since then, I have tried more products on horses than you would find in a Priceline warehouse. I have become very particular about what I use; I only use what I have deemed to work 'the best'. The same goes for horse feed. But each horse varies and requires different products and feed depending on their colour, behaviour, hair quality, age etc.

​My horses are exceptionally turned out and for decades both I, my sons and those I have coached have won countless State and National championships. This doesn't happen by accident, but by over 50 years of being dedicated to 'presenting to win'. I hope I can help and inspire you to be successful in the show ring .

Dale.

Dale's Son Harrison at 16 Years of Age at World Championships, Fortworth Texas USA With 'RJN Centerfold', World Champion, owned by Karen Lonski, Smiths Creek Paint Horses

Dale With 'Sheza Special Touch' Winning National Champion in 2017

© Tania Hobbs (Used with Permission)