The Thrill of Bunbury Six Bar

With $20,000 on offer to competitors, the stakes were high and the excitement even more so at Bunbury on Sunday for the first Bunbury Six Bar competition.

Proudly sponsored by Off the Track WA and Witten’s Irrigation, this event brought together the equestrian community with the industry to celebrate the talent of retired racehorses in their lives after racing.

A superb effort was put in by the club and those helping to set up the event, with the fibre-sand inside track utilised as a temporary jumping arena. Six jumps with increasing heights were lined up along the finish line, testing scope, trainability and agility.

Round one started with twenty competitors: some returning to the track years after retirement, and some experiencing the excitement for the very first time.

Only two competitors were knocked out in round one, with Match my Speed and Surrender Talks each knocking rails. With eighteen now in round two and the final jump sitting at 1.10m, the competition began to heat up.

Riders and horses confidently took on Round Two with five competitors knocking rails. Double Oh, Bernice, Santander, Our Congrats and Proud Warning all dropped out, reducing the draw down to eleven riders.

Round Three was a nail biter with seven horses knocking rails. We said goodbye to Ima Lovalover, Restart the Game, Berni and the Jets, Watchdog, All West and Order is Restored. The final jump increased to 1.20m.

Round Four saw Reduction and De Lovely Lad knock rails, leaving two contenders for first place. This line topped at 1.30m.

With room to squeeze one final round in between races, Dani Carey and Georgie Siciliano faced off, ready to take on the final jump at 1.40m. Each horse knocked one rail, resulting in a split win for Steel Business and Georgie the Best.

Congratulations to the connections of these horses for their successes both on and off the track. Each in their late teens, these two Thoroughbreds haven’t slowed down in their life after racing and are continuing to excel beyond the track in their chosen disciplines of eventing and show jumping.

This event shone a light on the possibilities and opportunities afforded to racehorses once retired whilst bridging the gap between the equestrian and racing industry. With many spectators and participants eager to give this event another go, the future looks bright for the future.

Each competitor was eligible to compete thanks to their OTTWA Passport, a free-to-claim registry of retired racehorses allowing owners access to educational opportunities, sponsored events, discounts from businesses and services and many more incentives designed to support these horses beyond racing.

Thank you to Bunbury Turf Club for the opportunity to showcase off the track talent.