Biography

It will be a first Badminton for Australian rider Hazel Shannon (29) who is based in the small east coast hamlet of Bawley Point, New South Wales (3 hours south of Sydney). Last year with Badminton entry WillingaPark Clifford she was the non-travelling reserve for the Tokyo OG.

Hazel learnt about eventing from her English born and raised mother Melanie and her sister Aunt Lynne, who both emigrated to Australia in their 20s. Although she was keen to try the sport, she only got her first chance to compete when in 2010 she went to work for Heath and Rozzie Ryan aged 17. Prior to this she competed in showjumping and camp drafting (a unique Australian sport involving a horse and rider working cattle and originally the sport of the Australian stock horse).

After 11 years with the Ryans Hazel moved south down the coast to Willinga Park at Bawley Point where she is now based.

Clifford is the only horse Hazel has competed beyond 2*. However, she now has several young horses in the yard including two by Chilli Morning one an ET foal out of the Australian five-star mare CP Issey Miyake.

Hazel trains with Kevin Mcnab

WillingaPark Clifford is a 16-year-old Australian-bred thoroughbred owned by Terence and Ginette Snow. Bred by Sue Monks in Tasmania he is by Passing Shot out of Twin Pearls by Double Income. Originally bred to race, albeit he showed so little promise he never started, he has been competed by Hazel since a five-year-old. He is the only horse to have won the Adelaide 5* three times (2016, ’18 & ’19) In 2016 Clifford was the Australian ‘domestic horse of the year’ as well as the ‘NSW eventing horse of the year’.