News from Leigh Dunstan Equestrian

Welcome to the "Latest News" section of the site.

Here is where you will find all the latest information from Leigh Dunstan and "Dunleigh Stables".

It has been a long but successful show season with wins and placings at all Royals. Congratulations to all of Leigh’s clients. Major winners included;

2010 Spring Show Season

Once again a very successful show season, with Leigh's clients picking up wins and Championships at a number of shows including Geelong Royal, Seymour, Kyneton, Lancefield, Whittlesea, Euroa and Kingston.

Lily Cowburn and Tayla Desmet both placed in the Official EA Pony Dressage at Geelong Royal and Woodend Pony Club won the Club Hi-Point Award in the Geelong Royal Pony Club section.

Pictured above is Tayla Desmet and her Showhunter pony Aarondale. The combination has had a great first show season, finishing with two wins in the Summer Royal Pony Club section.

PCAV Central Zone Dressage Championships

Brittany McCarthy - riding Leigh's multi-talented Kordella Park Mayfair - ran 2nd and 4th in the Grade 2 Dressage section. Brittany also rode Mayfair to win Champion PC Mount at Seymour Ag. Show in October.

2011 APSB Victorian Stud Pony Show

Leigh led Rosemary Garoni's delightful Welsh Mountain Pony mare, Moondyne Honey Hush, to win Supreme Welsh Mountain Exhibit. She was also Reserve Champion WM Mare at the Summer Royal Show a week later.

Pictured above is Leigh showing Rosemary Garoni's Royal Show Multi-Champion, Moondyne Buccaneer. This talented stallion had another successful Royal,winning three classes.

Royal Melbourne Summer Horse Show 2011

Every year Leigh's team has very pleasing results at this show. Leigh's mighty KORDELLA PARK MAYFAIR continues to win at the elite level - being awarded Supreme Led Show Hunter Exhibit. The judge commented that he (Mayfair) was deceptive - the more she looked at him, the more she liked him.

In the Saddlehorse Championships section of the show, nine-year-old Lily Cowburn, on her mighty Welsh Mountain mare, Wyann Peaches, was a Top Ten Small Pony Finalist. Peaches has been consistently winning all season.

In the Pony Club Section, 11-year-old Tayla Desmet, riding in her first Melbourne Summer Royal, won the Grade 4 Pony Club Mount and the Gr 4 Handler in very strong classes.

Seven-year-old Emily Barton rode Sketty Park Oliver to win Reserve Champion Welsh First Ridden/Leading Rein Pony. Emily also gained placings in the Pony Club section.

Pictured above is seven-year-old Emily Barton on the consistent Royal Show winner Sketty Park Oliver. Emily has had a very successful season and is one of Leigh's youngest pupils.

VAS Ltd Saddle Horse Championships 2011

Kordella Park Mayfair was a Top Ten Finalist in the Showhunter Hack section - one of the largest sections in the show. Tayla Desmet's pony, Aarondale, was a Top Ten in the First Season Showhunter pony.

Melbourne Summer Royal Horse Show 2010

Once again a very successful show. Kordella Park Mayfair won the Ridden Arabian Derivative class for the second year running. He was second in a strong led class.

Leigh rode the ever consistent Loriot Royal Doulton (above) for Champion Ridden Palomino and led him for Supreme Led Palomino Exhibit. Congratulations to his owners the Reeve-Singles family and Loriot Stud. This outstanding pony will compete in Spring 2010 as a gelding in Showhunter classes.

Leigh led Rosemary Garoni's consistent Welsh Mountain stallion, Moondyne Buccaneer for Champion and the mare, Moondyne Honey Hush for Reserve ChampionWM Mare - a repeat of last year's performance.
Many of Leigh's pupils gained wins and placings in the Summer Royal Pony Club classes - including first time competitor, Sarah Graham, who was 1st and Reserve Champion in the Handler section.

Barastoc Horse of the Year 2010

Leigh's ever consistent KP Mayfair (above) started the day by winning Reserve Champion Led Arabian Derivative Exhibit. Leigh then rode him for a clean sweep - winning his class; Champion Ridden Derivative Exhibit and then BARASTOC RIDDEN ARABIAN OF THE YEAR.
In other rings Leigh's pupils, young and not so young, were having success. Seven year old Lily Cowburn (below), on her fabulous Welsh pony, Wyann Camelot, won both the Leading Rein and the First Ridden Mountain and Moorland classes, and was automatically declared Champion M&M Child's Pony.

In the Adult Riders ring, Michele Bell (the secretary of Bullengarook Pony Club and a pupil of Leigh's) won the Level 5 Rider and was 2nd in the Smartest on Parade. Her horse (chosen for her by Leigh) was having his first major show at Barastoc and was 1st and overall Champion in the HRCAV Led section.

