Sara Love and Tulloch Ard, aka “Buzz”, won the coveted 76th Garryowen Equestrienne Turnout at the Royal Melbourne Show yesterday.

Competing against a field of mostly younger riders and dressed in the same outfit she wore for her first Garryowen attempt in 1981 — in which she came last — Mrs Love out-rode and out-classed the competition on her clydie-thoroughbred cross.

“He gave me the ride of my life,” she said of Buzz’s workout in front of the judges in the electric atmosphere of the main arena.

“He got 38 out of 40 for manners and paces and the judges gave me 49 out of 50 for my riding. He was sensational.”

It was third time lucky for the pair, who came third in last year’s class.

The Garryowen trophy is awarded in memory of champion show hunter Garryowen whose owner Violet Murrell, one of Victoria’s foremost horse women, died at 29 trying to save him from a stable fire in 1934.

The event is steeped in tradition and judged on strict criteria including costume, saddlery, riding ability, the horse’s conformation and general appearance.

Most of the competitors spend months preparing for the event, established to celebrate the all-round prowess of horse and rider.

Certainly Buzz and Mrs Love epitomise the legacy of Violet Murrell and her beloved mount.

The pair hunt all winter and then take to the dressage arena and show ring in spring and summer with a long list of show hunter titles and FEI dressage championships to their name.

Mrs Love backed up her win in yesterday’s Garryowen by taking out the show hunter class shortly after.

“He’s a once-in-a-lifetime horse,” Mrs Love said of Buzz.

“You just don’t often get a horse that will jump, do dressage and then go into the show ring and win.”

With many of the 36-strong field sporting an entourage of hairdressers and make-up artists to help them prepare for the fastidious Garryowen class, Mrs Love thanked her own more “laidback” team of Corowa’s Claire Redman and Bowral’s Mark Kiddle and Malcolm MacRae for their assistance in helping Buzz look his best.

And for her own preparation?

“I had a few drinks the night before and just hopped on and rode today,” Mrs Love said with a laugh.