Cover image courtesy of Stephen Mowbray
A dozen of the industry’s most familiar faces traded in their regular roles as studmasters and staff on Australia’s iconic thoroughbred properties to go head-to-head and work cattle on horseback.
Showing outstanding horsemanship skills and fiercely competitive nature in equal measure, Newgate’s Henry Field, Coolmore’s Tom Magnier, Mick Malone from Kitchwin Hills, Widden’s Antony Thompson, Tayla Gilmore from Godolphin, Catriona Murphy from Sledmere Stud, Nick Hodges from Riversdale Stud, Emma Parkinson from Vinery, Stephanie Watt from Segenhoe Stud, Coolarest Farm's Jason Bowden and Arrowfield’s Alice Messara treated a packed White Park arena to a night to remember.
It was Gilmore who ultimately prevailed, edging out the equal runners-up Field and Magnier.
“It was really cool,” said Gilmore, who serves as Godolphin Australia’s Flying Start coordinator. “It was something a bit different and great to be a part of. I really enjoyed it.
“I ride dressage, but I’ve never done anything like that before, so it was a bit of an adjustment to do a different discipline. There was a massive crowd, and everyone had a fantastic time. It was a really enjoyable night to be a part of.
“I ride dressage, but I’ve never done anything like that before, so it was a bit of an adjustment to do a different discipline." - Tayla Gilmore
“If it becomes a regular event, Godolphin will probably be keen to open it up for some of our other employees to get the chance to take part as well in future years. But I’d definitely be keen to give it a go again if the opportunity arose!”
Field also gave the evening a rave review.
“It was absolutely sensational,” he said. “It was the brainchild of Catriona Murphy, and she managed to rope all the rest of us in to take part. I really enjoyed it. It was a big challenge, but a lot of fun and the horses did a superb job.
“It was great to have major players from all the major stud farms involved, and the competitive nature that we all have came to the fore.
Henry Field | Image courtesy of Stephen Mowbray
“We all trained really hard for it and put in a lot of effort, and the results of that were there to see in the intensity of the competition.
“I just thought it was a great event. I used to ride horses around my parents’ farm, and I rode a bit of trackwork in my earlier days as well, and it was just really special to be back riding horses again some 20 years later.
“I can’t quite believe I ended up coming in equal second, but I can only say that’s a real credit to the horse. In any horse-related activity, a good horse will always make anyone look good!" - Henry Field
“I can’t quite believe I ended up coming in equal second, but I can only say that’s a real credit to the horse. In any horse-related activity, a good horse will always make anyone look good!
“I’ll definitely be very keen to be involved again in the future as this becomes a regular event and continues to grow from here.”
The evening was unanimously regarded as a huge success, and Murphy is hoping to build on it in the years to come.
“It all started with Wayne Bowman, who’s a professional cutter and a very prominent figure in our industry,” she said. “He’s a master farrier who’s been working for these major farms for 40-plus years.
“He came up with the concept and wanted to have a bit of crossover between the two industries, with the idea of wanting to put thoroughbreds into positions as turn back horses.
“We’re always wanting to find ways to rehome and retrain thoroughbreds, and we keep looking for ways to be creative and find new avenues to do that. The area of turn back horses is one we’ve never really tapped into before.
“Two of the stars of the show last night were a pair of thoroughbreds who had been converted into this new role in quite a short space of time, and those two thoroughbreds just did a fantastic job, which was one of the best things about it.
Tom Magnier, Catriona Murphy and Henry Field | Image courtesy of Stephen Mowbray
“It was a very, very successful night. We had a couple of thousand people there, and the local community and surrounding towns really got behind it.
“I was also really delighted that all of the major farms were so accepting. They had no hesitation in agreeing to become involved. We’re all on the same page about the need to be proactive in terms of horse welfare and trying to rehome thoroughbreds at the end of their careers. We’re very mindful of the need to do everything we can for the welfare of our animals, right from the moment that they’re conceived all the way through to their retirement.
“Now we’re looking forward to next year being even bigger. We’re looking at having a trainers’ challenge for thoroughbreds next year with a good prize pool, so that’s something to really look forward to.”
