2013 has well and truly passed us by and what a year it was. I hope everyone enjoyed their festive season as much as we did and that your thoughts are now fully focused on enjoying the year ahead.

For the WEC team the greatest pleasure in looking back was the enjoyment that riders, owners, parents and friends felt from seeing their horse and rider combinations improve. Test riding is the ultimate measure of how the rider and horse are developing at their various levels. Many of our WEC participant’s have enjoyed success at competitions over the last twelve months but competing is not everyone’s aim. The simple pleasure of strengthening the relationship between their horse and themselves through training is achievement enough, not to mention a fun social event at the same time.

Congratulations must go to all WEC participants for achieving most or all of their goals for 2013 and thank you for the fun times we have had and continue to have this year. The good thing (or the problem) with dressage is that you never stop learning. There is always another level to achieve or another horse to train and they are all different. Goal setting is important what ever you are doing. There would appear to be a real buzz about at the moment with everyone keen to improve.

2014 is shaping up as an exciting year. The state championships in March was a wonderful event. Congratulations to all the organisers as I think it really put the sport back on the map. The TEC venue has developed into a great facility. Bert competed at medium level at the champs and was thrilled with her horse Raf in his first year at medium, scoring first and second in her two tests. Phillipa Cassidy and her young horse Voltaire did very well achieving the same thing in the elementary. Prue Calvert won the four year old young horse. Maddie Evans competed in five tests winning the freestyle and showed improvement in all areas. Montana Broomhall came second in the young rider section. Anna Humphries came second in the 21 to 30 year old riding class at the Grand Nationals in Sydney. Abbey O’Brien has been enjoying some great results with Fleur on the main land.

In the state pony club trials and dressage Championships, congratulations go to all for a job well done. Special mentions go to Isabel Gibson, Isobel Preece, Ashley Reader, Ella Johnson, Chelsea Davis, Maddie Evans, Liv Whatley, Hayley Atkins and Ellie Gillow on exceptional performances.

There have been some exciting new additions to the WEC horse scene. Montana Broomhall is now the proud owner of Furst Pik, a wonderful 2yo Bloomfield Farm gelding. Pik is a FurstLove prodigee and like his father he has amazing elasticity and great movement. The temperament is exceptional and he is an exciting prospect. Just have to cool our heals a bit longer before he can get under way.

Montana has been successfully competing her horse Shine in the mean time and has also been working Bert’s FEI school master Amarcus and hopes to have him out competing soon.

Lilly Stephenson has purchased Ruth Walker’s 4yo gelding “Carlos”. Again Carlos is a terrific horse. Three lovely paces, lovely temperament. He is by Shiraz Black and impresses everyone. Lilly is new to the sport but her drive and endeavour will see her develop very quickly.

Jane Henley has wandered North and has been training with her old horse Ned. Jane has upped the anti for herself and purchased Whisky, another wonderful 4yo Shiraz Black gelding. Like Carlos he has real presence and super movement. The future looks promising for all these lucky riders.

Bert continues to ride up to four horses a day and is very busy teaching for the remainder. Nothing stays the same as new riders and horses keep adding to a fun mosaic of horses.

State coach Peter Fischer continues to come on a regular basis. Peter has been invaluable to Tassie with his wealth of knowledge and top credentials. He has an amazing eye for detail and a wonderful way of quietly developing horse and rider. He is no good with pea cocks though but you will have to ask him about that.

We have been able to pin down the illusive and talented Roger Fitzhardinge for some more sessions. Again Roger’s wealth of experience and knowledge we regard as invaluable. All clinics have been well sought after and enjoyed by all.

WEC is starting to look more like a zoo every day. When Christoph Hess was here and we were plagued by rabbits and wallabies he said that Berlin had a good zoo but here was better. As if we do not already have enough animals, Bernadette has now added eight guinea fowl and wait for it a parrot. Jane Henley needs to cop a lot of the blame for a parrot arriving. The parrot is impressive and colourful and had to be called Roger. The girls have called the indoor vacuum cleaner Pierre after me. Not sure what that says about me.

On a happy note our son and his wife Hannah were married in Feb. We had a follow up gathering at the indoor the day after and it was a lot of fun. They made a very handsome couple. Their wedding made it two in one year for us. Hectic but wonderful.

Thank you everyone and we will keep in touch!