And as we take up part two of the story, a quick recap - Art never made it to New Zealand and his life changed direction after getting work with Gippsland Dairy Farmer whose lads rode - Art started to instruct them in the European way of riding and they went on to win at Royal Shows while Art was given a horse and was soon back in the saddle showjumping in Gippsland!

Kerry continues the story:

At this time in Australia the European style of riding was just introduced here, so Art was really instrumental in bringing this style to Australia.

The Equestrian section of the 1956 Olympic Games was held in Stockholm because of the quarantine regulations and when the riders arrived back in Australia they would talk about dressage and realized that Art rode in this style and practised it with his horses.

Prior to this he was ridiculed and even told to 'go back to Holland, Australian's don't ride like that'. Previously in riding classes he would not be called in, as all the riders had their legs in the forward position, but after 1956 he went on to win Champion Rider at Royal Shows.

From 1956 to 1989 Art's list of wins numbered into the thousands. At first he competed in three-day-eventing, but unfortunately you could only win a trophy and this did not pay the bills.

He was instrumental in designing the first indoor riding school in Australia at Kiddlewick Riding School in Hallam, Victoria. He was the first rider in this country to be sponsored and this was the Kevin Dennis Showjumping Team.

Then another sponsorship came from a wine importing business and a horse by the name of Johnny Walker Whisky made his mark.

The list of wins in endless, but includes three Australian Championships, Victorian Championships, Showjumper of the Year awards and Grand Prix events at all Royal Shows that he competed at.

classes), Leonard Tennant and Eric Musgrove (now a successful Victorian racehorse trainer). Art is see riding Mr Dennis who won every class that year....on the gravel car park in Chadstone, Victoria.

Some of the well-known horses that he had were Solo, Bencubbin, Donald, Madison Square, Powder, Trafalgar Square, Leal, Chatter, Gentleman, Brahmin, Tongala, Jamaica Inn 2nd, Mr. Kevin, Mr.Dennis, Wanganella, Autograph, Koyuna, Dixieland, Johnny Walker Whisky, and Mr. Ed, Duell Bug, Duell Roy and Man of Gold who competed for Japan at the Sydney Olympics.

In the early years he and his former wife Marianne would sometimes have 5 placings in one event at the Royal Shows.

The Puissance record was continually raised by many of his horses - on Bencubbin - pictured below - in the early days he was the first to jump 6'4" in Australia.

In 1969 he and Chatter jumped 7'2" - pictured right - and this height was held for many years and was only bettered because they changed the rules to allow the brick wall to have a ground line of hay bales in front of it.

Art's horses would have qualified him to ride at probably 5 Olympic Games, but being a professional he was ineligible.

However Mr. Dennis was ridden by Guy Creighton to finish 5th at Montreal Olympics, over the biggest showjumping course of all time, and Autograph, ridden by Jeff McVean ran 4th at the alternate Olympics in Rotterdam, when equestrian countries boycotted the Moscow Olympics and ran their own event.

With a wife and two-year-old son they left their Victorian Showjumping Stables, but not before finding out that the Equestrian Federation of Australia would not grant him a flag for his riding jacket, which in turn would not allow him to receive invitations from the international shows.

This was just another hurdle to jump, so it was off to the shows to qualify, and qualify he did!

Tongala was quick to be in the placings at Hickstead Showjumping Course, where it was announced that 'here is a Swiss horse with a Swedish Rider'.

The flag was quickly presented to be sewn on his jacket! Both horses went on to win a lot in the 3 months, when it was necessary to sell Jamaica Inn to pay for Tongala's return to Australia.

Tongala, was our horse,and he was world class but very difficult, and sometimes you had your heart in your mouth!.

When looking at the image right of Art and Tongala note the width of the oxer - it is not a bounce fence - and the great Tongala cleared it without blinking an eye!

Over the years he was the Trainer of the Australian team at the World three-day-event Championships at Gawler in South Australia, where they won the bronze medal. He was the trainer of the ill-fated Moscow showjumping team and was told that he would train the Los Angeles Olympic Team, but due

to Mr. Laurie Connell sponsoring the team and taking control - this did not eventuate either. He still says he was the Olympic 'Claytons' Coach!

Always a gentleman and with the sport uppermost in his mind Art paid tribute in his own way to Kevin Bacon's Ocean Foam. It was Adelaide Royal Show and Art had qualified David and Elizabeth Boyle's two horses, Gentleman and Leal and Kevin Bacon had qualified Ocean Foam at his last event prior to a well earned retirement.

Art, with the Judges permission, retired his two horses from the jump off leaving the win and the championship to allow Ocean Foam -pictured below left - to bow out a winner at his final event before retirement.

David and Elizabeth Boyle's, Trafalgar Square - pictured above right - was Arts favourite horse - "because he was so versatile and you could ride him in any event. He had the most perfect mind for a showjumper."

In December 1985, during a training session his horse stumbled on landing over a small jump and Arts leg broke in seven places. A serious break, it was set crookedly and eventually had to be re-broken and pinned again.

After this, he still rode and won some major competions, but gradually changed his sport to pigeon racing, which now takes up much of his time and dedication.

Of course, he still likes to win - that is the nature of the man!