2024 Remi Stud Young Rider Scholarship winner

A very special presentation took place at The Saddlefitter Brisbane CDI & Queensland State Championships at QSEC (Queensland State Equestrian Centre): the annual announcement and presentation of The Remi Stud Young Rider Scholarship.

This is an annual Scholarship and is awarded to a very deserving Young Rider who has the talent and dedication in either dressage or eventing, but requires financial assistance to purchase a horse of their dreams. The Scholarship includes the ownership of a purpose bred Hanoverian weanling by Remi Vigneron (one of the best performed Hanoverian stallions in Australia) plus an amazing support package. All in all, the Scholarship totals over $35,000 in value. This year’s weanling is the beautiful colt, Remi Venturo S.

Firstly to acknowledge the wonderful supporters for their contribution to the Scholarship, many of whom have been supporters of this scholarship for many years:

• Matthew Lord from Lord Dressage Australia – 10 weeks breaking and training when the horse turns 3yo. Matt needs no introduction, having a very successful CDI again this year!
• Pryde's EasiFeed for donating a year’s supply of feed, plus the feed when breaking in the horse.
• Edwards Saddleworld for donating a wonderful Bates saddle, bridle and saddlecloth to the lucky winner.
• Dr Show for providing a years supply of amazing Dr Show products
• WestVETS Equine Hospital for providing veterinary care to the value of $750.
• Horse & Co. Dayboro for donating $1,000 worth of beautiful riding competition attire to the lucky winner.
• Equestrian Queensland and Equestrian Australia for providing Life Registration for Remi Venturo S, plus marketing.
• The Hanoverian Horse Society of Australia for providing merchandise plus Life Registration for Remi Venturo S.
• Manuel Equine Transport for providing the transport for the weanling to his new home.
• Richard Meaker Farrier Services for donating farrier care to the beautiful weanling from the time he was born, and making a wonderful bootjack.
• Kelato Animal Health for providing $1,500 of their wonderful health products to this year’s winner.
• Gala Equine for designing and making the beautiful trophy rug Remi Venturo S wore to the presentation.

Thanks also go to Deb McNicol and Ros Lipp for helping Cheryl to read and reread the multitude of applications that were received from all over Australia and assisted with selecting the worthy recipient, a massive and responsible task. Cheryl wishes she could provide this scholarship to many of the other talented Australian riders who applied.

This year’s Scholarship weanling is sired by Remi Stud’s licensed Hanoverian stallion Remi Vigneron, whose dressage career to date has been outstanding, with multiple championships throughout his career, being crowned the Inter I F/S champion at Sydney CDI earlier this year, and over the weekend winning the PSG, Inter I, Inter 1 Freestyle and culminating in being awarded the Small Tour Champion for the 2024 Brisbane CDI again.

It was with delight that Cheryl O’Brien from Remi Stud announced that the winner of the 2024

Remi Stud Young Rider Scholarship is Bella Plumridge from the Yarra Valley in Victoria!

Bella is currently in Denmark developing her riding skills at the moment, but her Mum, Adele, and coach, Charlotte Pedersen were sworn to secrecy and came to the presentation on Bella’s behalf

Bella started her horse journey from 3 years of age as the broom handler and poo picker at Charlotte’s barn, and at the age of 10, a very special purpose bred Arabian riding pony called Illawong Harvest Moon (aka Piglet) came into her life. She was warned that he was very spooky and big moving and just ‘to hold on’, however Piglet with his never say never attitude, loved Bella, and their partnership bloomed. When Bella was only 12 years old, her world collapsed when Piglet underwent colic surgery, and all the money that had been saved to buy Bella a bigger horse was spent saving her heart horse. Fortunately, Piglet survived the massive surgery and his 12 months of intense recovery, and was finally able to go back under saddle again. During his recovery time, Bella took up show jumping and, as with any natural horseman, she was also successful in this discipline too, jumping at National level to 1.15m. But her heart was always in dressage.

With Piglet now healthy, they trained hard and are now training at GP level, winning many prestigious events along the way, including 2 Sydney CDI-P championships, FEI World Challenge Champion (from over 180 combinations worldwide), State Small Tour Championships, VEIS Small Tour Champions, etc. Trying to give Bella the opportunity to compete in the J and Y classes with a bigger horse, her parents purchased a quirky 17.2hh older schoolmaster, but he came with an old injury that they hoped they could manage for a few years. However, this issue flared up again and meant he had to be on 12 months rehabilitation. Finally, she was able to bring him back into work, but this was very short lived, as he just collapsed one day and had to be euthanized with kidney failure. So tragic!! This just left Bella her little pony, Piglet, to ride again.

Last year Bella was offered a sports scholarship to LaTrobe University to study Psychology Honours, which she accepted. Together with Piglet, they continued their winning ways, and culminated 2023 by winning the Victorian Pony Small Tour Champion, plus Sydney CDlite FEI Champions with freestyle on a wonderful score of 74.125% - an Australian record!! Bella also won FEI World Challenge Youth Champion from 107 riders in 31 countries, was the Interschool Dressage Captain, and was nominated as a Dressage Victoria Young Ambassador Top 10 finalist. Bella was invited to train at an invitational clinic over Christmas with Isabell Wessels, who, together with Charlotte and her parents, suggested she take a gap year, and organised for Bella to train at the fabulous Priess Stutteri in Denmark for a few months. Bella has proven that her dreams, dedication, and hard working nature is something to be congratulated for.

Sadly, with Piglet now 19 years young, Bella doesn’t have a horse to come home to next month, and this is where the Scholarship came in. She now has a beautiful weanling colt, Remi Venturo S (aka Axel) waiting for her in Australia. This is what the Remi Stud Young Rider Scholarship is all about – helping a deserving, talented and dedicated young rider to achieve their dreams in the equestrian industry. Congratulations Bella.

We congratulate and thank Remi Stud and all the sponsors of this wonderful Scholarship, and look forward to watching Bella and Axel competing in the years ahead.

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