He may currently be small in stature, however Riley Ellrott is establishing himself as one of the future leading competitors in the performance horse industry following the Dalby Stock Horse Sale where he presented the top priced horse, Lot 169 Bighouse Lollipop, a four-year-old mare sired by Fernhills Bennett for $96,000 and also featured in many of the Incentive Campdraft and Challenge results. A full sister to this year's sale topper, Bighouse Sugar Rush was sold for $65,000 at the 2022 Sale to Gwen Macmillan, which was also presented by the young horse trainer. Bighouse Lollipop was broken in and had her foundation training by Riley under the guidance of his father and mentor, Craig. After the first round of the Challenge dry work, Riley and Bighouse Lollipop secured 92 points just 1.5 points off the lead and in the wet work this combination scored 89 points to hold second position, just 2 points off the lead. After the final, Riley placed second in the five year and under Challenge and finished just one point behind leading horse trainer Ashleigh Fairbrother In the Under 25 Supafloats Rising Star Campdraft, Riley saddled up Kimlin Shiloh as the youngest competitor in the field to score 174 points to share equal second competing against his older rivals. The Ellrott family from Morinish, Central Queensland, offer their sale horses under the Bighouse prefix and have been regular vendors at the Dalby Stock Horse Sale presenting their homebred ridden horses for about six years. It's a family affair as Riley, along with his parents Craig and Belinda and sister Abby, have witnessed an increase in their following, as their sale horses are well presented and have had a solid foundation prior to sale. While Riley is one of the younger vendors and trainers, he is easily recognised wearing his wide brimmed sun shade attached to his skull cap, and the presence he commands when he enters the sale ring mounted on a home-bred sale horse obtains instant attention from the audience. This year the Ellrotts presented 10 sale entries through the Dalby ASHS sale, for a 100 per cent clearance. Riley celebrated his 14th birthday in September, and he displays horsemanship skills well advanced for his tender age and his maturity to perform at an elite level sees him well respected and admired by his peers and those within the horse industry. After presenting the top priced sale horse, Riley was interviewed by the Darling Downs ASHS branch president Jim Ryan where he mentioned the secret to training a good horse is to keep them relaxed and their saddle blanket wet. He rides two horses before school and the remainder after school, where he has just completed grade 8 at the Rockhampton State High School. Some of Riley's most memorable achievements to date include winning the 2023 Paradise Lagoons Juvenile in his first attempt in that age group. At the 2023 Clarke Creek Campdraft he won the Juvenile with 89 points riding Kimlin Shiloh, and was forced into a runoff in Maiden B after he and Bighouse Pretty Duckling shared the lead with 178 points to place second following the decider, he then won Novice B after equalling top score of 179 points with two other competitors and ran an 88 in the runoff to claim the victory. Craig Ellrott said he and his wife Belinda were very proud of their children's achievements and work ethics. "They work hard at it and it's humbling when a lot of people comment on how well behaved and mannered they are," he said. While the mud has settled after this year's Dalby ASHS sale, planning and preparations are well under way for their 50th anniversary, to be celebrated in 2024. The organising committee would welcome any memorabilia or contributions and feedback can be forwarded to the Darling Downs ASHS branch secretary.
