Hamag is proud to sponsor Renee Pedretti.Where did you get those boots Renee? They are fabulous. This was asked of Renee when wearing Hamag's Renee Gaiters whilst training in Denmark!
Renee, seen here riding the highly successful Sunbury Lodge Thomas, is one of Australia's most outstanding young Dressage Stars, having won the coveted Aachen Prize twice.Renee is training in Denmark at present with Per.She is proudly sponsored by Hamag and enjoys wearing Hamag's made to measure Gaiters.Renee has helped Hamag design Dressage specific Gaiters, appropriately called the Renee's, and other practical riding gear such as the Nose Band and Poll Gel Pads.
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| Renee on Sunbury Lodge Thomas |
Renee winning South Africa October 2007 |
Photos courtesy Derek O'Leary, Oz Equestrian Photography: www.derekoleary.com
Renee's Hardest Decision is a Golden Opportunity for another Dedicated Dressage Rider
Like many mature Australians,Sunbury Lodge Thomas as gone to Queensland! Renee has visited him there and says that he is very happy and settled in his wonderful. new home
Tom's story
"I still remember my first ride on Tom when he was two and a half and just been broken in like it was yesterday. He was almost black with a white box shaped head and after my 14.2 hh Galloway, seemed absolutely massive! I had started working at Sunbury Lodge Equestrian Centre in Kyneton, where I was given the opportunity to ride some of the young horses. I fell in love with Tom instantly, not to long after Anne offered him to me. Who was to know that this Clydesdale cross was going to take me on such a wonderful journey?
Tom’s first ever competition was at Ballarat where he won the Preliminary Championship! At this point I think it still only took us about eight strides to get down the long side as his canter was quite out of control. He had always had lovely rhythm in the trot and a relaxed walk.
Over the next ten years we had many successes and disappointments; not to mention many training hurdles. One memory is riding at home trying to teach him to counter canter. My arena at the time was a mowed area in a twenty acre paddock at Mum and Dad’s. Let’s just say if Tom found something hard he was quite good at just running away. So we spent a lot of time doing counter canter around the whole paddock!
I can still remember my first lesson with Charlotte Pedersen, it was so exciting. Mum and my Oma had come to watch. Charlotte decided to have a ride on Tom. After two circle of being ridden through he decided that was enough and carted her out of the indoor; almost straight over the top of Oma. There were quite a few Danish words spoken as Tom was ridden back into the arena!
One of our early highlights was coming Reserve Medium Champion at the Australian National Championships. I remember actually being happy about being Reserve as the Champion had to make a speech at the prize giving ceremony. That was when public speaking was my worst nightmare!
Over the years we slowly moved up the levels winning many events including the Aachen Challenge. In the same year we also came second in the Prix St George Cup at Dressage with the Stars.
Then I decided to make the move to Inter 2. I was so nervous, Mum had to come and find me as I was wondering around Werribee feeling very light headed and slightly nauseous. I had a mistake in the Inter 1’s but the rest of the test felt great. As I made the final halt I burst into tears forgetting to salute the judges, I scored 64%. We had made it.
Tom continued to improve at Grand Prix competition successfully in all CDI International events. He has never been unplaced. In his last CDI he was the best placed Victorian horse in the Grand Prix and scored 67% in the Kur with less than 1 % separating 2nd to 5th place.
Renee : Australia's Young Dressage Champion . Member of the Victorian A Dressage Squad, with Sunbury Lodge Thomas & Belcam Cadet.
- Winner with Nicholas Fyffe for Australia at the Tri Nation Equestrian Championships in South Africa 2007
- 2007 Highest placed Victorian in the Grand Prix
- 2007 Victorian Dressage Festival, Grand Prix Kur 2005, 5th
- 2005 Inducted into the Hall of Fame at the Daylesford Secondary College
- 2004 Australian National Championships.
- Winner of the Young Rider Prix St George Aachen Challenge 2004
- Winner of the Young Rider Prix St George Aachen Challenge 2003
- Dressage With the Stars. S.L.Thomas 7th Prix St George, 4th Inter 1 Kur
- Northern Regency 3rd Prix St George, and Inter 1 Kur
- 2003 Vic State Championships Northern Regency Reserve Medium Champion
- 2002 Young Rider Championships S.L.Thomas Medium and Advanced Champions
RENEE’S OUR NATIONAL FEI
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YOUNG dressage champion Renee Pedretti said she was "shocked" when she found she was the highest ranked Australian rider in the Federation Equestre Internationale rankings.
The 25-year-old, ranked 106 - ahead of many European champions.
She leads the other Australians, including Olympians Heath Ryan, who is 121, and Mary Hanna, ranked 145.
"I was browsing the internet, and thought I’d just check the FEI ranking, and when I saw my name, I thought, hang on a moment, there doesn't seem to be any other Australian listed above me." Renee said.
"It still doesn't seem real." Renee began riding at the age of four, and travelled the pony club route, through games and showing. She enjoyed eventing and cross-country.
"But after a really heavy fall in eventing, I decided dressage was the way to go for me," Renee said. "I was one of the first group to be included in the Victorian young dressage riders squad, created by Jill Sinclair. "And the squad has been a real boon to the young riders. They are all so focused on their sport, and hopefully we have more young riders coming through to the top. 
Renee said the ranking was all the more pleasing as it had been achieved with her snow-white gelding Sunbury Lodge Thomas. "I was told he would never reach Grand Prix level. Yet here he is." she said.
Twice winning the Aachen challenge for young riders, which is offered at the Dressage with the Stars championship, raised Renee's profile & opportunities for which she is most appreciative.
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Article from the Weekly Times January 2006
