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Sonya and Louis Ryan

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updated at: Mon 23 Jul 2018


Louis and Sonya Ryan have collectively successfully completed over 10,000km in endurance rides. The team have six ‘Tom Quilty Buckles’ between them and multiple best conditioned awards. Sonya has been successfully competing for over 25 years and Louis 10 years, since the age of five. Both Sonya and Louis have represented Queensland and Australia in an equine sport that is the ultimate endurance test for horse and rider with distances up to 160km in a day.

Horses on the team competing in 2018 are:

-  Kholonial Amigo

-  Kholonial Lightning Jack

-  Kholonial Abigaal

The team also offers endurance training and coaching programs for horses and riders under the brand “Nicker & Whinny”.

“We have started our horses on a full range of Stance Products since December 2017 and have already noticed a significant improvement in energy levels, coat conditions and general health and wellbeing.” Sonya Ryan, Nicker & Whinny

2018 journey so far…

Louis and Kholonial Amigo have started the 2018 season well, already completed a 120km mini marathon and in April placed equal first Junior in a time of 5hrs 23 min and 4th across the line in a field of over 70 horses. Louis commented that “Amigo had loads of energy during the ride and came home strong”. “Thanks Tim at Stance for recommending Coolstance Copra for sustained energy and Proflex for Amigos joints. We have just moved Amigo onto EquiPower Performance for additional energy as he moves into longer distances in competition during the year.” Sonya

Lightning Jack has just started his first endurance season with Nicker and Whinny and his breeder commented on how amazing he looks, the only difference in his diet has been the change to all Stance Products. Jack successfully complete his first 40km ride and we look forward to many more rides this year with our aim of qualifying him to ride in the epic ‘Tom Quilty’ in 2019.



Pictured above, Kholonial Amigo & Louis Ryan, winner of Equestrian Australia's FEI Best Managed Horse 2018 award at the Australian Championships - The Rock Ride NSW.  Photo Courtesy of Sue Crockett Photography.

We made the switch to Stance products and suggested feeding program at the end of 2017 and in the 2018 season our horses have gone from strength to strength. We have had a lift in our horses condition, stamina and general well being. The products that we could highly recommend for anyone serious about their feeding & supplement regime for endurance or trial riding would be the Equipower performance oil , Ketagen, and of course the base feed Cool Stance Copra. We have also added the supplements GTP, Vita Stance and Pro Flex to the horses in training for 40km rides and above. We use Turmercile for any of our horses that benefit from a natural anti inflammatory when being worked under tough conditions.  

Our super star this year is Kholonial Amigo. Amigo has won the Equestrian Australia's Best Managed Award at the FEI Australian Championships and the Best Conditioned Award at the Queensland State Championships 160km Junior Division. These rides were just 5 weeks apart. We had to really work on his recovery and on maintaining and increasing Amigo's condition after the 120km ride at The Rock and the 2,400km return trip to be able to compete in the 160km testing track at Imbil. We relied on the full range of Stance Global products mentioned above to do this and it paid off with a successful completion (only 50% of the field completed), 3rd place and the Best Conditioned award. Amigo had one of the best recovery times of the entire field when presenting in the vet ring, incredible heart rates parameters and he did not stop eating at every hold time during the 160km event from start to finish. 

Thanks to the team at Stance for your advice and amazing products.