ARUNDEL HOUSE ROULETTE, Chestnut stallion, *1990 (Arundel House Rashan / Pinosa Park Silhouette)
Breeders & Owners: Bob & Sharon Morris .
Strain: Dahman Umm Amr of Ibn Hemsi (Dahma 1876).
Australia’s WAHO Trophy for 2007 has been awarded to the great stallion Arundel House Roulette. Throughout his ridden career he accumulated seven Australian Championships, including sidesaddle and dressage, was supreme ridden horse at the NSW National Arabian Stud Show twice, won the Baskhan Sash three times and was champion stallion four times. He was champion ridden stallion at the East Coast four times, supreme purebred three times and won the East Coast Cup three times. Roulette was the recipient of the Golden Spurs at the Saddle Horse Championships on three occasions and also received the Triple Crown award.
His last show season, 2005/2006 was one to remember for his connections and many fans. He was undefeated by purebreds or derivatives, being Champion Stallion at the State Titles, Supreme Arabian at the Saddle Horse Championships and Supreme ridden and winner of the Baskhan Sash at the NSW National Arabian Stud Show.
Roulette also achieved a lot of success in open Dressage competition and was a great ambassador for the Arabian breed in doing so. He was awarded Dressage Horse of the Year at both Bowral Dressage Club and Illawarra Dressage Association and Champion High Point at the South Coast Dressage Championships, often beating imported warmbloods. On one occasion at a Dressage NSW competition at Clarendon, one of the other riders expressed amusement that an Arabian stallion had come all that way, until Roulette won, beating both his warmbloods.
Australia 2007 WAHO Arundel House Roulette
L to R: Angela Delamont, rider; Bob and Sharon Morris, breeders; Angela’s parents Jenny and Jim Delamont. (All had a part in either his upbringing or training).
Roulette was to be retired from showing at the 2006 East Coast Arabian Championship, and his connections hoped he might manage to be champion stallion at this, his last show. He exceeded their expectations, because after taking the Champion Stallion title he went on to be awarded Supreme Ridden Arabian and take the East Coast Cup. He has earned his spot in the history books, as currently no other ridden purebred in Australia has taken all these awards in one season.
His trainer and rider Angela Delamont says ‘Roulette was a thrill to ride at every competition, successful or not, and we are certainly missing him. A horse with his incredible movement natural balance, presence and attitude doesn’t come along every day, and he just loved showing off to the crowds.’
