The TSHA Nationals show was run last week under sparkling autumn sunshine with some 300 thoroughbreds competing over four days at Stonewall Equestrian and the hotly contested Maiden Teams (90cm) and Racing Teams (up to 1.20m) events featured 14 teams of riders and horses and a brilliant time was had by all.
As correctly predicted on Breednet last week, the dark horses of the Maiden Teams event, the Koonama Knockouts took the top prize in a thriller over Bates Equine and Breednet with Len Foster’s purpose built team firing when it counted, read about Foster and his team mates Jim Scobie, Ben Blay and Sarah Burke here.
The Racing Teams event on the Sunday produced a win for Brad Widdup Racing/ Phearson Syndicate - a team of gun girl riders put together by keen showjumper and thoroughbred lover Lori James, whose family owns boutique spelling and breeding property Sunninghill Park at Berry.
Lori James is a regular competitor in TSHA classes at shows all over the state with her trusty 16YO partner Ronny aka Restauranter SHP, who she purchased as a yearling with the aim to race.
Ronny only had three starts, but the Magic Albert gelding found his forever home with Lori, who was happy to bring him home.
Lori is a part-owner of talented sprinter miler Phearson, who was a $65,000 Inglis Classic purchase for Sunninghill Park from the Fernrigg Farm draft back in 2019.
The six year-old gelding by Exosphere is a tough and talented performer for the Brad Widdup stable that has won six races and placed eight times from 20 starts earning nearly $600,000 with his highlight wins to date coming in the Group III ATC Festival Stakes and Liverpool City Cup.
It’s not hard to see Phearson eventually taking the place of 16 year-old Ronny one day in Lori’s evolving team of showjumpers.
