Canada and Australia are not too dissimilar size (9.8 to 7.6 million square kilometres), and share similar spatial challenges in servicing their studbooks members. During three weeks in March, the commission travelled a combined distance, flying and driving, of 13,000 kilometres within continental Australia. Compared to Europe, Australian could easily encompasses, east to west, from the United Kingdom to the Ukraine and Turkey, then north-sout from Sweden to Spain. Compared to the USA, the two continents match land area.  Suffice to say, Australia is a huge continent.

The 2019 Tour began in Perth, Western Australia – a 15-hour flight from Vancouver, BC,, to the first touchdown in Brisbane, Australia, then a five-hour connecting flight to Perth. I was joined on this tour by the AWHA judge Heather Adcock.

Interestingly, this tour had been structured as both the association's classification tour and national championships offering both led and ridden classes, split into studbook category by age groups and by gender. Results were tabulated both within each state and then nationally for local and national titles, awards, and prize money. This format allowed the relatively small association to cover huge distances as horses entered multiple classes, and both mares and stallions were classified for studbook entry.

Our first stop was the beautiful Brookleigh Equestrian Centre for a full day of foal evaluation, mare inspection, and riding tests. As one of the largest stops on the tour, we were treated to beautifully prepared and presented horses by an impressive group of sires: Benicio (Hann: Belissimo);  Chicago (KWPN: Unaniem x No Limit x Lux Z); Fidertanz (Rhein: Fidermark); First Kiss (French Kiss); For Romance I; Fürst Love (Oldbg: Fürst Heinrich); Lauries As (Hann: Londonderry); Royal Hit (Oldb: Royal Dance); Rubinaro (Hann: Rubinstein I); Sir Donnerhall I; and Versace (Oldbg: Vivaldi) with top honours of the day going to an elegant, expressive mare, Quantador (Hann: Quaterback x Belissimo M). Next on the tour were several small studfarm stops with yet more high quality horses and gracious hospitality.

Two very strong impressions that could not be ignored or more different: Firstly the stark, harsh landscape we travelled emphasized the severe drought that Australia is currently suffering and, secondly, the abundance of quality coffee stops in every small town offering every type of milk one could want for a latte! Both of these impressions carried through the entire tour with some states in even more dire circumstances caused by fires. In fact, in Victoria, several horses were scratched from the tour as their owners dealt with the aftermath of the bush fires and loss of property...To read the complete article you need to be a subscriber

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