Southern Stars
Equestrian...
"Gentle and thorough training from the ground up"..
Blog
Southern Stars Trick Riders!...
Trick riding is an extreme, fast paced, excitement packed, adrenalin rush on horse back...
These brave and talented girls are among the best trick riders in the country. Stunning the crowds with their daring stunts on horseback, these daredevil girls and their horses offer crowds a thrilling display of heart stopping tricks and stunts on horses running at full pace!...
Southern Stars Trick Riding performances are a unique form of entertainment and are sure to be a guaranteed crowd pleaser!
Performances can include blindfolded tricks, double tricks, Roman riding and even stunts involving fire!!
All performances can be tailored specifically to suit the needs of individual clients...Any budget can be catered for....Please contact the girls for all inquiries and bookings!... For more information please visit...
www.southernstarstrickriders.webs.com
...Creating respectful, responsive
and happy horses...
WELCOME to Southern Stars Equestrian!...Southern Stars is a small family business run by Mel Spittall and Brad Kennedy.
We offer a wide range of equine services for all manner of disiplines and we pride ourselves on doing an honest job at an honest price.
While Brad focuses on starting the young horses, Mel takes care of the foundation training, re-education and problem horses.
Mel has dedicated alot of time over the years to studing various horsemanship methods and has hence developed her own style of training and educating, depending on the needs of the individual horse. She believes in promoting calmness, and in creating horses that are light, responsive and respectful.
Whether a horse is taken on for starting, re-education or behavioural issues, their work always begins with developing respect and a co-operative attitude through ground work before training undersaddle. Like so many horse trainers, Mel believes this gives the horse a more respectful attitude, a deeper understanding of pressure/release and therefore creates a genuine understanding of what is required of it undersaddle and a true partnership.
Mel and Brad apply methods that prove any horse can be taught and trained in a non-threatening way. The end results being happy and responsive horses. Their techniques continue to change and evolve, as they believe.....Every horse (and horseman) will teach you something new.....and.....You never stop learning!!....
Website by Mel Spittall/Element Photographix
Copyright 2010 Southern Stars Equestrian
Equine Training Services...
Southern Stars Equestrian offers a wide range of services for all manner of horses in any disipline. We pride ourselves on doing an honest job for an honest price.
Starting horses under saddle. We offer a good start and a solid foundation for your horse, producing a light, responsive and respectful animal.
With a sensitive and intelligent approach to communicating and working with horses, we can provide your younger horse with a solid foundation for you to continue to build on. We also take on older or "problem horses" for re-education and problem solving.
Occasionally we have quality horses for sale, whether they be re-educated off the track, performance horses, or clients horses brought to us for training with the intention to sell on.
Equine Photography...
Element Equine Photographix is a small studio that caters for horse owners and the Equine industry alike.
A lifetime with horses and an unyeilding passion for photography has given Mel the ability to capture a horses unique character. She aims to snap those special photos you require for personal memories, gifts, for sale adds, advertising, websites, equine events, stallion promotions, or for any other purpose you may require photographs of your equine friend.
Mels primary aim is to capture the equine spirit. To produce images that reflect each individual horses personality and strengths. She offers dynamic original works of your horse (or you and your horse) in any setting or disipline.
All budgets can be catered for so please don't hesitate to contact Mel for any inquiries....She can even come to your event just to focus on great photographs of YOU!...
www.elementphotographix.com.au
Mels Bio...
For as long as she can remember Mel has had a preoccupation (some would say obsession) with horses. She began riding at the age of five and aquired her first pony at age six. Mel spent her childhood and early teens attending Pony Club and competing successfully in Gymkahnas, Mounted games, Hacking and Eventing.
Following in her fathers footsteps she went on to follow a career in Zookeeping. Mel worked for well known fauna parks such as Currumbin Wildlife Sanctury, Fleays Fauna Centre and Hervey Bays Nature World. Whilst working for these institutions she had the opportunity to work with all species of Native Birds, Reptiles, Mammals and Marsupials. These experiances sparked her interest in Animal Behaviour and she also aquired her Certificate 3 in Zookeeping.
During her late teens/early 20's Mel became involved in the theme park industry. She spent nearly ten years working for Warner Village Theme Parks, moving between Sea World, Movie World and Paradise Country as a Zookeeper/Animal trainer (and later the Australian Outback Spectacular). Sea World taught her valuble animal behaviour, and animal training knowledge and skills. She spent her time there working with and learning from some of Australias best Animal trainers. She worked with and cared for all manner of Marine Animals, Seals, Sea Lions, Sea Birds, Polar Bears, Dugongs and rehabilitated many rescued Marine Animals.
