Reece Burchell – Halter Phenomenon
By Jan Miller

Winning at halter is an art. First you have to select the subject and study it’s conformation and movement then you have to shape the horse with conditioning and mould it into a thing of beauty. You have to present the work of art standing square and visually attractive to the eye. The finished product is only as good as the creator and exhibitor. Reece Burchell is such an artist.

Ever since he could walk Reece has been with horses. In his country of birth, England, he was fortunate to have a grandfather who was a horseman. When his family chose Australia as their new home it was no surprise that he looked for somewhere to be around horses. Russell Pauley a Cutting horse rider in the Liverpool area of New South Wales provided Reece with his first introduction to the western breeds. Spending time with Russell in the care and working of the horses, Reece soon got the Cutting bug and was off showing. During this time he met Craig Emerton. Cutting enthusiast Craig also showed Halter and Pleasure horses and offered Reece a job. Reece began to develop Halter preparation skills and also western performance abilities. He learned a lot by observation, watching others, especially Donna Hillsley of the Immana Park Quarter Horse Stud at Maraylya near Nelson. Donna was at the time one of the country’s successful breeders and exhibited many award winning horses. Reece never had a lesson in Showmanship at Halter, but won every event he ever entered. With a palomino Quarter Horse mare by Pars Music Bar* and out of a Bill’s Crockett* mare, he won the Senior Showmanship event at the Premier State Show. This mare, Halloween Octave Bar, and Reece became a formidable partnership. The Sabino Paint mare, Murrumbo Bueno, was another that exhibited the handling skills and winning qualities.
Rose Rowlands had an eye for detail and could pick out a future winner from a crowd of horses. She could see quality even when a horse was in paddock condition and select a future champion. Her influence has undoubtedly contributed too much of Reece’s success in the show pen.

One of his most memorable moments was when he showed the bay stallion, Sir Sonita Bar, for the Top Line Syndicate at the Premier State Show. Now in those days (1988) this was the show to win at and the colt stood first in line in the Yearling Futurity, his Age class and was sashed Grand Champion Stallion.
“The colt was bred at Ellerston and was by Cuttabars Colonel*, and out of the imported mare, Sonoitas Sal and was so typey. Even today he would hold his own in a halter class,” said Reece.

It was no surprise that when Don Burke decided to set up a World Class breeding establishment that he asked Reece to contribute to the planning and selection of animals. He accompanied Don to the States and Tashmere was selected, as well as the stallion’s dam and other foundation stock. Don’s passion for Paint Horses complimented the Quarter Horses so the stud produced both breeds. It was now time to show off the goods and at their first Paint Nationals, after the completion of the facilities, they took six horses and came home with an amazing eight Grand Championships. Being the Manager, he also played an active role in the stud, producing the product through select breeding, preparing the youngsters and then putting them out on display for some amazing results.

A little later Reece purchased a property at Bligh Park near Windsor and made the move there. His plans to purchase an investment property in Queensland were put on hold however, when Reece became concerned about a lump under his armpit. He was getting some stomach pain as well so decided to have it looked at. What may have been a routine visit to the doctor turned into a nightmare. That dreaded ‘C’ word raised its head - Cancer.

After tests and biopsies he was diagnosed with Burkitts Lymphoma, the rarest and most aggressive form of all human Cancers. For the next nine months Reece was to be hospitalized for four or five days at a time, with chemotherapy sessions of three hours both morning and night. A twenty-four hourly drip was inserted to stop the stomach bleeding. Despite the severity of the condition it had been picked up early and the prognosis was favourable. Reece put his life on hold, but still continued to show. During treatments he attended last year’s AQHA Q4 Nationals and received Grand Champion Mare, with the imported mare Tease Me Please Me*.

“Horse shows were a great inspiration and they gave me something else to think about and do”, said Reece.
Reece and his partner Shane have since purchased the Queensland investment property in Queensland and look forward to a great future together.

