Rider Profiles

  • Man from Snowy River Challenge 2010





    (First published in Australian Performance Horse magazine Jun-Jul 2010).



    ARTICLE/ PHOTOS: James Vereker
    Man From Snowy River Bush Festival 2010
    High Country Stockman’s Challenge
    A crowd of 4000 Akubra and oilskin-clad Aussies braved morning showers to witness the exciting Sunday afternoon finals of the “Stockman’s Challenge” at Corryong in Victoria’s High Country.
    The action-packed “Brumby Catch” and “Stocksaddle Buckjump” for the “Top Ten” finalists would decide the winner, from three days of competition, held from April 9 to 11.
    After the field of junior, open, veteran and women challengers completed their preliminary events of the whipcrack, bareback obstacle, packhorse, stockhandling, horse shoeing and cross-country on the Saturday, a high-calibre group of contenders emerged to battle for the “Man From Snowy River Challenge 2010” title.
    DAVID MITCHELL won the “Bareback Obstacle” and was equal-first in the “Stockhandling” event. A former junior challenge champion in 2002 and 2003 at Corryong, he had placed highly at recent Dalgety and Murrurundi challenges. David fought hard in the Brumby Catch, losing his grip on the halter but refitting it - to get the brumby to lead - within the four minutes and impress the judges. He drew a ‘straight-line’ bucker in the Buckjump and held on strongly, while cracking his stockwhip, to gain top points.
    SCOTT BANDY is a dual-champion from 1996 and 2000, who was also twice runner-up at the “King of The Ranges”, Murrurundi challenge. He caught his brumby after a top-speed pursuit and some false throws but had little time left to cajole it to lead as it rankled and reared. Scott’s eight-second bronco ride, while cracking his whip, earned him ‘top score’ but ended with him being jettisoned over the fence – luckily without injury – to him or the bystanders.
    SHANE EASEY came second in 2001 and was the challenge winner at Dalgety in 2009. He showed his experience in the Brumby Catch to chase, bulwark and halter the brumby leading it in time. Shane’s bronco was an old ‘straight-line’ bucker and after the whistle, he executed a ‘crowd-pleasing’ dive into the slush.
    ADAM WHEELER was third in 2003 and second in 2005. He drew a tough and wily brumby, which meant a long pursuit but it was finally haltered without time for a controlled lead. Adam rode his bucking bronco capably, cracking his whip, for a high-scoring ride.
    RYAN PRENDERGAST was the winner in 2007. He also won the Dalgety challenge in 2005 and 2006. Ryan claimed both the “Packhorse” and “Whipcrack” events. He made a high-speed chase of a powerful brumby, which he haltered but it reared and fought against his control. Ryan’s bronco baulked near the chute and then bucked and crashed, to earn him a successful re-ride later.
    MORGAN WEBB was the defending champion and a junior challenge winner from 2006, who had put in some extra ‘bucking practice’ by winning the morning “Steer Ride”. He rode his four-year old rookie horse ‘Bolt’ to catch the brumby, with time to add a hind rope and lead it. Morgan had a bounding, galloping bronco ride, which the judges dismissed. He rode his second bronco well, cracking his whip, to gain good points.
    TREVOR NASH came third in 2007 and won the King of The Ranges challenge in 2008 and 2009. He made a great Brumby Catch in time to use a hind rope for a controlled lead. Trevor’s Buckjump ended quickly as his foot came out of the stirrup and he descended in a ‘pile-driver’, rising gingerly afterwards.
    BEN CAMPBELL was second at Corryong, Dalgety and Murrurundi challenges in 2009. He made a quick Brumby Catch and soon after it reared, used his hand to ‘gentle it’. Then Ben positioned a hind rope to lead it forward and gain ‘top score’ - as he did in 2007. He drew a ‘straight-line’ bronco in the Buckjump, which headed for the fence, leaving him no option but to coolly, roll over the top rail and land next to this photographer!
    DAN LINDLEY competed in last year’s challenge and at Dalgety. He had a strong brumby, which he chased on his 13-year old mare ‘Sonitas Wise Child’. It reared and wrested on the rope but Dan controlled it skilfully with the halter and a hind rope in place. He was unseated in the Buckjump and landed between the bronco’s legs, as one boot went flying.
    GEOFF WILLIS was the champion in 2002 and 2005. He won the “Horse Shoeing” event and his mount ‘Travis’ was the “Highest-Scoring Australian Stock Horse” in the challenge. Geoff drew a cagey brumby, which tested his experience but he fitted the halter and a hind rope for a successful catch. His Buckjump ended ingloriously, with a headlong dive to the fence, with an uproar from the enthralled crowd.
    THE BEST CHALLENGE PERFORMANCE was by 24-year old David Mitchell, who was declared the champion ‘Man From Snowy River 2010’, with a 17-point victory. Second was Scott Bandy, with Shane Easey third and equal-fourth on points, were Adam Wheeler and Ryan Prendergast - after a top-class finals’ competition.
    CHALLENGE PRESENTATIONS to the field of 71 competitors included awards to Ben Donahue, winner of the “Junior Challenge”, Chris Caslick, the “Highest-Scoring Veteran Rider” and Christy Connor won the “Highest-Scoring Woman Rider”. They were all cheered by the crowd that appreciated the high standard of competition provided at Corryong.
    Visit www.bushfestival.com.au for challenge results and festival information. See more Man From Snowy River Challenge 2010 photos at www.horsephotographics.com.au  ©James Vereker 2010

