This article is from the February 2019 Horse Deals magazine
"We’re humble but proud,” declared the multi talented and accredited Western coach, trainer and rider, Kate Elliott, of her own and husband, Marc’s training property at Glenburrn, between Yea and Yarra Glen in Victoria. And so she should be as in 2009 everything was burned to the ground in the Black Saturday fires except the house. It takes time to rebuild and in the process, ideas change and new ideas come to the fore.
Kate first entered the horse world as a jumping and dressage rider, first working for the then hunting personality, Caroline Berry. “I went on to work for Glenda Mann at the Yarra Bray Riding Center,” explains Kate, “and it was there I met Jill Farnham who asked me to come and work her horses. So it was John and Jill’s Quarter Horses that introduced me to the breed and I fell in love with them. I went to the Yarra Valley Quarter Horse Association and became interested in Reining and I have been involved with Reining and Reiners since 1996. My daughter Lana Kelderman became involved with all round showing Quarter Horses and I did as well, so we could spend more time together. I have been a professional trainer since 1998 and an FEI CRI 3star (Reining) rider since 2013.”
Kate is an Accredited AQHA Judge and Professional trainer, an AmQHA Professional Horseman, an NRHA Professional and an NCAS Level 1 Coach.
“We have been here at Glenburn since 2002 and since 2009 we have been rebuilding, but everything takes time and we are away so often. We breed, train, break in, coach, judge and compete, so just about every weekend of the year is taken up by one or other of those activities. But I am positive and energetic, they are two of my strongest qualities.” They would need to be, as a life with horses is hard work, but slowly Kate and Marc are building the facilities and infrastructure that can help make that life a little easier and more productive.
A view of the arena with the house, the only survivor of the 2009 bushfires in the background with an interested onlooker on the right hand side.
This boutique training establishment is well organised and kept in very good order. It also commands a beautiful view across the Yarra Valley towards the Great Dividing Range.
It's good to have help at feed up time.
Mutt-ilda the Smithfield, ably assisted by two Jack Russell’s, Sparkles (left) and Teeny Tiny (right), gets ready to do the feeding run.
Like all good training establishments, Breakoday is very well organised, with the white board showing the layout of the property and what is where, as well as vital telephone numbers.
The barn has five marine ply lined 4m x 4m boxes.
The under cover breeding crush.
A place for everything, and everything in its place.
There is an outdoor tie up area under the trees for shade, with rubber on the ground to keep the dust/mud at bay.
The new shed has the stables at one end and Marc's man shed at the other end.
There are two 4m x 6m stallion boxes separated by the feed room.
The stallions can see each other but they are kept apart for safety.
All the horses have their own head collar with both their show and stable names on them.
This horse sporting a Breakoday bridle.
The 20m x 40m outdoor trail arena with an arena mix sand base footing. Everything after the fires was temporary and Kate and Marc have made use of it all in the redevelopment of Breakoday. The arena fence is made up of half steel panels used after the fires to contain the horses and they are attached to timber posts. They make an attractive fence and it is a good example of using what you have. The arena also has floodlights.
The massive new 24m x 60m arena. "One third is covered at the moment," says Kate, "and the idea was to put a third of the roof on each year, but we like the indoor/outdoor nature of this arena. If the weather is bad we work in the 20m x 24m covered area and when it is good we use the whole arena. The surface has a sub base of clay from the property, a laser levelled crushed dust surface with half arena mix, half river sand top. The surface was designed specifically for reining and we use a Thomas Arena Drag on it. We will also collect water from the arena roof. The new arena has safe and durable, cattle rail fencing and it is possible to see the edging to contain the surface.
The 15m diameter lunge arena is again made of the temporary fencing. However it serves the purpose well, is safe and easy to replace. It often happens that something put up as a temporary measure, works so well that it lasts for years.
The quarantine/isolation yard for newcomers is within eyesight of other horses.
Again it is made of the temporary, but safe fencing used after the fires.
A side on view of the new arena with one third covered. The water tanks are in place to collect the water.
An aerial view of the Breakoday 16 acre training facility. Notice the 200m slide track on the left hand side.
The 200m sand slide for training the reiners and perfecting the slide stops and turns has a 15 degree fall. The over ten metre wide run cannot be used in the winter.
Arena in action with youth clinics.
Kate takes student and interns and they have their own accommodation at Breakoday.
Breakoday is very much a breeding property as well as a training establishment and this photograph shows Hustlin Holly and her typey Einstein’s Revelation colt.
The breeding stock are kept on an adjoining 20 acres that are leased for the purpose. This youngster is enjoying the benefit of a good Yarra Valley season.
There are three dams on the property and the outside horses are watered from the dams. This one has the added advantage of water lilies during their flowering season.
Story: Anna Sharpley. Photos: Julie Wilson.
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