personality” to the right discipline, to provide the best possible opportunity to excel whether that be as a competition horse or simply a pleasure horse,” she said. Based just out of Geelong, Fiona has a great track record in retraining OTT thoroughbreds, teaming up with well-known racehorses including Sirmione and Precedence who competed in four Melbourne Cups for the late Bart Cummings. Australian Olympic eventing rider and Victoria Racing Club Ambassador Amanda Ross was awarded both the OTT Event Horse of the Year and OTT Dressage Horse of the Year for her work with mare Koko Popping Candy, or Zarzy, as she is affectionately known. While eventing is Amanda’s (and Zarzy’s!) primary focus, they compete in many dressage and show jumping competitions as part of their cross-training, leading to the Bianconi mare’s recognition in both the eventing and dressage categories. Adam Prime’s horse Saddle Up Smudge was named the OTT Jumping Horse of the Year. Adam, a teacher at St. Joseph’s secondary school in Echuca, paid $600 for the 10-year-old retired thoroughbred who raced four times as Praire Sky before retiring from racing in 2013.
Image: Fiona De La Mezzo
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