Cathryn Herbert

Cathryn Herbert started here at Ryans in April 2016. Cathryn is from Western Australia and initially Cathryn started riding under the watchful eye of her dad Michael (Mick) Herbert who is also a race horse trainer. Cathryn and her dad were seriously into speed and of course Cathryn's career initially kicked off in the mounted games arena where she was very very fast. Cathryn was some 10 years of age at that stage and rode Lady Bird who was 11.2hh and had one white eye. Interestingly the mounted games thing in the early 2000's seems to have attracted in Western Australia some of the most ferocious and atheltic eventers to be on the Australian eventing scene. Cathryn was in her first Australian Pony Club team in 2002 and competing right along side Cathryn was Jess Manson who went on to win the Adelaide 5* three day event in 2014. Jess Manson was one of those kids who could vault on to a pony from the ground at flat gallop. Also in the Western Australian mounted games in that time was Lauren Browne who in 2019 came 3rd at the Adelaide 5* three day event and also Jess Sommerfield who is also doing extremly well in the Advanced grades on the NSW eventing circuit. Cathryn Herbert has a lot to live up to! From the mounted games Cathryn graduated on to Tetrathlon. Cathryn was selected on a Pony Club team to represent Australia in England and Ireland in tetrathlon in 2011 when she was 17 years of age. From there Cathryn graduated to Eventing. Cathryn managed to work her way up to 3* Eventing between herself, her dad, her first serious horse Giselle and Australian World Equestrian Games representative icon WA Eventer and instructor Anne Taylor. Before coming East to join the Ryans program Cathryn studied Engineering at Curtin University where she Graduated with first class honours. 

With the encouragement of Anne Taylor, Cathryn packed her bags and headed over East to base at Ryans. Cathryn has two horses in Giselle who had found her way into the 3* class before coming east and Belle who was very confident at 2*. 

Since starting here at Ryans both mares were initially started at 2* however 12 months on and both mares are now solidly on the eventing circuit at 3* level. Cathryn has also become heavily involved with the breaking in program here at Ryans and also now has a very fancy thoroughbred broodmare by Quest for Fame out of a Grovesnor mare who she has plans to breed an Olympic Eventing gold medallist from! Cathryn has also been very fortunate in picking up the ride on the wonderful schoolmaster Greenoaks Weltman (Mendy). With Mendy Cathryn has competed at Advanced level dressage and providing Mendy does not sell Cathryn will have her first Prix St George start very shortly and if possible her first Grand Prix start this year. 

2017 is indeed a big year for Cathryn and Tokyo 2020 is clearly targeted with both Eventers. 

  • Femme de Renaissance (Giselle) is a bay mare standing 16.3hh, 13 years of age, by Statford Grimaldi out of a thoroughbred mare called Renaissance Lady. This is a big scopey mare who does have the potential to do a beautiful dressage test, she is very bold and fast cross country and is certainly becoming more and more agile in the show jumping arena. We would expect this mare to start 3* before the end of this year. 
  • Karizmah Tiara (Belle) is chestnut mare standing 15.3hh, 12 years of age by Jaybee Excellent out of Bokandara Germani. This is a little pocket rocket who is a brilliant jumper, very careful and who has the most explosive scopey jump. Belle is like a cat coming into a fence and very agile. With Cathryn in the saddle they do make cross country time easily without appearing to hustle. In the dressage arena Belle is a hot little number but again a pure athlete and she is one of those horses that is very competition compatible and the dressage judges do tend to like her and score her very well. Belle has only just started 2* at the end of 2016 and we do expect to take the rest of 2017 in 2* developing confidence and knowledge. Off the record I am suspicious this mare will flourish quickly and come the end of 2017 she to may be 3*. We will let Belle be the decider of that. 
  • Greenoaks Weltman (Mendy)  bay gelding standing 16.2hh, 16 years of age by Man about Town out of a Weltmeyer mare called Weserfee. Mendy belongs to Pam Lloyd who wants to sell him. We have actually produced a video which can be seen on Youtube. And there is a write up on this horse with extended pedigree on the AOS Website here. In the mean time Cathryn considers this a serious contribution to her campaign towards the Tokyo Olympics. Mendy is a fabulous ride and is pretty well ready for Grand Prix. Cathryn is on the fast track but we do have to be sensible as well. 

2020 April the 12th, Easter Sunday. Who would have thought it but due to the Covid-19 virus Cathryn and her program along with the rest of the world is totally shut down. Unbelievable! 

  • . Femme de Renaissance (Giselle) is still in the program and has already completed her first 4* three day event late last year 2019 at Wallaby Hill. This is a significant achievement and not only qualifies Cathryn and Femme de Renaissance for the Olympics (which are now postponed) but also half-qualifies the partnership for Adelaide 5* International three day event. A partnership does need two 4* three day event clear rounds to qualify for the Adelaide International and this Covid-19 virus may well have the country shut down so that another qualifying event does not happen and maybe the Adelaide 5* three day event will also get cancelled. Sometimes the best of plans do get disrupted! 
  • Cathryn now has two new horses which are now part of the field of play and who between them hopefully have the World Championships 2022 and then the Olympics in Paris 2024 covered. 1) Windjana Romanette (Liv) who belongs to Edna and Jonah Bevan and who is currently competing at 3* level. 2) Jaguar Calling R which is a particularly chubby looking mare who is by the Olympic showjumping superstar Jaguar Mail. Jaguar Calling R is competing at 1* level and has a spectacular jump along with a wonderful temperament. 

Cathryn has also taken over much of the office work here at Ryans and has single handedly created and pioneered in the Auction online program which is used by the Auction of the Stars twice a year. This was a significant achievement and certainly changed the reach of Auction of the Stars.