About

Merinda Shaw B.H.S.A.I

Having grown up at Thornton Park (see our history below), Merinda has spent her life around horses. In 1980 she traveled to England and became an accredited British Horse Society instructor. After her return to Australia, Merinda continued working with the family run business at Thornton Park, and now offers a professional and caring approach to teaching pupils and working with horses.

"Romsey School of Equitation began in my gap year (1979) after the Arab photographer Pat Slater, suggested that I accept local teaching requests. Thornton Park had many show successes in Victoria during that time.

In the following years I first studied in the UK with the show hack specialists, eventing and hunting yard Pinnocks Wood, near Maidenhead for my BHSAI. I then studied with Crabbet Park Equitation Centre in Crawley, West Sussex for my intermediate studies, and where I also qualified as a dressage judge.

In 1984 I launched Naibara Equitation which I worked out of Valley Park Stud (across the road from Thornton Park), where I took in liveries, broke in young stock, gave weekly on-site lessons in riding, longe and stable management, and off-site lessons and re-education to those unable to bring their mounts to the Valley Park Stud.

We now work out of Thornton Park. Lessons are available (singular, voucher or a weekly course), and livery is also available. Lancefield Pony Club, Riddells Creek Pony Club, and adult riders clubs are 10-15 minutes away. We still have the same telephone number, 5429 5344. My mobile is only available when I am not teaching, but please feel free to leave a message and I will return your call.

You do not need a love of any particular breed or field of equitation to feel at home at Romsey School Of Equitation. We will be pleased to hear from you."

- Lady Merinda Shaw, Principal.

1969 > Thornton Park - A short history

In 1969 Grahame and Hazel Shaw purchased the property at 590 Black Range Road and moved from Melbourne with their young family. They worked tirelessly to change the previous sheep farm into the Arabian Horse stud known as 'Thornton Park'. Hazel was a renowned horse breeder, senior judge and an early board member of the Arabian Horse Society of Australia (AHSA). Grahame was also a director of board of the AHSA, but commuted to Melbourne daily working in his architecture and town planning business.

The Thornton Park Arabian horse breeding program was based on the Crabbet Stud (UK) bloodlines with Indian Jewel (Raktha/Indian Pride) being the foundation sire of the stud.

1980 Grahame and Hazel Shaw with the stable block in construction.

1936 > The Arabians of Thornton Park

In 1936 Hazel Shaw began her first experiences in handling and training horses. In 1947 Hazel began training INDIAN JEWEL (Raktha x Indian Pride), a 100% Crabbet-bred Arabian, owned by the Armstrong-Jones. This well conformed chestnut stallion whose wide dark eyes expressed his fine temperament, proved to become very successful in the UK under saddle. His pedigree reveals an abundance of the prized Crabbet Park bloodlines incorporating the best blood of the breed which have become rare in Australian Arabians today.

Indian Jewel at Roehampton UK, circa 1947 with a male rider as girl grooms were not allowed to ride stallions in the show ring at the time.

Indian Jewel was imported from the UK in 1955. In 1966 and at the age of 24, he was reunited with Hazel at her home at Banyule Estate, Victoria. In 1968 the stud moved to Thornton Park Stud in Romsey, Victoria - where he became the stud’s first stallion. In the last six years of his life he sired 16 pure bred Arabians, many of them multi-champions in both led and ridden classes and/or producers of champions.

Indian Jewel with Hazel Shaw circa 1973/4.

Jewel’s prodigy included Jewelina, Riffindi, Indian Amethyst, Indian Topaz, Indian Moonstone, (dams), Indian Zircon, Nicodemus, Sheraz, and Taman, (sires) and too many others to list in this article.

In 1972, rising 31 years of age and with his last foal born that year, Indian Jewel died. He was succeeded by his son Sheraz, (Indian Jewel x Sherifna (Sherif x Yasmin).

Sheraan (Sindh x Sherifna) with Graham Shaw circa 1972.

Merinda Shaw riding Sheraz (Indian Jewel x Sherifna (Sherif x Yasmin)), circa 1979, before she took her international BHSAI studies.

Tirasina (Sheraz x Mirrilti - one of Thornton Park's founding mares) with foal Kitaro (King’s Rhapsody x Tirisina) circa 1980.

In 1978 King’s Rhapsady (King Cotton Gold - Delilah) was purchased as a yearling to compliment the classical Crabbet Park/Thornton Park Arabian bloodlines.

These unique Thornton Park bloodlines have continued until today with the sire Palatinus (Arfaja Robard x Parody (Kings Rhapsody x Jewelina - full sister to Sheraz)).

Romsey School of Equitation Circa 1979
Trading as Naibara Equitation - Established 1984
ABN: 544 286 043 91

THORNTON PARK
590 BLACK RANGE ROAD,
ROMSEY, VIC 3434 AUSTRALIA

MAIN: +61 354 295 344
MOBILE: 0425 774 179

[email protected]