PRIZEGIVING: Abalone Pearl (Maggie) with rider Lauren Dolan and judge Sally Brunton.
PICTURE / ALANA VICKERS
Abalone Pearl — stable name Maggie — is not an easy horse says owner, Whanganui's Alana Vickers, but that didn't stop her picking up another Ridden Pinto Saddle Hunter prize at this month's Horse of the Year in Hastings.
Her rider and trainer, Dannevirke's Lauren Dolan, also picked up Youth
Rider of the Year, a remarkable achievement after a serious accident a year ago.
"I met Lauren through a mutual friend," says Alana. "Lauren has always been a talented rider so I just asked her if she would ride Maggie at a show for me. She did, so I said I'd book her for the next year ... and the next year ... "
Alana mentioned that Maggie needed to go away for some schooling. Lauren said to her mother, "I need to take that horse and school it".
"That's where it started about three years ago," says Alana. "Since then we've formed a partnership."
Maggie is 10 years old and stands at 15 hands, only just horse height. Her paddock buddy is a goat called Opal.
Horse of the Year was at the Hastings Showgrounds from March 13-18.
"We decided to do a day trip so we went to Lauren who lives in Dannevirke, stayed there Monday night, got up at 5.30am, getting Maggie ready in the dark, drove to Hastings and parked in the polo grounds across the road.
"Lauren had her Rider class in the showing area ... there were some good riders and some good horses, but, as usual, Lauren did a perfect workout and she won her Youth Rider of the Year."
The title is for riders aged 17 to 21, so 20-year-old Lauren has a year left in that competition, if she chooses.
