5 minutes with Chanelle Walsh

CHANELLE TURNED HEADS IN THE DRESSAGE RING LAST SEASON WHEN SHE RODE NICOLA DALMEIDA’S BEAUTIFUL GYPSY COB STALLION THE LOVABLE ROGUE TO MANY WINS AND PLACINGS. ASIDE FROM RIBBONS, THEY ALSO COLLECTED MANY ADMIRING FANS ALL OVER THE CIRCUIT.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN RIDING DRESSAGE? I have been riding dressage for about 14 years now WHEN AND WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO FOCUS SOLELY ON DRESSAGE? I started riding at age six at a riding school. I did jump and go through the Pony Club system but only really enjoyed dressage. At 14, I got my first hack and started to do dressage competitions. We were far from successful in the early stages of competing! WHO ARE YOUR CURRENT TEAM OF HORSES? I have two competition mounts. The Lovable Rogue (Tommy) is a purebred Gypsy Cob imported from Scotland by his owner, Nicola Dalmeida. We have had our first season at Level 1 and are looking forward to Level 2 next season. My second horse is one I own with my Mum, Beaumont D’zire SW (Darby) who we are aiming to take out at Level 4 next season. TELL US MORE ABOUT THEM AND YOUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM: I am very lucky to be able to ride these two beautiful, but very different horses! I absolutely adore Tommy. He is the first stallion I have ever ridden and worked with and he just has the most incredible temperament. He came to me last June fairly green-broken and just looking to have six weeks or so dressage schooling, so that he would be easier for his owners to ride. However, things just progressed from there and we went to his first competition in July and gained some very positive scores and feedback. I was quite nervous about how he would be received on the dressage scene but it has been an amazingly positive response. We set our sights on qualifying for Horse of the Year and ended up with a very successful Level 1 season, culminating in 7th overall in Level 1 Horse of the Year which we were totally thrilled with.

Darby is very different to Tommy! He is by Don Quattro and is a much more sensitive ride. Darby is a total workaholic and I’ve never met a horse who tries harder to please than him. We purchased him as a three-anda-half-year-old from Sheena Ross. In the last two years we have been schooling his dressage and he has also been furthering his education in show jumping with Ryan Lim and eventing with Dannie Lodder. Darby is currently back to focusing more on dressage and we are going to be training hard this winter to come out at a new level next season. WHAT IS IT LIKE TO RIDE A GYPSY COB IN DRESSAGE? I’ve never had so much attention at competitions before! Our team would joke about being offended that everyone said Tommy was “so cute” when we were trying to be seen as serious competition! Riding a horse that is really not specifically bred for the discipline we are competing in certainly presents its challenges but Tommy is such a superstar and tries so hard, which has made it a lot easier. The fitness was our biggest issue initially, and leading up to Horse of the Year, he was getting ridden twice a day, several days a week to help increase his stamina. Tommy moves incredibly well so it has always been a case of just keeping him soft and balanced and giving him the time to build up strength for the work we were asking him to do. I really thrive on a challenge however and I feel very privileged to be working with this horse, so I wouldn’t change him for the world! WHAT ARE YOUR LONG-TERM GOALS AND ASPIRATIONS? I have always had a goal that I want to produce my own horse to Grand Prix and my ultimate goal is to compete at the Sydney CDI on one of my horses. WHAT HAVE BEEN SOME OF YOUR CAREER HIGHLIGHTS AND MOST MEMORABLE COMPETITIONS? I was very lucky to have had a lesson with Steffen Peters riding Sheena’s ex-Grand Prix horse Glenbrae Ivanhoe - that was several years ago but was an incredible experience! A competition highlight would be winning the Preliminary FEI World Challenge on Vollrath Wanted back in 2011. Most recently, apart from Tommy’s success, I was very proud to see my pupils gain top 6 placings overall in both Level 1 and Level 2 Pony of the Year. I am extremely invested in my pupils when they are competing and try to be at all their events to help them warm up, so their success is always a real buzz for me. WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY LOOK LIKE FOR YOU? My day starts at 6.30-7.00am with computer/admin/marketing work. At 9.30am I do a gym session with my personal trainer, then between 10.30am and 2.00pm I’m riding and schooling. At 2.00-3.30pm it’s usually a chance for a break, and from 3.30pm onwards I’m teaching lessons, often until 7 or 8pm in the summer months.

I’m very fortunate to have my groom Deni Murray, and Brenda Lindner on-hand at home to keep things running smoothly. As we all know, horses are a huge time commitment so between riding, coaching and looking after the horses onsite, I work seven days a week. WHAT IS ONE THING THAT YOU COULDN’T BE WITHOUT? My parents! My mum has always been my rock and without their support, I would not have the opportunities I have today. WHAT ARE SOME FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR SUCCESS? The amazing team behind me! Nicola, who owns Tommy, and our friend Stacy Kerrison (photographer for Kowhai July) have made going away on the competition circuit so much fun! I love every minute of competing with these girls around. We have formed a very strong team bond and it keeps me driven to continue to improve so we can be successful.

I’m also very stubborn and headstrong and 100% determined to achieve the goals I have set myself! WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE A GREAT PLACING OR A GREAT SCORE? I’m a big believer in focusing only on what you can control. So since I can’t control who I am competing against or the marks the judges give me, I’m happy so long as I know I have ridden my best and my horse has tried his best. WHO ARE YOUR SPONSORS? I am very lucky to have some amazing sponsors. Duwell Ltd provide feed supplements that keep the horses looking and feeling fabulous! We are also supported by Angela Downs with Bowen therapy, RAZORweb Design, DBR Finance, Cabinet World, Crayon Concepts, Transport Technology, Kowhai July photography and Anything Equestrian. C

Chanelle Walsh - THE LOVEABLE ROGUE, owned by Nicola Dalmeida, Champion Ridden Purebred Gypsy Cob at Horse of the Year 2016