Melissa Froesch

Melissa Froesch is a multi-talented young woman.

She manages one of the most important performance horse breeding studs in the country, rides in showjumping at the highest level, has two active children with her husband Patrick O’ Shea and shows champion show poodles as well.

Her Glenara stud at Broadford has bred horses now competing in New Zealand and Europe as well as Australia.

Melissa was Equestrian Victoria’s Young Rider of the Year at 17 on a brilliant jumping mare named Miss Cognac. She and her father Bert started doing embryo transfer in 1995 with Miss Cognac as the foundation mare and the line through her daughters is now the stud’s best.

“None of what I do now would have been possible without my families support; no one person can do as much as I do without help,” said Melissa.

My mum Margaret and father Bert have been my greatest supporters..They’ve believed in me and encouraged me for years and even do to this day. My father is a very good horseman he’s taught me so many skills over the years.

“I rode racehorses for him as he trained... We actually gave Luke Nolen his first city winner Traf Eire and I won point to point steeplechase on dad’s horses when I was 13 years old.

We’ve bred our own horses from doing a embryo transfer, to foaling it down, breaking them in and producing them to World Cup level 1.60m with many wins along the way. Melissa is totally hands on doing her own embryo transfer, scans, frozen semen breeding, stallion collecting for AI chilled semen and foaling down.

“I did an AI breeding course in 2017 to learn techniques and I think once you understand how everything works it helps you be better at breeding.

“We used to use vets but in 2017 my father encouraged me to get a scanner and do my own. With no scanning courses in Australia I taught myself to scan.

“So I started doing my own embryo transfers into our own recipient mares in 2017; it’s a thrill to find and flush an embryo out, wash it and put it back in a new mum, then see it born and know you did all of it yourself. It’s a lot of hard work and many hours spent down the stables.

“I think the current young horses we have are the best we’ve bred. The performance quality of them is just so good.

“In 1995 when we started doing embryo transfer the quality of sires we could get wasn’t very good but now it’s amazing. We use the best stallions in the world from Europe over top class mares.”

That herd includes 2012 Australian showjumping Champion CP Romantic Dream, World Cup winner Alondra imp, and a daughter of WEG 2018 team Gold medallist Cristalline.

“I always say I don’t want any more, but then someone offers a dam line is one I’ve wanted for a long time..."

Although Melissa’s son Connor, 9 and Opal 7 are riding, Melissa’s mum always wanted a toy poodle.

“So it wasn’t long until we had a Standard mini and toy poodle. In 2019 we started showing poodles; myself mum and Opal go to the Dog Shows.

“They say poodles are one of the hardest breed to show; so much to learn and find out - there are hours spent grooming then knowing how to clip and trim them for the show ring is hard... don’t get them wet or their hair curls for the show ring ( has to be straight) then you get in the ring and you think how hard is it to run a dog around the ring???

“Well, says Melissa smiling, "I’ll tell you it’s very hard!

“Poodles read body language like all animals, they must only trot, can’t break at all. They must look up at you the whole time you’re in the ring ,they must ‘stack ‘stand the correct way... it’s actually really hard. My standard poodle won’t show for anyone else so won’t trot on the lead for anyone other than me.

“We have had some luck in the ring in a short time. Opal Won a Worldwide handling competition for 7 and under. She’s a natural! We had our miniature poodle win Best Baby Puppy in Show at the Melb Royal 2019 which was a thrill... We are only starting in the dog world so a long way to go!! I’ve been lucky and have other ‘poodle’ people help me learn the ropes.”

With spring coming and hopefully some dog shows and the breeding season for horses, Melissa’s days will again be dawn til after dark with the horses and working out her jumping bloodlines.

“We started doing embryo transfer back in 1995 with my freak jumper Miss Cognac. I think to this day the Miss Cognac now Bollinger line is my best.

“The colt I have this season is, I feel is testament to my breeding. Glenara Bollinger’s Cowboy by Glenara Cowboy from Glenara Lady Bollinger that won the Australian Showjumping Championships, two years in a row and her dam Glenara Bollinger placed World Cup won 2008 champion of champions at JWTS. Her dam, my original mare Miss Cognac placed 1.55m Grand Prix at Royal Melbourne in the 90’s. This horse’s sire and dam are my blood my breeding and he is a very exciting young horse for me. He’s all my own breeding.

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