As a two-year-old he was taken to Anthony ‘Jack’ Dowells’ at nearby Gundagai to commence his education – once again Snowy took it all in his stride. During his start to a saddle career Jack took the colt to the Riverina Arabian Show for the Futurity classes. To the surprise and awe of the onlookers, Snowy was ridden into the ring, wearing just a halter! He was beaten for champion by his half sister, Nadaji, yet the highlight was the impression he had made on the day! Snowy had been home at Moonlite Stud when a few problems arose with him objecting to being tied up. So Rob and Yvonne called on the professional help of respected local horseman Geoff Willis. Geoff has a fantastic reputation for dealing with problem horses, and is a renowned and respected horseman, being dual winner of the gruelling Man From Snowy River Stockman’s Challenge held every year in Corryong, Victoria. It did not take long for the pair to build a rapport, and Geoff, not usually an Arab fancier, came to enjoy riding the stallion. Working at the Bowmen sale yards each week Geoff noticed his ability on cattle and his willingness to work them. He took Snowy to the local Gundagai Giddiyup, traditionally an Australian stock horse and quarter horse competition. This in itself raised a few eyebrows, yet the stallion stood his ground and placed high in the events, even beating some wellperformed quarter horses! The duo were a huge crowd pleaser at the World Crabbet Convention in Queensland in 2005. Entering classes neither had done before, Snowy proved his versatility in the hack ring, western and working stock horse. Yet the pinnacle was the stockmanship demonstration, where Snowy performed whipcracks, rollbacks, spins, sliding stops, and performed a halfpass and backup without the use of hands. During a visit to Moonlite Stud prior to the convention, my partner Aaron Thege met Snow‘n’Fire for the first time. Aaron is a very skilled horseman, having grown up mustering in rugged country on the family farm. He is passionate about his cattle, his working dogs and working horses. He likes a horse with good feet, good bone and a good work attitude and
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athletic ability. Standing in his stallion yard Aaron could tell straight away that Snowy was a gentle and agreeable stallion and within minutes Aaron was on his back riding him with just a piece of string. We came home and Aaron, while quite reserved about his horses, kept talking about this amazing stallion up at Wagga. As fate would have it the pair were meant to be together again. Aaron particularly wanted a competitive campdraft horse and when we asked about a lease to Rob, Yvonne and Leon, they politely obliged. It was only just over a year after their first introduction that Snowy arrived in the steep hills at Grand Ridge Stud. We were impressed with the compact package that stepped off the truck. While only 14.3hh, every inch of him is power packed. He has legs of iron with incredible bone, and beautiful, big, even, round feet with good soles. His pasterns have great length and flexion, giving the rider an armchair canter. He has a huge, dark, kind eye, a reflection of his sweet nature. His temperament is so kind you would entrust anyone to go into his paddock and rug him or feed him, from a grandmother to a toddler! As a sire Snowy produces very correct foals with lovely natures. They all have very good, straight legs and feet, and are well conformed with strong-boned limbs. We bred a lovely filly out of Jirrima Ultra Minx (Arundel House Zermat x Ralvon Spring) and she is much like her father, very athletic with good, strong legs and feet. She will be very eye-catching with the shape of a hawk or an eagle running down her offside face, and on her near side, an ice blue eye! There is also a very special filly owned by Sarah Reggardo of Stratford, Victoria, out of F’Ahsan Tiffani (Nevinska x Missy Flisskers). This filly is a similar mould to ours, but with the most amazing, gentle temperament, even allowing Sarah’s three-year-old daughter to sit on her back! Greg Henry of Tasmania also has a lovely Snowy colt out of the beautiful, big moving mare, Nihal Annabella. We eagerly await a special foal this coming season from Cameo Carillion (Talquah Jai x Cameo Wishing Wind), a cross I have always loved in Royal Domino and Sarafire. This season Snowy has competed in three campdrafts, a very competitive sport dominated by the Australian stock horse. The horse and rider have to select or ‘cut out’ a beast in the yard or ‘camp’, and the horse must work this cow and cut it from side to side, blocking and turning it to stop it from running back to the above: Aaron Thege and the stallion have a great rapport with each other.