The sign in the riding school tack room at Kirby Park says it all!
Many years ago, Margaret Jones realised that, if her two pony mad daughters Megan and Emma, were to continue to ride she would need to find a way to find them good horses as they went through the grades. Margaret bought three brood mares and started to breed horses for them to ride – history now proves that it was a wise decision as two of these home-bred horses have represented Australia at Olympic and World Equestrian Games. Kirby Park Irish Jester ridden by Megan Jones and Kirby Park Joy ridden by Grace Bowman are two horses that have shone the spotlight on the breeding programme at Kirby Park Stud in Hahndorf, South Australia.
The breeding programme started by Margaret many years ago was not her only inspired thought. Margaret was always very keen to have a riding school based at Kirby Park and the Megan Jones Riding School has been in place for several years. However in 2010, after talking to a client who ran a riding school near Melbourne, Megan and Margaret moved the riding school up a notch to create an a more all-encompassing service for riders of all ages and abilities.
From the original few horses, the riding school (officially known as the Adelaide Hill Trail Rides and Riding School but known to everyone as the Megan Jones Riding School) now has approximately 35 horses that are ridden by 60-100 riders per week.
The school holiday programme has proved particularly successful with children being able to experience what it is like to own and ride their own horse. Dropped off in the morning by their parents these 6-16 year olds spend their holidays learning a range of horsemanship activities, from grooming and tacking their pony, to learning about stable maintenance, floating, lunging as well of course as riding. In the summer, there is usually time for a quick dip in the dam too and the riders, grouped by age and experience, usually become firm friends.
On weekends during the school term there is the Saddle Club where again attendees get to ride but also learn a lot about horse management. Every few weeks of Saddle Club there is a ‘sleep over’ night on Saturday where the young riders stay in accommodation at Kirby Park and there is plenty of pizza, movies, chocolate and fun!
Megan's horses are kept in one stable block while there is a dedicated stabling, learning and accomodation area for the riding school
This all takes plenty of organising and there are three full time instructors (aside from Megan) and two helpers who manage to keep everything running smoothly.
“It’s a business that needs is great fun but that needs good management” says James Deacon, Megan’s husband “And we need to make sure it runs just as smoothly when Megan is away competing or coaching”
Margaret is still hands-on in the business and can be found running around on the quad bike delivering feeds to paddocks or helping with the administration side of the riding school. It is a real family business with Megan’s sister Emma helping out on the website and father Peter ever handy with his camera taking photos – most recently of famous tennis stars Martina Hingis and Martina Navratilova who came to experience a trail ride at Kirby Park.
Martina Hingis and Jester have some fun on the trail ride at Kirby Park Photo courtesy Peter Jones, Kirby Park
The 98 acre property provides the perfect area for trail rides without even leaving Kirby Park Stud. 55 acres are taken up with the facilities that include three large outdoor sand arenas (and an indoor arena coming soon), stabling, shedding and horse paddocks while another 40 acres of open and lightly treed land, including the cross country course, are trail riding heaven. The kangaroos that pop up every now and again delight the international tourists as they meander around the property at a pace and on a horse suited to their ability. Lucky Martina Hingis, who is a very competent rider and show jumper, scored the ride on Kirby Park Irish Jester – now that would be a treat!
Although Jester is retired from top level competition, Megan is still busy with her other competition horses at various levels but is still a keen coach. She teaches riders of all ages – currently from an eleven year old to a 73 year old and, as an accredited Coach Educator, can assist new coaches gain their qualifications.
With the other Kirby Park instructors qualified at various levels, the riding school offers a complete package for riders. They can start out on riding school ponies and learn the basic skills through Saddle Club or school holiday programmes, be part of the Equestrian Australia Ready, Set, Trot programme, take lessons on their horse at Kirby Park if they decide to own a horse at a later stage and even be coached by an Olympic medallist.
What more could you want?
See more of Kirby Park - click here to see our photo shoot with Megan Jones and come behind the scenes at Kirby Park Stud and Riding School
