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Feature: Game on at Wallaby Hill

Written by AMANDA MAC

1st place went to Zara Young, aka Little Bo Peep and her very athletic sheep Aveden Indigo. All images by Ashley Grant of The Blachat.

Game on at Wallaby Hill

What better way to kick off the eventing season than with the annual Wallaby Hill Extravaganza, which was once again a huge success, writes AMANDA MAC.

There’s nothing quite like the annual Eventers vs Showjumpers fancy dress competition to get the eventing calendar off to a great start! It’s become an eagerly anticipated – and hotly contested – feature of the Bowral Kubota Wallaby Hill Extravaganza, which this year had an added focus.

Merran Wallis and Arthella Superwoman hopping into a bunny inspired 3rd place. All images by Ashley Grant of The Blachat.

Although he didn’t attend last month’s event, Shane Rose’s legendary mankini, which in 2024 created quite the fancy dress stir, was the inspiration behind a very successful fundraising drive in support of Movember.com and men’s health.

With Shane’s blessing, Wallaby Hill’s Alex Townsend commissioned a mankini themed 2025 calendar, tea towel set, and kitchen apron, which were sold through Wallaby Hill’s online shop with a percentage of the proceeds going to Movember.com. Jewel in the fundraising crown was a raffle for a one of a kind Mankini show jump valued at $1,700. The raffle, drawn at this year’s Extravaganza by Kubota’s Chris Pennells, was won by Simon Cathcart, a keen Movember supporter who purchased several hundred dollars in tickets. While it’s obviously too late to buy raffle tickets, there are still some Shane Rose mankini inspired items available in Wallaby Hill’s shop, but better be quick!

Sixteen-year-old show jumper Zara Young and Aveden Indigo took on a competitive Eventers vs Showjumpers field to win, beating Olympian Chris Burton to 2nd place and Merran Wallis to 3rd in an exciting contest of skill.

And top marks to the winners for their creativity! Zara delighted as Little Bo Peep aboard her equine sheep; Chris and Cassina SR ticked all the right boxes with a mankini and accessories embossed with the Movember moustache logo; while Merran Wallis and Arthella Superwoman, who jumped to the tune of ‘Run Rabbit Run’ were on point in their eye-catching bunny attire.

Now in its 8th year, the Bowral Kubota Wallaby Park Extravaganza is a firm favourite with both riders and spectators. Last month’s event attracted over 180 competitors, and in the region of 800 spectators. There were eight show jumping classes, including a Best Dressed in the Eventers vs Showjumpers and a Best Dressed for Ring 2 competitors. All in all, plenty of costumes were on show, with more than a sprinkling of mankinis – a tribute to Shane, but none worn with his signature style and confidence!

Recently returned home to Australia, Olympian Chris Burton sported a now legendary mankini as he jumped into 2nd place with Alex Townsend’s Cassina SR. All images by Ashley Grant of The Blachat.

Alex Townsend, Wallaby Hill’s owner and manager, says that as the Extravaganza has grown it has become more and more time and labour intensive to run, but the fancy dress component alone makes it all worthwhile. “I love how everybody gets into the spirit of dressing up. From kids to adults, they all get out there and engage in having fun with their horses – and it’s really lovely to watch.”

And the Movember campaign, which raised just under $8,000, was a huge success. “Mankinigate was a bit of a negative last year, unnecessarily so, and I’m thrilled we’ve managed to turn it around and make it into something so worthwhile, to actually do something good with it – that’s the best outcome you can hope for,” she adds.

And you can’t argue with that.

 

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