Shantelle Williams to ride for Longspring
Talented young rider Shantelle Williams has moved to Longspring Stud in the Wairarapa from Tauranga to work with Victoria and Rupert Vallance in producing the many young horses on the stud for competition and eventual sale.
Shantelle at 16 years of age already shows the dedication and commitment required to make a career out of showjumping. Quick to realize that at Longspring she would have an opportunity to ride a wide selection of quality young horses that she could not really afford to buy – but with the added bonus of having Rupert Vallance help train her as a rider. Rupert has started many of the stud’s top horses under saddle including Super Moth, Duty Free and Falcon so has wealth of knowledge to pass on.
Shantelle currently has two of her own horses at the stud that she competes on in Young Rider classes – Cool As Ice and Jahbu. Cool as Ice has been a reliable performer and has won several good classes - the highlight of which was winning the 1.20 class at the Christmas Class in 2008 in open company with entries of over 120. Jahbu is an ex-racehorse and her speed horse.
Since coming to the stud, Shantelle has also developed an appetite for studying bloodlines. When the chance came to take on Cool As Ice’s mother for a broodmare, Shantelle and her mother jumped at the opportunity. She has already purchased another thoroughbred mare which she plans to breed to a Wiemselbach stallion using frozen semen.
Shantelle’s family are very horse minded. Her father Martin is a regular course builder on the showjumping circuit and will be traveling next year to work alongside top international judge Leopoldo at Spruce Meadows at his invitation. Her mother Gail has a family background in harness racing so has proved to be an eager and able groom to her daughter Shantelle.
Victoria and Rupert are pleased at the progress the young horses are making under saddle – with the bonus that Shantelle is still young enough to ride ponies which suits Sabrina LS, a showy little black mare that isn’t going to make horse size! Shantelle has a nice style of riding with quiet hands and a natural empathy for the young horses at Longspring.