    (First published in Australian Performance Horse magazine Jun-Jul 2010).


    Roughrider Challenge - Christy Connor






     (First published in Australian Horseman magazine Sep-Octl 2010).


     
    ARTICLE/ PHOTOS: James Vereker
    Roughrider Challenge
    Winner of the Triple Crown Stockman’s Challenge Series for women, Christy Connor is creating modern history by competing against the best stockmen.
    Her pathway to success follows a childhood spent mustering stock on the family farm, attending pony club, competing in challenges with her father and finally, meeting a horsemaster and mentor.
    Steven Connor remembers taking his young daughter Christy to the “Stockman’s Hall of Fame” at Longreach, Qld and reading about Violet Skuthorpe, an early roughrider, who in 1938, was billed as the ‘World’s Champion Lady Buckjump Rider’ after an American tour.
    Before ‘bushman’s carnivals’ were ‘rodeos’ and ‘roughriders’ were ‘cowboys’ - riding ‘broncs’ instead of ‘buckjumpers‘- a band of hardy Aussie women rode rough-stock and drew huge crowds. Now 21-year old Christy is continuing the roughrider tradition, by competing against the men, in the finals of the ‘Stockman’s Challenge’ of the ‘Brumby Catch’ and ‘Stocksaddle Buckjump’.
    A wild ride – “I’d never caught a brumby before or rode a bronc out of a chute!”
    Christy is the first woman to compete in the challenge finals, after scoring on aggregate in the top-ten after the preliminary events, at the ‘King of The Ranges’, in May. “It was great to mix it with the top blokes,“ she says. “That was awesome!”. Christy led a great pursuit in the Brumby Catch and when she placed the halter perfectly on the wild buckskin, her feat was greeted with a huge uproar from the crowd.
    Christy’s horsemanship and determination was remarkable as several of her experienced male counterparts failed to halter the brumby correctly in time. What is more surprising is the fact she didn’t expect to enter the finals or do any specific training for them. “I’d never caught a brumby before or rode a bronc out of a chute,” she admits.
    After her successful catch and as the defending champion, Trevor Nash, had failed to make one, Christy was still a title challenger before the Stocksaddle Buckjump. Could she stay in the saddle for eight seconds? “It was a wild ride as it galloped out and the power amazed me when the bronc planted its feet,” she recalls. “I ended up on my back in the dust!” As she rose gingerly, her pride was restored by the applause lauding her courage. “I’d like to thank the blokes that helped me out,“ she says respectfully, after her brutal initiation. As the dust settled on the last contender, Christy found her fate was similar to several experienced roughriders but she vows to do better next time!
    A stockman’s daughter
    Like a character in a Rachel Treasure novel, Christy Connor is proud to be ‘a stockman’s daughter’ after growing up on a grazing property, near the township of Taralga, out of Goulburn, NSW. “Dad has always ridden horses and we did mustering of cattle and sheep,” she says of her elder sister, Melissa and younger brother, Matt. “I have a few horses and we also have some hill country. It is pretty rough and steep but has beautiful views,” she says of the foothills of the “Cockbundoon Ranges”.
    “Christy always had a knack with animals and particularly a love of horses,” says her father. Steven and wife Michelle have always encouraged her interest in riding. “I was a member of the Taralga pony club from about the age of six,” says Christy. “To attend the rallies and gymkhanas, we had to ride our horse 15km into the Taralga showground. If the horses were a bit fresh, by the time we cantered into town, they were pretty buggered but were always well-behaved.”
    Attending secondary school presented a different issue. “Christy wanted to go to Yanco Boarding School for Year 10,“ Steven recalls but goaded her: “You won’t like it!” She said, “Yes, I bloody well will!”, as she was able to take her horse!”
    The progression from pony club to junior challenges was an easy one. “I’ve always loved horses and watched Dad doing challenges,” she says. “He’s finished in the top-ten too, so it’s been a family interest.” Their partnership as ‘quiet achievers’ on the challenge circuit, sharing experiences and mounts for the packhorse and horseshoeing events, has been a successful one.
    Challenge winner – ‘Christy has won four in-a-row!’