VAS Ltd Saddlehorse Championships 2010

After an absence of almost a decade, Leigh took up the position of Chief Steward and Arena Director at the 2010 Show, which was held at the Bendigo Showgrounds. The Show was an enormous success, with many Royal and National Champion horses and riders taking out the major awards - but Leigh intends to compete at the show in 2011.

Winter 2010

Many of Leigh's pupils - most of them also members of Woodend Pony Club, where Leigh regularly instructs - have had success at both PC and Schools Dressage and CT Competitions.
Winners include Lily and Eliza Cowburn, Madeleine Manton, Maddison Linehan, and particularly Tayla Desmet, who produced five consecutive wins in Grade 4 PC Dressage and an overall 6th in the Werribee Park Inter-Schools Dressage Comp.
Woodend Pony Club has just won (August 2010) the much prized Central Zone PC competition, the Lowden Shield, for a history making THIRD year in succession and Leigh was very proud to see many of his private pupils - and all the kids he instructs each month at the club - doing so well. A number of Leigh's pupils gained the highest points in their age group - but special congratulations to eight year old Lily Cowburn, who gained the highest overall points of any competitor any age at the event.

Royal Melbourne Show 2009

Leigh's younger pupils had success - Jemma Reeve-Singles won the Junior Turnout for the second year in succession and five year old Emily Barton (below) was 2nd and 4th in Turnout and Leading Rein classes on the ever consistent Sketty Park Oliver.

Spring 2009

The Spring show season was highly successful. Leigh's consistent champion, Kordella Park Mayfair, was Champion Showhunter Hack at Seymour, Heathcote, Kyneton and Kingston. He was also Reserve Champion Dressage Horse at Geelong Royal Show with high scoring placings in two EA Dressage Tests.
Also at the Geelong Royal, Leigh's delightful Welsh Mountain Mare, Dallu Chausettes (below), was Champion Led Welsh Mountain Exhibit and Leigh rode the multi-champion Palomino stallion, Loriot Royal Doulton, for Champion Ridden Palomino Exhibit - for the second year running.

Adelaide Royal 2008

Skelty Park Oliver (Kelsey Pfeiffer) won his open pony class and placed in many other classes.

Melbourne Royal 2008

Jemma Reeve-Singles won her Junior Equestrian Turnout while Tahnee Pfeiffer ran fourth in a strongly contested Intermediate Turnout class.

Geelong Royal 2008

Leigh’s new horse Kordella Park Mayfair was awarded Champion Led and Champion Ridden Arabian Derivative. Mayfair (Isaac) also ran second in the open Showhunter Hack- a nice effort for only his third show ever. Leigh also rode Loriot Royal Doulton for Champion Ridden Palomino. The consistent Skelty Park Oliver was Champion Ridden Welsh Exhibit ridden by owner Jemma Reeve-Singles who also won her riding comp. Tahnee Pfeiffer won the Good Hands.

Royal Melbourne Horse Show 2009

Leigh showed ten different horses and all gained ribbons. Most noteworthy was MOUNTAIN CREEK TRANQUILITY (owned by Erin McLeish) an attractive filly who won Champion and Supreme Champion Part Bred Morgan.

KORDELLA PARK MAYFAIR won his Ridden Arabian Derivative class, placed in the Ridden Showhunter Hack and followed this with a Top 10 win in the VAS Championships Showhunter Hack final.

Rosemary Garoni’s Welsh Mountain ponies MOONDYNE HONEY HUSH and MOONDYNE BUCCANEER were Reserve Champion Welsh Mountain Mare and Stallion respectively.

All of Leigh’s pupils in the Pony Club section of the Summer Show won ribbons including Kelsey Pfeiffer who won the Junior Handler and followed this with a handler win at Barastoc a few weeks later.

Also at Barastoc , Leigh’s youngest pupil, 6 year old Lilly Cowburn on her pony WYANN CAMELOT was fourth in the Open Leading Rein Championship. Lily has been winning Riding Comps all season at numerous country shows.

Leigh is also currently contributing a series of articles to the HRCAV publication, Chaff Chat. These articles have also been posted on this website for you information. Click on the titles below to read the articles:

"Leigh Dunstan has been training my horses for the past 5 years. I trust Leigh implicitly to get results.

Living in town I rely on Leigh to exercise and train my horse when I'm not there.

My horse has become increasingly responsive and supple under Leigh's training and guidance, this has been reflected in positive competition results.

In 2006 Leigh helped us prepare for the Summer Royal, he assisted in all aspects of preparation and was there on the day to guide me through.

He told me we would win our rider class and we did." - Puchi Dunne, Bullengarook ARC
(Photos courtesy of Morrie Mathews)

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