A little bit of history was made at the Pakenham Show on the weekend with the inaugural TBV member sponsored ‘Off The Track’ Class run and won.
The event, proudly sponsored by Jacqui Sushames and Tam Dieu’s Balius Farm, was won by Rebecca Farrow and her horse Stage Presence.
The Pakenham Show was the first in a new sponsorship partnership between Racing Victoria’s Off The Track program, Victorian Agricultural Shows Ltd, Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria and their members (including Balius Farm).
Fittingly, Stage Presence – nicknamed Percy – is himself a Victorian product having been bred by industry stalwarts Carol And Andy O’Shea at their Lang Lang farm.
A son of Testa Rossa (he was bred out of Yallambee Stud when Testa Rossa was in Victoria) and Rory’s Jester mare, Rorkes, Persistency raced just the once in the Dynamic Syndications colours having been in the stables of both Peter Moody and Newcastle’s Darren Smith.
After his only start at Scone in January 2012, he was retired from racing and gifted to trainer Smith’s daughter Courtney as a show prospect.
Courtney and “Percy” were successful in the Novice over 16 hands at the Sydney Royal Show in 2014.
Fate would play a part when Rebecca spotted him during his novice class at Sydney. Her horse, Kholo unfortunately was injured in the marshalling yard that day.
Courtney lent her pride and joy to Rebecca, who rode him for two minutes prior and went out and won her class. Two months later Rebecca purchased “Percy”.
Rebecca and “Percy” have enjoyed plenty of success and good times – including:
2016
- Reserve Champion Hack – Show Horse Council Show (end of the year show)
2017
- National OTT Championship at Equestrian Australia Show Horse Nationals.
- Reserve Champion – Barastoc Equestrian Victoria Horse of the Year
- Royal Melbourne Show – Open Ridden Gelding
- Sydney Royal Lady Championship Rider
- Sydney Royal Hack Championship
In taking out the Pakenham title, Rebecca and Stage Presence won a special Balius Farm/TBV/OTT winners’ rug, $50 from the OTT program, $150 from Balius Farm and an OTT sash and prize pack from Racing Victoria.
Balius Farm’s Tam Dieu said he and Jacqui do their best to contribute to the broader industry as much as they can which included sponsoring this Off The Track competition
“When we got the email from TBV offering the sponsorship opportunity for the Pakenham Show we decided to jump in and help out,” Dieu said.
The partnership gives Victorian breeders the opportunity to support local equestrian shows. The first set of fourteen local shows stretch right across Victoria – from Swan Hill to Sale and Wodonga through to Warrnambool.
The next OTT class with TBV member sponsorship is at the Bushy Park Show (near Maffra in Gippsland) on Saturday, 15th September. It being kindly sponsored by Steve and Ceri Jostlear’s Ampulla Lodge.
Thank you to TBV for the above article.