    Since graduating from the junior ranks to the women’s competition as a 19-year old, Christy has won four challenges in-a-row. “My first stockman’s challenge on Joshua was at King of the Ranges 2009. I had just sold my old challenge horse and didn’t have anything else to ride,” she says.
    “Mister Joshua is a 14-year old grey gelding Australian Stock Horse who was raised on the bottle for two years,” says Steven. “He’s getting a bit old for challenges now.” Christy continues, “Josh was Dad’s horse originally and he competed on him successfully at the challenges….”
    What makes ‘Mister Joshua’ a winner? “He is a very honest horse and will try for you; not the best looking and doesn’t have flash breeding but I don’t think you need it,” explains Christy.
    Hard times
    The Connor family have experienced some adversity, for mum Michelle had a battle with breast cancer when Christy was young but it has been in remission. Christy has had her share of health woes too. “When I was about eight Dad noticed I had a bit of a puffy face,” she says. “It was discovered that I had an aggressive tumour that was attacking the bone under my eye. I needed a bone graft and had a series of surgeries until I was about 14. I wasn’t able to play contact sports and have had to wear teeth braces for over eight years. Its been cured but I have a couple of operations to go, “ she volunteers but is philosophical: “There are plenty of others worse off than me.”
    Horsemaster
    A chance meeting as a 17-year old with Heath Harris, an elite liberty horse trainer, changed Christy’s path towards being groomed as an ‘equine star’. “She was competing as a junior in a challenge at Corryong and saw Heath doing a liberty routine and he invited Christy to do a clinic with him,” says Steven.
    Harris, together with his wife Krissy, a former world championship showjumper, has also been involved in the film industry for many years as a horsemaster, stunt co-ordinator and unit director/producer. His local movie credits include “The Man From Snowy River” and “Phar Lap”.
    “I’d had no lessons before working with Heath and Krissy,” says Christy, who did three liberty clinics with him at their training facility near Mount White, NSW. Heath was impressed with her natural ability with horses and recognised her potential to become part of his trick-riding all-female troupe, ‘Girls Girls Girls’. Harris invited her to live and train with them on the property and the rest is history.
    Christy is now an accomplished trick rider following the tradition of women from the ‘Wild West’ shows of the 1890s that travelled our entire country. She likes vaulting – to propel from the ground and flip onto or over the saddle.
    Heath Harris also instigated the “Triple Crown Stockman’s Challenge Series” 2009-2010, during his connection with Christy. “The series has brought sponsors, spectators and competitors together - which has to be good for the sport,” he says and Christy is a strong supporter. “The Triple Crown encouraged more competitors to have a go and the beautiful trophy saddles were great prizes,” she says. The series continues next year.
    Dream ride
    After three years of experience as her mentor, Harris declares that ‘it’s time’ for the 21-year old to go out on her own. “I am going to start breaking horses and training and doing re-educating,” says Christy.
    Her future plans include putting something back by developing training programs and involving girls. She’d like to do live shows with her own trick-riding troupe one day. “You’re always learning,” says Christy. “I want to do some more competition …. I’ll definitely be doing more challenges!”
    Her faithful ‘Mister Joshua’ has earned his retirement and a new challenge champion is needed. “I have a four-year old black and white paint gelding that I am currently training for the next challenge but I’m on the lookout for a new horse as well.”
    There is no doubt Christy’s new mount will ‘try for her’ but she adds, “I’m going to do some extra ‘saddle-bronc’ practice too!”
    Contact equine star, Christy Connor, via email: c_lc@live.com.au or mobile 0488 402 021. Visit www.harrisentertainment.com.au for equine training and entertainment services. See more Triple Crown Series photos at www.horsephotographics.com.au  ©James Vereker 2010

     (First published in Australian Horseman magazine Sep-Octl 2010).

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