Meet the Girls – Breednet’s Maiden Teams Challenge Dream Team

Tara Madgwick - Wednesday November 16

It’s a sad reality that the legs of ponies do not grow as fast as the legs of children and the progression for many keen young riders has an end destination in a partnership with a thoroughbred.

The inaugural TSHA National Titles this weekend at Stonewall Equestrian seeks to bring together the racing and equestrian worlds in a way not seen before and when Breednet took up the challenge of sponsoring a team for the Maiden Teams Challenge I didn’t have to look far to find my dream team.

Most people know my twins Jack and Jasmine and I are involved in equestrian and specifically showjumping, but with Jasmine now working full time for Chris Waller and Jack electing to follow the dream of many 19YO young men and head to Qatar as a spectator for the Soccer World Cup, I found myself looking outside of Daybreak Farm to field a team for the first ever national thoroughbred championships at Stonewall.

Aria Baker and Solloway

Lily-Rose Baxter and Marco

Faith Banks and Mudgee Road

When you have children competing in jumping events on the South Coast, you quickly become aware of Team Priestley and the quality coaching and support they provide to their clients.

Kel and Kareena and their daughter Jamie have put plenty of time and effort into our young Breednet team riders Aria Baker, Faith Banks and Lily-Rose Baxter, who have all been friends for years.

Faith and Aria enjoyed riding camps as children.

Faith and Lily

Lily and Aria

They started on ponies at local gymkhanas and I’ve been witness to their trials and tribulations along the way as ponies made way for galloways and finally the thoroughbreds they will ride this weekend.

Aria

Lily

Faith

All have worked their way up the hard way and right behind them are the dedicated mothers that put the show on the road – Sue, Deb and Jess are the people that make the magic happen!

Advertisement

Faith

Aria

Lily

Showjumping is an addictive sport and whether you are participating in a 1.50m World Cup or a 90cm teams challenge, the goal is exactly the same, jump clear and jump fast!

There are no grey areas in showjumping, you live and die by the sword.

It’s a unique partnership between horse and rider that tests the courage and resolve of both, you need to have each other’s back at all times, so when one of you makes a mistake (and you will) the other has it covered.

Winning is nice, but it’s not always about the winning, it’s about the pursuit of that perfect round…  when you ride out of the ring lit up like a Christmas tree knowing just for that minute it was as good as it gets.

Whatever happens this weekend at Stonewall, we wish our riders the very best of luck and hope they along with all the other competitors and supporters enjoy the first ever TSHA National Thoroughbred Championships!

Advertisment
More Reading...
Wakefield Gears Up for Another Busy Season
Wakefield Stud is preparing for another busy breeding season in 2025, as the business continues its re-emergence in the industry after coming under new ownership in 2024.
Glorious Goodwood Day 1- Bluebloods, Bargains and Tragedy
The famed Glorious Goodwood meeting got underway overnight with three Group races contested that saw all of the favourites rolled with a new G1 winner for Justify, a first stakes-winner for a young Frankel sire son and a return to form for Golden Eagle winner Lake Forest.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday July 30
Here is the full list of 48 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
First Foal at Rosemont Stud
Rosemont Stud have reported their first foal in Victoria with a great video on their socials of the daytime birth.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday July 29
Here is the full list of 22 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Velocious sells for staggering $1.625m on Inglis Digital to Yulong
The G1-winning 2YO Velocious (Written Tycoon) tonight became the second most expensive filly ever sold on Inglis Digital, realising $1.625m to the bid of Yulong.
Glorious Goodwood Day 2 – Field of Gold is No Frankel
The second day of the Glorious Goodwood meeting was supposed to be the one where charismatic grey three year-old Field of Gold smashed his elders to win the Group I Sussex Stakes (1m), but that didn’t happen and instead we saw the longest priced G1 winner in British history.
Mr Mozart filly well composed
The first foal by Highview Stud stallion Mr Mozart has arrived with breeder James Chapman of Jamieson Park delighted with the filly which is out of the Almanzor mare Qdos, a half-sister to black-type performers Sacred Master, Kia Ora Jewel and Tears of an Angel.
Stewart honoured with Young Achiever at NZ National Breeding Awards
White Robe Lodge’s Jack Stewart was recognised with the Mary Lynne Ryan Young Achiever Award at Saturday’s National Breeding Awards in Karapiro, highlighting his growing impact on New Zealand’s breeding and racing landscape.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Rosehill
This will be the last Juvenile Trial Watch story for this season with all these youngsters to turn three on Friday and there was plenty of action with eight heats won by 2YOs and two more of this season’s G3 2YO’s North England and Memo stepping out against the older G1 stars.