Thirty-eight-year old Australian Grand Prix rider Brett Parbery had a bitter pill to swallow when he missed out on team selection for the 2008 Olympic Games. But Parberry wisely handled the situation and turned the experience into an important lesson for his future endeavours.
"It is one of those classic scenarios that I learned more from not making the team, than I would have by making the team," he admitted. "I learn from my mistakes and will try never to make them again. I gained a lot of experience from the trip and pre-Olympic selections so overall I am better for it. I will be giving my all for London, but a lot can happen between now and then."
The Australian selection committee had to face tough criticism from riders, supporters, and even bystanders during and after the team selection. Brett regrets that the selectors fear openness and transparency. "I think that the problem with our selection process is that the selectors feel that they cannot be involved in the process and must stay removed from the riders, no talking to us for fear of being accused of favouritism," he disclosed. "I think this is small town mentality but it is pushed on them from the Federation. When I look at the other more successful countries, I see the selectors integrating with the riders back in the stables and really keeping their eye on the game. I think if this had been done, the selection could have been different."
But Parbery has turned the page of that chapter in his life and moved on to more success. Aboard Carolyn Lieutenant's Australian registered and French bred Victory Salute (by Salute x Victorieux), he reigned supreme at the 2009 Dressage with the Stars CDI Werribee, winning the Grand Prix and the Kur to Music with a new freestyle. It was his first major victory of the season.
Parbery has quite an interesting background descending from a rodeo family. "My father was a bronc rider when he was young and so were all of his mates. He was heavily into campdrafting when I was growing up so I was dragged around rodeo grounds all over south Australia. Campdrafting didn't interest me much so I used to sit behind the chutes and watch the rodeo. All I ever wanted to be was a bronc rider," Parberry reminisced. "Making the decision to become a bronc rider was never a surprise to me or my family."
Due to his 6'2" length, Parbery found it hard to be truly competitive as a bronc rider but he qualified to the ABCRA National Finals four times and was APRA Premier State Rookie Bronc Riding Champion in 1996. To take his career to the next level, Brett crossed the Pacific to compete throughout North America in the professional rodeo circuit.
By May 2000, Parberry's fire for bronc riding had extinguished and dressage had gradually become the new challenge since 1998, though he briefly considered cutting horses as the next step. At the time, Parberry was living in north western Sydney, an area known for its large concentration of equestrian horses.
"I started getting calls from dressage ladies in distress. Then after working with a few of these horses, I became more interested in it and started searching for more opportunities." Parberry got the opportunity of a lifetime to ride Vicky Brydon's small tour horse. "She trained me six nights per week for a year. I have never looked back since then and owe a lot of my success to Vicky and her wonderful mare Leibling," said Brett. "I will say, however, dressage is not for the faint-hearted. It is a true story that in my first year of dressage, I was bucked off more times than my last year of rodeo!"
Over the past ten years Parbery spent at least four of them in Europe in different lengths of time. His major influences in training were his original coach Vicky Brydon and Roger Fitzhardinge but he also learned from the European masters. "I used to watch videos of Mr Klimke and Mr Schulten-Baumer training riders and I love the Kyra tapes," Parberry confessed."Over the past five years my major influences have been Ulla Salzgeber from when she was our National Coach and recently Hubertus Schmidt."
The dressage world has been quite different from the rodeo world, bumping into bigger egoes than expected. "Dressage is a little more individual and there is just not as much camaraderie," Parbery confessed. "I will say however that I do have a good relationship with a few riders and we do get the harmless banter and geeing up going which is fun."
Parberry runs a professional training and sales facility with his wife Melinda. At his five-acre farm in the Southern Highlands, one hour south of Sydney, Brett and Mel have fifteen horses in work. "We have a rider and two stable staff. I am tall so most of the horses I ride are big, so we nickname our place Jurassic Park."
Parbery maintains good connections with Asia and served as national coach for Singapore for two years. He's currently in discussion with representatives of the Japanese Federation to become more involved in their young rider program.
"My future goals are to work hard at becoming a better rider and trainer. I want to continue to select suitable horses and then bring them to Grand Prix in the most correct way. I have had a small taste of the big tour in Europe and I love it. I have a lot of friends over there riding Grand Prix so I want to get back there to the big shows as soon as possible. My constant goal is to be the best rider I can be and my dream would be to compete frequently in Europe and make the World Equestrian Games' and Olympic teams."
Brett, what's your favourite dish?
Brett: I truly love Thai food and my favourite dish is a Musamin Curry.
If you were to chose a different profession, what would it be?
Brett: I love property investing and property development. I have done some little developments of my own over the years and am currently working on one at the moment.
What is the biggest intellectual joy for you?
Brett: I would say either watching a good movie with a twist, or reading a good book. I can only read true stories, fiction is not for me. If it didn't happen, I don't want to know about it.
My favourite movies are The Shawshank Redemption and the Bourne and Bond movies. I really like anything that is a true story: Alpha Dogs, Donnie Brasco, etc. Books, I really enjoyed Lance Armstrong's book and John Krakauer's true story Into Thin Air. Currently I'm reading about a famous piece of Australian war history called Tobruk.
What gives you the most artistic pleasure?
Brett: Creating Freestyles. I'm not the most artistic person but I seem to find an artistic passion when I develop a new freestyle. I like to assess my character, the horse's character, how our characters fit together and the picture we portray when I choose music and choreography.
What gives you the most physical pleasure?
Brett: I would say sitting down and taking the first sip of a beer at the end of a hard days work. What can I say, I'm a simple guy!
What makes you cry?
Brett: I did shed a tear when I missed out on team selection for the 2008 Olympic Games. I also get very upset at the thought of cruelty to animals. Animals are my life and I like to stand up for them.
What annoys you the most?
Brett: I dislike people who are destructive. People who create rumour and innuendo and play politics. I am a very straight up and down person and have no time or tolerance for people such as this. To me it's either contribute in a positive way, or don't take up my time.
What does heaven look like to you?
Brett: Heaven looks like the Lake District in Italy. It would have none of the people I just mentioned above and has lots of wonderful animals and good dressage riding.
And Hell?
Brett: Over the years I have worked in some very bad European stables. I think I have actually been to hell!!
What is the most beautiful place you've ever visited?
Brett: The Lake District in Italy.
What is the ugliest place you've ever visited?
Brett: I back packed around Spain when I was younger. There are some ugly parts of that country tucked away in the back blocks.
At what moment were you the happiest in your life?
Brett: My wedding day was easily my happiest day. Everyone is happy for you and you are standing there with the love of your life.
When were you the saddest in your life?
Brett: Probably the biggest sadness in my life so far would be missing out on selection for the Games. We have had no major tragedy in our family, so selfishly I would say that this is the saddest.
Who would be your favourite one-night stand?
Brett: One of the famous movie star girls: I think Scarlett Johannson is pretty hot.