Paint Horse Association of Australia

Name: Claire Geri • Age: 22
Lives: Korumburra, VIC
• HOW LONG YOU’VE BEEN INVOLVED IN PAINTS
Sue Sparkman introduced me to the paint world three years ago now.
• WHAT HAS YOUR CAREER IN PAINTS INCLUDED
I was lucky enough to learn to ride on the Sparkman’s fantastic mare
Skipastaray, who taught me a lot about western riding. Coming straight
out of the English world, the hardest part was having no contact on the
reins! Skip and I with help from the Sparkmans achieved High Point
Performance Horse of the Year in 05/06, the first year I ever rode western!
She is a truly amazing horse and will always hold a special place in my
heart. In 2005 Skippy had a paint bred colt (by embryo transfer) by My
Only Concention and I knew I had to have him, so Sherman became my
project. I couldn’t have asked for anything better as this year at the
Nationals he went Grand Champion PB Gelding at Halter, National Champ
Hunter in Hand and Reserve in the Led Trail!
• YOUR CURRENT HORSE
My Only Skipastar (aka Sherman), a paint bred gelding who is now 2
years old.
• BEST SPECIAL MOMENT WITH YOUR PAINT
Winning Grand Champion Paint Bred at the Nationals. I told Sue that
Halter didn’t matter to me (Performance rocks) and she had great delight
in reminding me of that as I came out of the class with tears of happiness
running down my face and shaking like a leaf. Sherman has also won
numerous High Point awards with SEVPHC including overall Paint Bred
Halter and High Point Yearling Performance against all western breeds.
• WHAT DO YOU DO WITH YOUR PAINT
Sherman is going into training for his two year old year but I hope to ride
him in a couple of AO classes at the Halter Showcase this year as well as
take him to the State and National shows. He blends in really well at the
quarter horse shows because he doesn’t have any patches.
• WHAT IS YOUR MAIN GOAL WITH YOUR CURRENT HORSE
To do well in Open and AO competition at major all breed shows like
Halter Showcase and NPHA as well as local quarter horse and paint club
level shows. I think he is going to be a fantastic all round horse.
• WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT PAINTS AS A BREED
Their personality, trainability plus every one is uniquely marked.
• WHAT ARE YOUR TRAINING SECRETS
That would be telling! It’s all about how much time you are prepared to
invest in your horse. When Sherman was a yearling, I trained him five
days a week for about half an hour each day for five months before the
Nationals. Short sessions are the key with babies and patience, but don’t
put up with any nonsense!
• FAVOURITE EVENT AND WHY
The Nationals for the socialisation and the Halter Showcase because I can
take my paint bred out against the best horses in the country.
• WHAT EVENT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS YEAR
The Nationals
The Vic State Show its going to be bigger and better than last year
The Australian Halter Showcase
Make A Wish
It’s a great chance to go
over all those training
video’s and refresh all those
forgotten exercises and a
great chance to do all those
chores we keep putting off
because it’s a nice day for a
ride. Anyway I’m sure if
everything goes to plan we
will all be out
showing shortly.
Prior to the lock
down we were able
to hold our 2nd A/O
clinic for the year, it
was held at Cobbitty
with Tim French and
Amateur
Owner
[REPORT]
- by Lee Wear
Well it’s been a bit quiet at my place with
everyone being placed into lockdown by
the Equine Flu, gone are Saddle Club days
of all of us gathering at someone’s place
to ride.
Therese Searle and I have
to say while it was a great
day for training it was cold
and windy. Turns out that the
wind made for a great
training aid as we all show at
Cobbitty on a regular basis
so now all our horses are
much
better for the day
of training in the
wind. We had a
good turn up as
you can see from
our happy snaps
which were all
taken from what I
8
The Paint Horse Journal
October/November 2007