Best at Barastoc

By Jade Lawton
PAKENHAM’S Penny Verco was awarded Champion Rider at the Barastoc Horse of the Year show last Friday.
Ms Verco, 29, caught the eye of judges on her warmblood cross thoroughbred gelding, Towering Inferno.
Barastoc, marketed as ‘the greatest show on turf’ is held annually at Werribee Park and is a mecca for Australia’s showies.
Ms Verco, in the 18 to 30-year-old class, was up against about 40 other riders. She broke-in the big moving bay herself.
“His first event was about two years ago,” she said.
The win adds to an already impressive trophy cabinet – Ms Verco won Melbourne’s premier showing event, the Garryowen, in 2003 on Inferno, Towering Inferno’s dam.
Inferno was purpose-bred as an eventer, but had more success in the show ring.
To breed the prize-winning mare to imported warmblood stallion Carbine, Ms Verco had an embryo removed from Inferno and implanted in a surrogate mare.
“But she was a tricky breeder, so she only had one foal. She has since gone to Tasmania and is doing well there,” Ms Verco said.
The embryo transfer was accessible to Ms Verco as her partner, Tim Ahern jnr, is an equine veterinarian.
Towering Inferno, known around the stables as Perry, is one of four horses currently owned by Ms Verco.
Ms Verco’s equine hobby is also her work – she publishes the monthly Track To Track magazine and the annual glossy Stallions at Stud.
Expect to see the prize-winning duo in the hack ring at the Berwick, Pakenham and Warragul shows.