Professional Rider and Instructor

Hi Everyone


My name is Fiona Guthrie and I am currently the stable rider/instructor for Wendy Schaeffer at Sunburst Equestrian. I am available for dressage, showjumping and cross country lessons both on Sunbursts Hahndorf property which includes a training x country course with banks/ditches and water but also at peoples private residence and at courses such as Grand Cru/Kirkaldy.
I am also available for schooling of horses at either sunburst or your own property. We also have school horses available.

For those of you who dont really know me, I will give you a short run down.
I am 32 years of age and have been riding since I was 2. I started eventing at 12 on a horse called Bejan who had issues leaving the start box on cross country! I took him from pony club grade 3 right through to our first 2 star when I was 16, I then went on to a string of off the track/unschooled horses which I took through the grades some of which include:
Get The Dollars - 3 star
Touche - 2 star
Renmark - 2 Star
The Kings Dollar - 1 star
The Huntsman - 1 star
ESB Irish elegance - pre nov
Moonlight Eclipse - prelim (dec)
and more recently Crockadoo and Belle Amour both 2 and 1 star. I am also currently competing Koyuna Sunshine and Sunbright along with preparing Wendys four star horse Sunshowers and her 2 2star horses Sunlover and Smokin Sun for Adelaide Horse Trials in her absence.

I am currently listed on the State Eventing Squad and have in previous years been the SA young event rider of the year! I have also competed up to Advanced level dressage and B grade showjumping and did a stint as a jumps jockey (many lighter kgs ago)!!
My specialty is young horses off the track and difficult horses, I enjoy the challenge of getting them going and like the horses listed above they were all off the track or had a difficult past. I have had many horses who dont make the best eventers but have gone on to be fantastic in other disciplines.

I am available 7 days a week and can be contacted on 045145419 or fionakg81@gmail.com

Hi Fiona

(think I met you at Mounted years ago)
would you be interested in coming out to give schools at Pony Clubs?? some of the clubs represented on the forum would probably be interested to know if you would come out - to run a "How to x country" day at the clubs themselves- what sort of group structure you like - what you charge - what qualifications you have (and lack of them doesn't always make any difference - it just means clubs have to have one of their Level One instructors on the ground - unless you carry your own public liability insurance)

I am one of the instructors at Pegasus - and many of our most loved guest instructors don't have recognised qualifications - but qualifications in life and experience - which you have in abundance. so if you can answer the above questions you may find you generate some interest in some of the PC's out there.

cheers OGM

Hi OGM

What might your name be? I was at the Mounted about 15 years ago??

Id certainly be interested in going to clubs, I currently help Wendy with the coaching of the Pembroke College Equestrian Team and we are doing alot of "how to" days! I also run clinics at Sunburst as we have access to a whole range of schooling fences. I have insurance for teaching at Sunburst but have EA insurance for riding anywhere.

The rates are:
$60 - private lesson
$70 - private lesson on our horse
$45 - per person group lesson 3-4 riders
$40 - per ride of clients horse
$30 - x country hire per rider without instruction


I also take on schooling horses at Sunburst with rates between $40-$50 a day dependent on feeding etc

Anymore questions please dont hesitate to ask!

ha ha - I was in charge of the work experience kids a lot - and yes - you were a bright eyed skinny little teen - we had about 4 other kids in at the time - all quite able kids (which made a pleasant change.) You came out to bolivar with us a few times when were doing some jumping - I think I was riding PM Jasmine and a few others in the young horses training team of nags

and as for the name - was with hubby number 1 then so prefer to forget that one.

I will present your details to the Pegasus Committee - we are always looking at getting some younger blood around instead of old fossils like myself

ok fair enough, I can remember riding out at Bolivar and I remember Jasmine! jade, Herakles, Clyde, Epsom, I fell of Herakles at Bolivar when some guns went off!

Can I at least get a first name???

LOL - nearly everyone fell off Herakles...more scalps than any other horse.
Jasmine never made the grade and got sold on -herakles Clyde and Epsom are long gone - and Jade retired today!!!

strains of "memories" sung by Barbra wafting thru my head

Sonia?!?

yup - you got me
I sent you a pic of what I looked like way back then....look in your PM's