Competition Horses
KOYUNA SUN DANCER
Bay Gelding 16.2hh, born 1999 Sire: - Brilliant Invader (by Vain) Dam:- Slow Dancing (by Go Dancing)
'Dancer' was bred by Howard & Darren Clark of Koyuna Stud and purchased in
early 2001 as a yearling. He began his eventing career as a 5yo at the end of
2004 and after a steep learning curve at his first unofficial event progressed
well through his Pre-Novice starts, placing in all 4. A little in the shadow of
his stablemate 'Shine' in 2004, 'Dancer' came into his own in 2005 with three
Novice wins on the trot and some pleasing two star performances. Dancer has also
excelled in the Showjumping arena with many wins and placings upgrading him to C
grade during the Metropolitan Districts World Cup Show where he then went on to
jump a clear round in the C Grade Championship. A rather laid-back character,
Dancer is the choice for a quiet hack though he does get going when the pressure
is on. Photo by Jenny Barnes
2006 was an exciting year with Dancer demonstrating his jumping prowess with a class win and a strong placing in the Futurity class at the Tempo Showjumping Classic at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre. He then comfortably won his first event of the season at 2 star level before having a great start to his Advanced eventing career with a win and 3 placings from his five 3 star starts. A strong placing at the Adelaide CCI** augured well for an ambitious plan to have him ready to compete in the 4 star there later this year
Best Performances:
| 3rd Adelaide International Horses Trials | CCI** | 2006 |
| 1st Reynella Horse Trials | CNC*** | 2006 |
| 1st Albury International Horse Trials | CIC** | 2006 |
| 2nd Lakes & Craters International Horse Trials | CCI** | 2005 |
| 6th Sydney International Horse Trials | CCI* | 2005 |
| 5th Monarto Horse Trials | CNC** | 2005 |
| Winner Mt Gambier Horse Trials | CNC* | 2005 |
| Winner Kirkaldy Park Horse Trials | CNC* | 2005 |
| Winner Naracoorte International Horse Trials | CIC* | 2005 |
| 2nd Grand Cru Horse Trials | CNC* | 2005 |
UPDATING DANCER'S PERFORMANCES - 2007 / 2008
2007 season started well with wins at CIC 3 star ODE's at Tonimbuk & Reynella and 2nd at Naracoorte before his big win of the year at the Melbourne International Three Day Event, Werribee, CCI*** in June. Unfortunately the Equine Influenza Epidemic was to cancel his debut into Adelaide's CCI**** but he did enough to confirm his early potential and to win the SA Event Horse of the Year for 2007 as well as 2006.
2008 and the Olympic selection year - I had planned to take Dancer to UK to run at Badminton, believing he needed a 4 star performance to force his way on the Team, but it was not to be when he missed the run at Tonimbuk and then needed to use Wandin as a lead-up to the major Sydney Three Day Event CCI*** selection trial. Early in the dressage draw, he lacked a little forward momentum for a disappointing 53.5 then showed his jumping strengths in the Cross Country and show jumping phases to be one of only 3 double clear show jumping and complete on 60.7 in 5th place. I had not planned on starting him at the Melbourne Three Day Event at Werribee in June but was required to run, for selection purposes, and did compete in the CIC*** -W which he duely won. A "consolation" prize as the Team was selected from those running in the CCI*** . Next followed the Olympic Training Camp at SIEC pre Games as a reserve Olympic horse, and a long hike to Warwick, Qld. for the other leg of the World Cup Eventing Qualifiers where he missed winning the Australian leg with an uncharacteristic stop in a tight & technical water jump, hence no trip to France for a World Cup final. A re-setting of goals to the 4 star Australian International Three Day Event in Adelaide in November saw Dancer taking a break from Eventing with some successes in pure Show Jumping, winning the Mini Prix at the Toowoomba World Cup Show in August, a second, a third & a fifth at Adelaide Royal Show Part 3, and a win & a fifth in A&B Grade at the National Show Jumping Championships, Canberra in October, were all good mileage for Adelaide
AIHT and a dressage test that scored first with the International Judge Chairing the Ground Jury, 4th with the other International, both on 67%, but 10th with our Australian Judge on a lowly 58% leaving him lamenting in 6th place on a score of 53.5 which he remained on to the finish with impecable, double clear Cross Country and Show Jumping rounds - and only 1.1 behind the winner, Newsprint and Kirby Park Allofasudden , in 3rd place at his first 4 star and looking good for the future with WEG at Kentucky in 2010.