2020 Lifetime Achievement Award – Arabian Derivative

Trincada Strike APS1564

Owner and Breeder: Susan Williams

Trincada Strike was born in 1997. He is the son of Pinelodge Pride (who is by the great World Champion Ralvon Pilgrim out of Ennderale Jilla). Strike’s dam Simeon Classic is by another well-known Arabian stallion, Simeon Samuel, who was imported from Germany and from the beautiful Welsh mountain mare, Simeon Honeybee. Strike combines some of the most sought-after Welsh and Arabian bloodlines in the world. He demonstrates that perfect blend of the pony characteristics contributed by the Welsh lines with the breathtaking beauty and pizzazz that can only come from the Arabian.

Strike named himself when he was just three days old. I saw him strike an Anglo foal’s ear he was paddocked with. Strike’s reach with those front legs was incredible. He has always used his front legs like hands and at times, very quickly. You don’t even see them leave the ground.

Strike has a personality and presence that makes him perfect for the show ring. His first was the Arabian Feature show when he was 3 months old. He trotted away with Supreme Foal beating the Purebred Foal. I recall people following him back to his box to get a closer look at him. Strike loved the attention. He has always been a people magnet.

As a yearling, Strike was sent to Ron Males for halter training. Ron didn’t say much when I dropped him off at Ralvon the first time, but the pair would immediately develop a beautiful relationship. Ron noted that Strike had a very active mouth. One of Ron’s favourite sayings is “a horse with an active mouth has an active mind”, meaning the horse is willing to learn new things. Ron also broke Strike to saddle and harness.

A show pony needs to have that something special. Lady Anne Blunt describes it as “…that indefinable thing called style”. From the moment he first stepped into the show ring, he began amassing his league of fans. Trincada Strike has collected 34 Australian National Championships. He has won awards in halter (14 in a row), harness, saddle, bridle path hack and AOHT. Strike is a true showman and loves a crowd.  Every time he enters the ring, it is like he is being shown for the first time.

As well as being registered with the Arabian Horse Society and the Welsh Pony and Cob Society of Australia, Strike is also registered with the Welara Society in America, a society for ponies of Welsh and Arabian breeding.  A few years ago, Strike was awarded the first Welara Pony of the Year; an impressive 1000 points. The next pony down from him was shown in Canada and finished with 200 points. The same year, Strike won the overall Amateur Owner Handler and Trainer for winning shows all over Australia.

Strike has also made a name for himself as an outstanding sire. His progeny are all stamped with a certain look and are easy to spot across a showground. Even his grand-progeny have the same traits. It doesn’t matter what mare goes to Strike, he will put his stamp on the foal. His progeny have all acquired his breathtaking movement and ‘look-at-me’ attitude. That’s the primary reason Bob Burgess called Bracknell Lookatme. Strike’s progeny have the same beautiful nature and active mouth. He has at least 16 sons and daughters that have won Australian National Championships in halter, saddle and harness. Numerous grandsons and granddaughters have also won Australian National Championships.

Strike’s most memorable Australian National Championships would have to be 2014.  Emma Adams rode Strike for Champion Ridden stallion followed up by Ron Males driving him for Champion harness.  The next day, Anthony Geytemen led Strike to win champion halter stallion for the 14th year in a row. The last day of the championships, I led Strike for champion AOHT in a very large class of ponies. Four Australian National Championships out of four, not a bad effort, but certainly demonstrates Strike’s versatility.

I attribute Strike’s outstanding success to his temperament and the people around him, mainly myself, Ron Males and Anthony Geytemen for keeping Strike sane in a stressful show environment. Finally, I was thrilled when the Arabian Horse Society of Australia awarded Trincada Strike with the first Lifetime Achievement Award.  – Sue Williams