By Casey OÇonnor
Three-years wrangling horses on their Amosfield property during lockdown has helped Griffiths sisters rise to the top of the pack in Australian Stock Horse competitions.
Twelve-year-old Piper and her 11-year-old sister Bridie have just returned from the Eastern Downs Branch Australian Stock Horse show with some impressive placings.
The pair began riding ponies as toddlers and have transitioned from ponies to ASH (Australian Stock Horses) over the years scooped the pool in the junior ranks.
Piper won the Junior challenge overall, highest scoring Australian Stock Horse and several other placings.
While Bridie was right behind her on one of the families’ mares Bolstad Gypsy and the pair even got to be in a line-up together with Bridie coming fourth overall in the challenge.
Their love of horses is definitely in the genes. Mum Kendall is an extremely skilful rider and dedicated breeder while their father Mick is well-known throughout the region as a skilful cattle and horseman.
“They (the girls) are drawn to anything that involves the chance to chase a cow,” Kendall said.
“The blame for that is entirely on Mick”.
Both are very determined and driven when it comes to horses; younger brother, 10-year-old Darby not so much according to his mum.
She said his interests lie in machines, but he makes a “damm good strapper” and the girls enjoy bossing him around.
Kendall says she has tried in vain to encourage the girls to get involved in other interests but says, “It’s pointless”.
“I guess it’s expected given they’ve been surrounded by horses their whole lives,” she said.
“They literally grew up in a gooseneck, (horse trailer) learning to walk up and down the horse ramp that was the entrance to their home”.
Mick and Kendall Griffiths founded Stannum Stock Horses in 2008 after purchasing the heritage stock horse stallion Hydeout Freeman. This legendary horse, by the impact sire Adios Reflect, has sired many great, but not always easy performance and working horses for them.
The kids have been involved with everything along the way. They know what it takes to produce a horse from start to finish and have lived with the hard work environment as their norm.
“A few years ago we made the big and difficult decision to geld Freeman as an older horse so that the girls could also compete on him,” Kendall said.
“It has been the best decision”.
The now 19-year-old gelding is loving the pampered show horse life. He even goes to school with Pip spending five days a week at the Scots PGC Equestrian Centre so she can ride consistently.
Piper is thoroughly enjoying being competitive on him and they get better with every competition. It was Freeman that she rode in the recent ASH event.
Both girls are accomplished Junior campdrafters and all-rounder young horsewomen who are extremely resilient for their tender years.
The girls spent four years helping their parents get their cattle and horses through the severe drought conditions only to then find themselves in the midst of two years of Covid lockdowns.
With no avenue for competition, the pair were undeterred and spent three years wrangling wild horses and training at their property at Ruby Creek, Amosfield waiting for competitions to open up, post Covid.
Kendall says they are making up for it now.
“The girls keep a very close eye on the event’s calendar and let us know what is in the pipeline and what we should be nominating for,” she said.
“There is no stopping them now.”
