Kelly Perkins and Provincias, the Australian purebred Arabian ridden gelding, become national champions

Provincias, the handsome 12-year-old Arabian gelding, schooled by Albany’s Kelly Perkins, is a national champion. He has been named the Australian purebred Arabian ridden gelding horse of the year for 2025 and has the dashing blue and black sash, and the blanket to prove it. Provincias was also the top point-scorer in the WA championships with the pair taking the non-professional award for last year too. He would probably have become 2026 State champion as well, but that was postponed last weekend because of the weather. The world of purebred Arabian horses involves the animal being ridden or led with a judge operating a scoring system which even Perkins admitted is “complicated”. The three main areas are obedience, movement and paces with the animal either led around a parade area or ridden in a circle with the adjudicator giving instructions. Provincias, who goes by “Nutsy” when not competing, may thrive when a judge is telling him what to do but, at home in the paddock, he can be a naughty fella, according to Perkins. “He just eats, and he rolls in the dirt, in everything basically, especially just after he has been washed,” she sighed. “He also licks a lot.” He prefers being ridden to led, she said. Perkins said she had been looking forward to the State championships at the WA Equestrian Centre at Brigadoon, until they were postponed. Last year Provincias won nine titles in the State championships under the WA Arabian Horse Association banner. He entered his first competition when he was six and has been competing ever since. Perkins, a chef at the Historic Whaling Station and a hockey player for Mt Barker, said she already had an Arabian when she acquired Provincias. “I had bought a horse from a lady who was going to Egypt, and she said she had another and would I be interested,” she said. “I said I didn’t need another one but anyway I went to see him, and this is where he ended up.” His home, out at Green Valley with views from every angle, is a stunning place to live and whether he’s rolling in the dirt or strutting in the parade ground, he and Perkins are proving a perfect partnership.