Movie World offered Mel a very unique opportuinity to work as the Supervisor/Head Owl Trainer for the brand new Harry Potter Exhibit. During this time Mel was able to train with some amazing Owls and two of Australias most well renowned Raptor/Bird Trainers, Paul Mander and Richard Naisbit (who she spent time with working at Healsville Sanctuary). This furthered her study and interest of the intircacies of animal training and behaviour.
Paradise Country offered Mel the chance to do what she truely loved and get back in the saddle. She secured a job as a Stockwoman, performing daily in Stockhorse, whip cracking, sheep dog and boomerang throwing demonstrations. She also gave her time to the wildlife department working with mainly Koalas, and to the Animal Nursury caring for Juvenille Farm Animals.
Mel began her Trick riding career in September of 2005. She was given another unique opportunity to become the very first employee and work as a full time Stockwoman/Trick rider at the Gold Coasts live arena show, The Australian Outback Spectacular. Eventually she also took on the Lead Female Role (that included a liberty act), performing in front of 1000 people each night.
Being a very busy mum of one hasn't stopped Mel from her dream of developing her very own Equine business. Along with fellow trick rider Hollie Shiels, Mel still finds time to perform and organise their very own Trick Riding Performance Troupe, Southern Stars Trick Riders. Performing with their Troupe at various Agricultural shows and other venues throughout South East Queensland. She is also aiming to head back into the local Show Jumping and Eventing circles next season as she is currently preparing some of her own ex-racehorses for a competion career.
Mel thoroughly loves running her own Equine Business from home and continues to feed her passion and develop her skills in Animal Behaviour and Training, concentrating solely on Equines these days.
Brads Bio...
Brad spent his early childhood growing up in busy Melbourne, Victoria. During his mid-teens he headed up to the Northern Territory to study at The Northern Territory Rural College where he studied and obtained his Certificate Two in Beef Cattle Production.
Brad then went on to work various Cattle Stations in the Northern Territory and Kimberly area. During his time there he took to breaking horses, shoeing, mustering and working cattle and horses. From the age of sixteen to twenty one Brad spent his spare time riding Open Bulls on the North Australian Rodeo Circuit.
In his early twenties Brad made his way down to the Gold Coast, Queensland. Here he secured a position as Lead Performer/Stockman in the Australian Outback Spectacular Arena Show where he met future partner, Mel. Two and a half years Brad spent riding Stock Horses and performing in front of a thousand people per night.
After the birth of their daughter, Brad spent some time further developing his Horse Breaking and Training skills working for American owned and run Racehorse Breaking and Pre-training Company, BC3.
Brad now works an outside job and spends much of his time making music and starting young horses at their property in Canungra.
Bit-of-Magic...
Sale Pending
Dolbro...
Sold!
Samuel Pre-Commitment...
A unique opportunity to purchase a fully trained trick riding horse trained by a professional trick rider!
Gorgeous 8yr old, 15.3hh Thoroughbred gelding. By Flying Spur (AUS), out of Tindaroo Lady (AUS). Off the track, 6mth spell. Solid and trustworthy. Lovely movement. Very trainable nature. Trained predominately as trick riding horse but would take to any disipline. Solid foundation, snaffle mouth, soft and responsive. Rollbacks, stops, spins, training flying changes & Roman riding. Will take flag and stock whip. Footage available if required. A pleasure to own. Easy to c,s,f,w. A real sweetheart. To approved home only. $7000 o.n.o
Contact Mel 0409987152 m.spitall_bigpond.com
Pics courtesy of PictureTHIS Photography, Editing Element Photographix
Ruby...
For sale through client. Very pretty. Appaloosa x Arab. Mare
6yr old. 13.3hh. Kind, willing. Basic education. Do well in
endurance, pony club, trail/pleasure. Snaffle mouth, soft and responsive. Great on roads/trail. Suit confidant adult or child
to get the best out of her. Currently in paddock condition. To good home only. Easy to c,r,f,w,s. $1300 o.n.o
Contact Mel 0409987152, m,spitall_bigpond.com
Any inquiries please feel free to contact Mel:
Mobile: 0409 987 152
Home: (07) 55 437 247
Email: m.spitall_bigpond.com
Located: 80 Rowe Road
Ferny Glen
QLD 4275
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