Chanelle Dickie takes three to HOY

[Wandering Eyes]

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk

Chanelle Dickie is in for a busy week.

Well-known in Canterbury equestrian and re-homing circles, as well as being a HERO Educator and Ambassador, “The Pink Lady” is driving to the Horse of the Year (HOY) at Hastings with three Standardbreds ahead of their competition next Thursday.

“We’ll be all done in one day – it’s full on.”

HOY is by far the country’s biggest and most prestigious equestrian event spanning six days of competition and featuring around 1400 riders in a variety of different disciplines.

Dickie’s trio – Eagles Nest, You Can Fly Arden and Does It On His Ear – will all be in the Inhand Standardbred category, with Eagles Nest and You Can Fly Arden also in the Ridden.

Eagles Nest is the reigning Inhand Standardbred of the Year, having won the title for Julie DeFilippi and her family at HOY last year.

“The DeFilippis very generously gave me “Louie”, as we call him, six weeks ago and I’ve been flat out trying to re-educate him to saddle.”

“He had only been ridden a handful of times before I got him.”

“He’s a work in progress, he’s very green and is learning the ropes. He’s not a winning chance but he won’t embarrass himself.”

“And he could go back to back in the Inhand.”

In the Inhand last year Dickie’s own horse, HERO graduate and Ambassador, You Can Fly Arden was second to Eagles Nest.

“Fly is great, she’s the team captain.”

Dickie is confident of her chances in both sections although she’s wary of another Canterbury HERO Educator and visitor, Taylah Dolan, and her horse Michelangelo in the Ridden.

“My money would be on her,” says Dickie.

Does It On His Ear meanwhile will only be in the Inhand.

“He’s no good at cantering,” says Dickie, “but he could go very well.”

Dickie expects around 10 standardbreds in both categories.

Her last success was with Bronze Jay in the ridden standardbred section of HOY in 2016. She then took a break away from the sport, until last year.

She’s also been successful in barrel racing on the rodeo circuit. Wearing her trademark pink outfits at most events- she’s hard to miss.

She runs her own equestrian facility which offers horse grazing, full agistment and arena hire at Selwyn, just outside Christchurch.

Last year she was a joint winner of the Care and Welfare Award at the first ever Entain Industry Excellence Awards. The award recognised in part the role she’s had in re-homing horses. 

She has re-educated and re-homed dozens of standardbreds and is a crucial part of HRNZ’s HERO programme (HERO stands for Harness Education and Rehoming Opportunities).

While HOY promises to be a “crazy” time Dickie will get home only to head off again with another truckload of horses to a rodeo in Fairlie in South Canterbury.

“Why do I do it to myself?”

 

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