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Rose Gum Ellustria
Dear Ray and Kerry
What an outstanding mare Rose Gum Ellustria has grown up to be. She is typical of that wonderful line of mares produced by the River Oak Stallion Kyremi Illustraa. Her wins at shows under halter including championships and supremes are numerous and she has been a top ten filly in the Australian championships. Now she is performing exceptionally well in the performance ring, always scoring high marks in dressage and championships in the hack ring.
We are planning to bring her to Sydney for the National Stud Horse Show in November 2009 and hopefully the East Coast Championships and Australian Championships in 2010.
We have attached an article from which you can extract notes, and a recent photograph from the recent Premier show.
We would recommend to anyone to use River Oak stallions in their breeding programs.
Please feel free to use any of this as testimony to River Oak Arabians on your website.
With very best wishes,
Richard and Glenys Drew |
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ROSE GUM ELLUSTRIA – A MARE MAKING HER MARK
It is a unique horse that can excel at halter and under saddle in Arabian and open events. And six-year-old Rose Gum Ellustria (Kyremi Illustraa x Callista Park Qalieda) is just warming up.
“It’s so exciting right now—she’s maturing into a beautiful mare with a great future.”
Veronica Mortimer, commending her charge and riding companion, has slipped out of her usual air of laconic, easy confidence in a rush of enthusiastic praise for the championship-winning mare.
Veronica has poured her time and expert horsemanship into the smart, highly sensitive mare for more than two years—seeing her to multiple supreme exhibit and championship A-grade show wins under saddle and at halter.
Most recently, the bay beauty took away a stash of medals among a tough field of competitors at the 2009 Queensland Police Games.
“This time she competed in Hack, Western and Australian Horsemanship classes,” says Veronica. “She was up against stock horses, warmbloods, the works—and just kept commanding the judges’ attention.”
Veronica describes the affectionately dubbed “Miss Pantene” (She won’t happen overnight, but she will happen) as a slow developer with a floating, athletic action and a great ability to learn.
This learning partnership, it seems, is paying off.
Displaying her bloodlines—rich with the legacies of Rikham, Royal Domino, Akhu and Al Karim Sirhalima—Ellustria has to her credit numerous supreme exhibits and champion mare titles at A-grade shows, and a top ten title at halter at the Australian championships.
Under saddle, Veronica has ridden Ellustria to numerous champion and reserve champion titles—including a reserve champion in open company at an Equestrian Federation of Australia (EFA) show.
“The only thing the star was lacking,” says Veronica, “is the steadiness that comes with maturity. She now has that mindset and there’s just no stopping her.”
Owners Richard and Glenys Drew say the mare’s successes are a tribute to Veronica’s skill and commitment, and to the time-proven lines that feature in Rose Gum Arabians’ breeding program.
Richard describes the doe-eyed mare as “tall, elegant, responsive and sensitive,” adding, “The attributes that typify the breeding of her grandfather Ralvon Pilgrim bring together the best of temperament, classic conformation, grace and riding smarts.”
“That combination of features brings the Arabian horse just where it needs to be—proving itself in open arenas where beauty, intelligence and ridability are your unforgiving measure,” added Richard.
Veronica likens Ellustria to five-time Australian championship-winning mare Ralvon Morning Star. So it’s little wonder that she adds, “I don’t want to be just a number with this one; this girl deserves to be in the winner’s circle.”
