Standardbred Pleasure & Performance Horse
Association Inc. of S.A

The Local Bloke (Fudge) was the most beloved horse that I ever owned or rode. I purchased him in 1998 as a confidence booster after a nasty accident with my thoroughbred. I had been riding since the age of 10 and broken in and owned many horses. I previously owned a Standardbred called “Mickey” and such fun with him that I decided I wanted another Standardbred. Fudge (15.2 ¼hh Brown Gelding) had been trialled as a pacer then sold to a girl who just had him as a trail riding and pony club mount but she never educated him. (and certainly not to canter!!) The moment I saw him and saw his trot. (‘That’ trot as it was later labelled when his massive extended trot was seen) I knew I had to have him. He was a cheeky thing and I bonded to him straight away. At the stables where I first agisted were telling me that I was cruel trying to teach a Standardbred to canter. “Why don’t you go and get a real horse built for it?” I took things slowly and took weekly lessons at it soon all started to fall in place. We were told about SPPHASA Inc. at a local gymkhana (Pegasus PC) and joined straight away and started entering some Standardbred shows. We were very fast but at least we cantered!! We won our first two Dressage Competitions and then got brave at started to jump him. We were so fast in jumping we won some competitions but needed a little more control! After some clinics and moving to an Eventing Agistment we got braver. As this property was set up with grade 4 to 2 fences and help from the properties owner we were soon jumping nearly all the fences, cantering down hills over fences and getting quite confident to try a ODE. This horse took me through my first cross country course and I trusted him and he made me proud. We would have come second but we jumped a grade 3 fence instead of a grade 4 and got eliminated.

The hill work built up his back an neck muscles and helped him get his quarters under him. Within months of being at this agistment we were cantering 20 meter circles and soon with simple changes through the walk and his canter really slowed down. This was when his success really began. We still has our moments but, he was quite an alert horse and the odd little buck would also occur (usually in a Champion Class workout - but it was probably due to my nerves. Those that know we in the show circles know that I get a little tense in competition!!)

We also began taking our Turnout quite seriously at Hack and Standardbred Shows and we put 100%. We progressed to Grade 3 eventing and Grade 2 Training days. Elementry Dressage and Pony Club Grade 2 Showjumping.

Our flat work where I was most proud as Dressage is me favoutrite discipline.we could shoulder-in at walk, trot and canter. Trevour in walk and trot. Canter transitions from the walk amd halt. Simple and flying changes. Canter 4 point serpentines. Half pass in trot. Turn on haunches and forehand. 10meter canter circles. Counter canter. Extensions and collection in all gaits. Not bad for a horse that couldn’t hold 2 strides of canter when I bought him. I was also quit smug about the fact that many of the people at my previous agistment who were giving me a hard time were still lunging and doing very small competitions and we were moving well ahead and beating them quite frequently. Some of these horses were $10,000 Quarter Horses and Warmbloods. He wasn’t all that to many but he was to me.

I had such a bond with this horse and we played many games on the ground. He never lifted a leg to me and rarely ever had his ears back. I owe him a lot as the best times of my life were spent with this horse. Maybe that is why I am so dedicated to SPPHASA Inc. as I know how good these horses can be.

I had to give him up when I was pregnant which broke my heart but my baby was going to come first and I did not have the time and money for both.

You can understand my devistation when I was informed recently via email that he had died. I will never forget The Local Bloke and the times we had. Horses like him come along one in a million (to me anyway). He was such a pet to me and his success was just an added bonus. He gave me back all my confidence and I enjoyed all our adventures. We even represented SPPHASA at the 2001 Mitsubishi Horse Trial Street Parade riding through the streets of Adelaide with Kaylene Sharmen and Supa Harmony. Some of his results were. From October 2000 to May 2002 we only lost to Standardbred Led classes (one second and one third),

• Multi Champion Standardbred Led and Ridden including Reserve Led and Ridden SPPHASA State Championships 2000.
• Champion Led and Reserve Rider SPPHASA State Championships 2000.
• 22wins in Best Presented, Smartest on Parade
• Multi Highpoint awards for Dressage, Showjumping, Hacking etc (You have to remember that Standardbred Shows were only a quarter of what we did.)
• Multi Champion Hack in Open and Encourage Hacking (We even did some novelties)
• We won 110cm Showjumping Pegasus PC 2002
• 60cm, 75cm Showjumping Para Plains 2001
• 60cm, 75cm, & 85cm Gawler River 2001
• 75cm and 90cm Showjumping Metro SJC 2002
• Many places in Showjumping too
• never eliminated in over 120 rounds.
• 17 wins and over 40 places in Dressage (inc. 6th SADA State Championships Novice 2.E 2002
• Grade 3 eventing 2nd, 6th, 10th
• Grade 4 eventing 4th, 4th, 7th, 11th
• Cleared two Grade 2 training days
• 1999/2000  3rd standardbred leaderboard,  5th outside leaderboard
• 2000/2001 2nd standardbred leaderboard,  2nd outside leaderboard
• 2001/2002 2nd standardbred leaderboard,  2nd outside leaderboard
• Won over 37 trophies in 3 in a half years