During the interview I couldn’t help myself, I had to ask the question, “How did you cope with being bald?” I suppose the question stemmed from the fact that at the time of interview my own hair was growing back, after voluntarily loosing it to raise money as part of the Leukemia Foundation’s World’s Greatest Shave.

“Well my hat didn’t really fit and you know what the worst part was?” Reece answered, “There is no hair there to stop the sweat running down your face!” The conversation continued with the swapping of notes about feeling the cold that was one thing that I had noticed.

“I wore a beanie to bed to keep my head warm,” I said. During a serious part of the conversation we were both diverted with a little bit of fun. They say that laughter is the best medicine and raises your spirits. Reece Burchell may have lost his hair and weight but he hasn’t lost his sense of humour. The good news is that Reece is now in full remission.

“I don’t know if that means I’m cured, but it sounds promising,” said Reece. “I’m slowly building up my fitness levels. Doctor’s orders are keeping me out of the saddle at the moment, but that doesn’t stop me showing horses”.

Reece was back at the 2005 AQHA Q5 Nationals and dominated the Halter classes. He was on the end of the lead of An Obsession* prepared by Jackie and Vivian Anderson, when the stallion was sashed Grand Champion. He also showed Michelle Summerhill’s Traditional Step by Noble TKO* and out of the Doc’s Hillbilly* mare, Miss Janie Doc for Grand Champion Gelding, and showed in and won all American events contested, Grand Champion Stallion, with An Obsession *, Grand Champion Gelding, with Traditional Step and Reserve Grand Champion Mare with Cracker Jack Slippers*. To highlight his National success for 2005 he exhibited two winners of the Opal Classic legs with Cool Deception (Yearling Filly) and SSQ Seek N Shake (2 Year Old Halter Maturity all sexes) as well.

Jackie and Vivian Anderson are two people that Reece has met on his journey to the top and Reece is quick to sing their praises. Jackie and Vivian have, and will continue to breed top Halter horses and really know how to prepare them for the show ring. They have a list of successes a mile long and have won just about every top event that is offered.

When we think of Reece exhibiting Halter horses, we immediately think of Paints and Quarter Horses but he can also be seen exhibiting Appaloosas. At the last Appaloosa Nationals he showed Grand Champions and Futurity winners. Reece Burchell is a master at Halter. He compliments the quality horses he shows with quality showmanship. His professional but workmanlike manner is a treat to watch as he gives the horse on the end of the lead shank every chance of the blue and tri-colour sashes.

Today Reece is looking forward to a bright future. He can’t wait to see what the first crop of foals is like, by his newly imported Paint, Im Ultimately Hot*.

He’s by JBS Mr Ultimate Imprint, a stallion with over 300 points in Halter and Performance, and out of the Superior Halter mare, Tommy’s Hot Gossip, also shown in Western Pleasure, Trail and Hunter Under Saddle. The colt is OLWS, which means that he was tested for the Lethal White gene and he does not carry it. A striking chestnut, with four white stockings and a blaze, Im Ultimately Hot was based in Alabama and had many major Futurity wins in the States, before Reece watched him on video and liked what he saw.

“He looked good and tracked nicely, so I made the decision that he would be an asset to Australia,” Reece said. When he arrived he gave his opposition an advantage, due to Northern Hemisphere breeding giving away six months of age and growth, but Reece showed him at the New South Wales Paint State Show and the Paint Nationals for Grand Champion and Two-Year-Old Maturity honours.

There is absolutely no question that Reece Burchell in life shows the same positive thinking and confidence that he displays in the show ring. He strives to win. Not only has he came out the victor in the Halter ring, but has toppled his opposition. His life threatening illness, God willing, has also been beaten. The sashes and garlands have adorned the necks of his exhibits but Reece is truly a champion of life.

In finishing Reece would like to express his heartfelt thanks to Shane for sticking by him through thick and thin. A sincere thank you also to Rose Rowlands, Jackie and Vivian Anderson (RIP), Lisa Boyle and the PHAA, AAA and AQHA members who sent well wishes.