Alison Gill and Hilkens Denali. Image by Roger Fitzhardinge.
Following one last competitive outing at Dressage by the Sea 2025, pony dressage legend Hilkens Denali has been retired from the competition arena – fit and healthy and at the top of his game.
Hilkens Denali with rider Alison Gill and owner Wendy Lorincz. Image by Roger Fitzhardinge.
“He certainly isn’t like
riding a pony, he’s like
riding a big horse…”
The pint-sized piaffe powerhouse has been a favourite among spectators and fellow competitors alike since he began competing at Grand Prix level in 2021. Over the past few years, Hilkens Denali has gone on to match it with the best and produced results that placed him among – and more often than not, ahead of – his much larger counterparts.
Roger Fitzhardinge, who has long followed and admired this pony’s career, says Denali will certainly be missed at events – but has more than earned his retirement.
WENDY’S SEARCH FOR A PONY
In 2017 Wendy Lorincz began the search for a dressage pony. Having ridden bigger horses to Advanced level and being a shorter and lighter lady, she decided it would be really nice to find a fabulous pony that she could train and continue to ride to FEI level.
Denali was owned and trained by Amy DeLangen in New Zealand, and she had ridden him to Small Tour. Amy had also imported another stallion, Golden Strike, and he took precedence at that time. She gave Denali to her daughter who competed him at lower levels for a few years before he was put up for sale.
On hearing Denali was for sale, Wendy flew over to see and ride him. She simply fell in love with him and imported him back to Australia. The bay 13.3¾ pony – who was a stallion at the time – was by Dreamcatcher from the mare Schamila, both German Riding Ponies, and he had been imported from Germany to NZ as a two-year-old.
For Wendy, Denali was a project and she planned to continue his training, hopefully as far as he could go as he was already showing talent for the Grand Prix movements. He was gelded – not that he was a problem as a stallion, but it made a lot more sense for Wendy who only wanted him to ride (although she was later to regret that decision!)
Wendy started competing him at Medium level and took him all the way through to Prix St Georges, where he won at the State Championships and was also Advanced Champion at the National Championships, winning both tests in 2019.
Wendy and Denali, competing at the Nationals in 2019. Image by Amy-Sue Alston.
“Hilkens Denali gave me the opportunity and experience to compete at Small Tour level, which was a dream come true,” reflects Wendy. “While we played with the Grand Prix movements, I felt that I wasn’t the rider to take him on to Grand Prix.”
PARTNERING WITH ALISON
Denali showed a great talent for piaffe and passage and for flying changes, and Wendy decided that she would love to see him compete successfully at the highest possible level. A good friend and talented rider in Alison Gill took over the ride in partnership with Wendy. Alison gradually increased her training with him until she was riding him more or less full-time.
Denali was not a naturally super uphill pony to begin with, but with constant help, eyes on the ground and expert riding, his balance became more and more on the hind leg. It was amazing how much this pony improved. Alison and Denali got on like a house on fire and began competing at Grand Prix level in 2021.
Alison and Denali have built a strong partnership. Image by Roger Fitzhardinge.
“He certainly isn’t like riding a pony, he’s like riding a big horse; he has all the power and balance and cadence. He has a great attitude and a super work ethic. I can honestly say there has not been a horse or pony that’s been more fun than Denali to take to this level,” said Alison in a 2023 interview with Equestrian Life. “I love riding and training the ponies just as I love the horses, but I have to say that Denali makes dressage real!”
Reflecting on her time training and competing with Denali, Alison says she feels so privileged to have had this wonderful little horse in her life. “He is a true star, with a heart of gold and although I will miss working with him, I truly believe he deserves to hang up his rosettes and bridle number, and enjoy his next chapter.”
DEFINING MOMENTS
Alison and Denali have been a mainstay in the Grand Prix classes at all the big events over the past few years with many great performances. At the 2024 Sydney CDI, they won the CDN Grand Prix – beating 17 horses!
Last year’s National Championships were also a defining moment. At 19 years of age, Hilkens Denali really matched it with the top Grand Prix horses in Australia, placing sixth with Alison in the FEI Grand Prix from a field of 15 led by Mary Hanna and Ivanhoe – the reserve combination for the Australian Olympic team at the Paris Games who have now qualified for the FEI World Cup Final in Basel, Switzerland.
However, the best was yet to come for Alison and Denali at the Nationals. The pair scored 67.66% to place second in the FEI Grand Prix Special behind Mary and Ivanhoe. This score ranked Denali as the eighth-highest score of the 47 Grand Prix Special tests ridden in Australia in 2024, and he is the only pony to have competed in the Grand Prix Special in Australia. He also scored a super 72.32% to place third in the FEI Grand Prix Freestyle at the Nationals.
Alison and Denali in their final test together at Willinga Park’s Dressage by the Sea. Image by Roger Fitzhardinge.
“He is the only pony to have
competed in the Grand Prix
Special in Australia…”
SWANSONG AT WILLINGA PARK
The 2025 edition of Dressage by the Sea at Willinga Park was to be Denali’s final event. Consistent as always, he and Alison were third in the CDN Grand Prix and fifth in the CDN Grand Prix Freestyle.
At age 20, Denali undoubtedly deserves his retirement and is leaving the competition arena on a high while still at the top. In showing just what ponies can be capable of in the dressage arena, Denali has no doubt inspired many to dream big with their little equine partners. What a living legend! EQ
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