Fourth Time Garryowen Competitor - Melissa Gillies sc & Beyond Reasonable Doubt

This article is from the November 2019 Horse Deals magazine.

At a celebration hosted by the Women Barristers Association in Sydney on Melissa’s appointment as an SC (usually known as QC in Victoria) the newly appointed Sydney silk declared that she was, “really proud of the fact that she had just been appointed a silk, but she was more proud that now everyone knew she rode horses competitively on the weekend!” In an amusing anecdote at the celebration, it was declared that Melissa, “has something to do with horses and whilst she talks about them a lot, we can’t quite explain what she does with them on the weekends. Oh, and she does something at the Easter Show.”

Melissa was one of the 34 women who presented for the Garryowen Equestrienne Turnout class this year. Far from being brought up in the Melbourne Turnout tradition, Melissa did not start riding until ten years ago. “I had ridden about once a year as a child; I had always wanted to ride but it was not in my stars,” explains Melissa. “When my son was about eight years old, my husband and I bought into a hobby farm in the Blue Mountains. There were horses there that we could ride and I started taking lessons on Saturday mornings. Soon after I was able to buy a horse and I have to say that the first two horses I had were totally unsuitable, it is a wonder I wasn’t killed. Finally, I decided to spend some decent money and buy myself a nice horse. I saw an add in Horse Deals saying, are you a nervous lady rider looking for a quiet horse? Well yes, I was. I flew to South Australia and bought him. His name was Legal Eagle and I almost did not buy him because of it, because everyone would assume I gave him that name. As a consequence I have called all my horses legal names, because it just started out that way.

“I kept Judge at Centennial Stables in Sydney and a girl there suggested I go out to Helen Chugg for lessons. When I got to Helen’s, the horse’s history was revealed and apparently he had been a World Cup showjumper. They were pleased that he had gone on to a good home and a nice life. I never went back to Centennial Stables and have been with Helen ever since. There aren’t too many professionals who would have taken me on, because I was very inexperienced. Helen persisted and within a couple of years, Judge and I were out competing. If I had not landed at Helen’s, I would have given up riding and missed out on all the enjoyment and wonderful experiences I have had in the last ten years of riding.

“I had heard about the Garryowen a year before I went in it. Helen told me about it, saying it was heaps of fun and she had helped Caro (Wagner) a couple of times.

“They told me about the concept and it did sound fun and it was another outfit I could wear. I was taken to Wagner’s, chucked my AMEX on the counter and a year later I was there. However, it was not until the first Garryowen afternoon tea that the entire history of it hit me. I don’t think anybody can attend the first couple of teas and not be completely gutted by the story of Violet Murrell and Garryowen. It was my fourth tea this year and I got through it fine, but the first couple of years I did feel ridiculous, because I could not help shedding a tear. You think, what would I do? We all like to think we would run in and save our horses, we all like to think that is the person we are. Everybody who has had a horse they loved should know the angst she went through. You can’t help but be touched by that story.

“This year was the first year that I enjoyed myself, in the sense that I was comfortable and calm about it. And that comes from gear settling a little bit and not feeling quite as stiff. For me, it is almost like a training exercise now. I don’t go in there thinking, wow this is the year I am going to win, that would be ridiculous. But I do go into it thinking I want to do better than I did last year. I find thinking and reflecting on how I went the year before is a timely reminder of what I have done in the past year and how far my riding has come. It is one of those nice markers; last year I forgot my workout, this year I didn’t and I was able to think about accurate transitions because I was more relaxed than I was last year. I can handle things better now than in the past. It is as much too about the team behind me wanting to do it. If they weren’t enjoying it, I think I would have a thoroughly miserable experience. We always have a laugh getting ready, as there is always some calamity that befalls me. One year I used too much talcum powder in my boots and it came out the seams during the costume inspection and another year I gave myself a black eye by walking into the saddle stand. But we just laugh about it; it has happened, get on with it.

“The Garryowen is a beautiful event and I think it must be wonderful for Violet Murrell’s family that she is not forgotten and her legacy lives on and it is wonderful to be a part of it. In a way I feel a little sorry for the girls going out there expecting to do well, as they don’t seem to enjoy it as much as those of us in the mid to the low end of the field, standing in the lineup and being able to savour the moment. I was in a strong heat and those who were expecting a high place were taking it so seriously and did not look to be enjoying the experience. They didn’t look like they were having fun, sucking it all up, looking around and enjoying the pageantry of it all.

“I love the afternoon tea and I love the morning getting ready. I love the challenge and I think the process behind it all is really beautiful. Whilst I still have the horses that are suitable for the Garryowen and whilst I have the gear, I would love to continue competing in it. Helen loves it as well and I said to her this year, the moment you don’t find this fun, we don’t have to do it any more. Oh no, she said, I love it.”

*Article written by Anna Sharply *

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