Will Baxter and Kdale Mr Collins Photo courtesy Waylib Photos
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Will Baxter and Kdale Mr Collins
Will Baxter is another young West Australian making his Adelaide debut in 2019, on board the 10-year-old, Australian Warmblood, Kdale Mr Collins (Collin).
Although it is Will’s first time competing at Adelaide, he is no stranger to this event, having travelled there every year to watch since he was 15 (for the past 7 years!), and it has always been one of Will’s great ambitions to compete at the Australian International 3 Day Event. His main goal is simply to canter through the finish flags on the final day but adds that finishing on his dressage score would be the icing on the cake
This trip will mark Collin’s first trip across the Nullarbor and Will is working hard to ensure that he is fit, healthy and ready to make the trip although this is a challenge as Will works full time at Total Access Australia (the leading installer of fibre optic cabling for Western Australia’s telecommunications network), a job which entails long and irregular hours.
Kdale Mr Collins will be travelling across the Nullarbor with fellow competitor, Kenya Wilson’s Sandos Salute MW.
“I’ve had such incredible support in the lead-up” says Will “And that will continue on in Adelaide, where I’ll be joined by my coach Philippa Collier, my parents Kate and Derek Baxter and good friend Lucy Rowe who is coming to help handle Collin, also known as Captain Destruction at home!”
Will is hoping that his mantra “Know your own horse. Ride your own horse. Listen to others and ask for advice but trust your instincts about your own horse” will stand him in good stead during his Adelaide debut
William Newton-Wordsworth and Williams River Shadowfax Photo courtesy Waylib Photos
William Newton-Wordsworth and Williams River Shadowfax
William Newton-Wordsworth is the only rider from Western Australia competing this year that has never previously ridden at nor attended the Mitsubishi Motors Australian International 3 Day Event.
He is also the only WA based competitor this year that lives more than 25 minutes from the State Equestrian Centre, with his family property and stud, Williams River Horses, located two hours south east of the State Equestrian Centre in Williams.
The horse stud is just one part of the Newton-Wordsworth’s property which focuses on an organic and sustainable way of farming
“Our family operates a commercial biodynamic organic farm producing cattle, sheep, wool, olives/oil, pistachios and we also do accommodation. We have a passion for clean green poison free farming. Our horse stud and training centre is a part of this operation and life on the land”
William is busy with the farm and therefore is not a full-time rider while his wife Kelly is a singer songwriter, author and evangelist
“Kelly performs and speaks internationally, and we have a recording and publishing company”
The first horse he will be bringing to Adelaide is Williams River Shadowfax, a now 15-year-old, who is also the first horse that William and his wife Kelly bred. The stud came into being when Kelly became fed up with the soundness issues they were having with the off the track horses at the time and she decided to focus on breeding specifically for eventing.
William River Shadowfax is by their first sire, Kitilintock Stylish Lad, and mares by this sire are now being bred to their Brilliant Invader stallion. Their other resident sire, Tiebreaker, is a thoroughbred by the favoured eastern states eventing sire Family Ties
William and Shadowfax have had a very successful time both in 2018 and 2019 at Western Australia’s only 3 Day Event, the Wooroloo International. In 2018, they were the winners of the CCI2*-L (1* at the time) class and in 2019 were the winners of the CCI3*-L class, with clear show jump rounds at both events - hopefully his success rate of clear rounds continues on to Adelaide!
William’s main goal for Adelaide this year is to perform to the best of his ability in all three phases during the event, but he believes that the most challenging part for all riders in WA is the final lead up. The travel of approximately 2700km from Perth means that the horses have a big three day drive and it is imperative that they are fit before they leave and then continue to eat and drink across the Nullarbor Plain
Article by Madison Gielen
