Equestrian horses have demanding training regimes as a matter of course, but for Berkeley Castle the commitment is even greater: the gelding is on course to travel to Athens for the Paralympics.
Victoria's Anne Skinner has gelled with the warmblood even though they live in different states and only meet three or four times a month.
However Berkeley Castle, stabled outside Sydney, is kept busy by owner Roger Fitzhardinge. The well-known FEI competitor and EFA Judge recently rode the eight-year-old at the Sydney CDI *** event. Fitzhardinge is full of praise for both the mount and the Paralympian. "The horse is very adaptable to her, he tries very hard for her, they just fit together. She likes him and he likes her."
The disabled riders are as competitive and dedicated as their able-bodied counterparts. "The Paralympic riders at Level 3, Level 4, are very competent riders," Fitzhardinge says. "They cope very well with their disabilities."
The National Disabled Championships in May will be held at the same venue as the one used for the CDI *** and Sydney Olympics; the world-class Sydney International Equestrian Centre. Fitzhardinge says the event will also be the final test of horse-rider cohesion, as they will be competing together for the first time. "They'll be together for five days in a competition situation, if he doesn't cope they will change horses."
Fitzhardinge, however, is confident no contingency will be needed. "Anne Skinner is a very competent rider and gets on well with the horse." Berkeley Castle's job is that little bit easier given that Fitzhardinge rides him at higher levels of competition. "He's trained at a much higher level so the work for him is simple." Fitzhardinge says that Berkeley Castle will need his advanced training, as the Australian Paralympic campaign is a serious enterprise. "What we want as a competitive nation is to win gold medals, so we want not just any horse that matches the rider, we want the best horse possible."
The training "becomes more intense closer to September" before the horses are transported just as those competing in the Olympics. Fitzhardinge says he never envisioned a Paralympic berth for Berkeley Castle before Coach Gill Rickard approached him and it was discovered the horse had the required temperament.
"The type of horse [needed] is one that is honest, light to ride, but not too sensitive. Then on top of that they have to be competitive to compete at the level of the Paralympics."
Berkeley Castle's has the spark of a stallion but the sensitivity of a warmblood. Sired by warmblood Montora by Monopole, his dam was My Lady Leica. Raised by Libby Calaghan in Young, Berkeley Castle may have moved to Glossodia, but his biggest trip is yet to come.
