The Story Begins
At the Palace of Versailles 2024 Paralympic Equestrian venue, Sharon Jarvis experienced every emotion possible – all rolled into one moment. She was sad not to be riding for Team Australia, but she was overjoyed for Bug (Lord Lamarque), the wonderful stallion she’d been riding for years, the one people thought would never make the Paralympics. Sharon was thrilled to witness him on the world stage ridden by exceptional rider – Stella Barton. In fact, standing on the ‘Kiss and Cry’ in Paris was the most emotional and joyous moment she had ever experienced.
This remarkable story begins in 2012, before the London Paralympics, when Sharon’s ride was suddenly made unavailable ending her chance to add a 2nd Games to her resume.
Come 2013 back in Western Australia, Kate Spencer rang Sharon to see if she’d be interested in trying Bug as her potential next Paralympic horse. Sharon took him on trial for 2 weeks and after just one week, decided to say ‘Yes’. Their embryonic partnership began unaware it would lead to Paris 2024.
In 2013, they competed at their first Nationals in Werribee. Still very green, he handled the whole travel, new environment, and competition experience easily.
Having won medals at WEG Kentucky in 2010 and, with her huge disappointment after her horse was pulled before London fresh in her mind, close friends offered to buy her a horse so this would never happen again. In 2014, Kate informed Sharon that Bug was up for sale. The stars aligned and to Sharon’s delight, Jade and Alan Moody bought Lord Larmarque for her so Sharon could keep riding Bug.
Bug’s Beautiful Back Story
Born and bred in Germany, Kate Spencer imported him into Australia. Deon Stokes competed him successfully as a 3.5yr old at DWTS where Ingrid Klimke rode him in 2011, scored him an 8 for rideability and 9/10 for his canter. After that, he didn’t do a lot of campaigning but wowed in the show ring with multiple Supremes at major Breed Shows nationally, including Supreme Champion Arabian Derivative at Sydney Royal in 2019.
Sharon says, “Bug has brought so much joy to so many people over the years. He has this wonderful ‘side eye’ but knows and does his job. He’s a beautiful soul – he shines from within.”
An example of his nature as told by Sharon: “My friend has a daughter with a disability, and she loves to ride at my place. I usually organise a pony for her but was unable to on one occasion. Their daughter arrived and I’d been training on Bug, so on the spur of the moment, I thought he can do this. ‘Ride Bug’, I said, and with that the girl rode him on a lead rein and then off the rein completely. The smile on her face was giant! Bug gave me his ‘special side eye’ but I reassured him, and he just did his job – walking and trotting as usual. He’s just that kind of horse.”
Introducing Stella Barton
Sharon has known Stella since 2017. Stella is a Grade I Paralympian who has the most degree of disabilities for riding. She has involuntary movements and no power in her legs to kick effectively. Sharon has followed her riding journey and knows that Stella will keep persisting during all the ups and downs that horses and life can bring. Stella competed at Hartbury UK in 2023 with Sally Francis coaching. However, the partnership of Stella and her horse wasn’t quite where they needed it to be at this level.
Meanwhile, for Sharon’s Paralympian journey to continue, she realised that Bug’s calm, beautiful steady walk, trot & canter would not be at the right level for Sharon’s Grade IV test requirements.
In a serendipitous, lightbulb moment whilst in the UK, Sharon knew Bug could be perfect for Stella. She suggested Stella come to WA and ride him. Stella arrived 2 days before the WA State Dressage Champs. Sharon had already entered Bug, so she was eagerly awaiting Stella’s reaction to riding him. First ride and Stella’s eyes just popped as Bug ‘did his job’ and just kept walking. Stella’s involuntary movements were no bother for this ‘old soul’ stallion.
Fast forward to their third ride, which happened to be the State Championships, and each test resulted in a PB! They were all shocked and thrilled by such a wonderful outcome for this very new partnership.
Sharon had already entered the National Championships, so preparations were made for the long journey east. With Sharon unable to ride due to illness, Stella had only a few more rides and then into the Nationals arena. The weather at Boneo was dreadful with horizontal rain to test this new pair. Bug, ever steady Bug, did his job as usual and just walked on. With more PBs under their belt, Sharon knew without a shadow of a doubt that this pairing was destined for the Para Games in France.
And so to Paris …
Sharon Jarvis loves her sport. She glories in riders achieving all they can and if it’s to showcase Australia’s equestrian talent on the world stage, even better. Sharon has found that dressage doesn’t come easily to Bug but once the cameras are on him, his character shines through and his rock-solid steadiness wins fans the world over. Ash, his groom for the Paris Games, has worked with many horses in her time, but she reports she has a love for this horse she’s never experienced before. Such is his sensational temperament. Sharon says, “We have trained for 11.5 years for 3 x 5-minute tests in the arena in Paris.” However, Sharon and Stella wouldn’t trade a moment.
Bug – The Extreme Introvert
Having worked with this chestnut stallion for over eleven years, Sharon often puzzled over the cause of his occasional unease, those times she felt he just ‘wasn’t quite himself.’ She realised he internalised his anxiety. He showed no outward fear, but she knew when it was there. She says he would rather ‘crawl into a corner’ than show how amazing he is.
In 2018 when training in NSW with Heath and Rozzie Ryan, long-time supporters of Kelato Animal Health’s products, Sharon started Bug on GastroAID Recovery. He became a ‘different horse’ – settled, no internalising his anxiety or fear, he grew in confidence. She knew he must have been suffering silently with ulcers all that time spent travelling and changing environments which go hand in hand with competition.
After the positive effect GastroAID Recovery had on him, and to this day, Sharon says, “I will never take him off GastroAID Recovery. It’s just too risky to change what works best. We took it to Paris – bucket loads of it. It had to see him through the journey, the two weeks prior in Deauville training, the Palace of Versailles venue, the return journey and then quarantine in Melbourne. I had it in each location for him so this amazing horse could do his best for Stella and Australia.”
Sharon trusts the whole Kelato range with her team when in training at home and out at competitions in Australia or abroad. Knowing the enormous change in Bug’s routine during the voyage and competition in Paris, Sharon packed BetaCALM with Bug’s supplements to give him that calm, confident, work mode when needed. With GastroAID Recovery to ensure his digestive system was supported and healthy, and BetaCALM on hand to help him overcome any fear or anxious moments, Sharon had all bases covered.
Bug loves his food, so Sharon has never had any difficulty with feeding him GastroAID Recovery. In fact, he seems to love it. His health and well-being mean everything to her. He thrives on routine, a gelding pal next door, and GastroAID Recovery. Only the best for unbeatable Bug – or Lord Lamarque when he’s at the Palace!
How GastroAID Recovery helps
Training, travelling, and competition are known risk factors that can cause a strain on your horse’s digestive system. The added pressures of increases in exercise and travelling to new locations can often cause digestive issues such as Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS) and/or hindgut disturbances. During training and competition, a gut health supplement such as GastroAID Recovery, which targets both foregut and hindgut health, can help look after your horse’s TOTAL digestive system.
GastroAID Recovery is unique as it’s the ONLY product that creates an alkaline slime in the stomach through the inclusion of a combination of coating agents, pectin and lecithin, and buffers. GastroAID Recovery also contains a prebiotic and probiotic for hindgut health, which work together to stimulate the growth of beneficial, fibre-fermenting microbes and enhance feed conversion efficiency helping with improved body condition and manure consistency.
Like to learn more?
Find out more about GastroAID Recovery and other effective Kelato Animal Health products here.
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