Riding Achievements

  • March 2012: Grade 1a Champion at Horse of the Year Para Equestrian competition. All three test scores over 65%
  • March 2012: Grade 1a Champion at the Para Equestrian National Championships, including a new personal best for our musical freestyle of 70%!
  • November 2011: Grade 1a Champion at the 38th Mitsubishi Motors Paralympic NZ Championships. Tech and I scored a new personal best for our musical freestyle test of 67%, and we also scored our first ever 8 for one of our moves during the Championship test!
  • September 2011: North Island Grade 1a Champion 2011/2012 at the North Island Para Equestrian Championships. Tech and I scored a personal best for our musical freestyle test of 66.88%
  • March 2011: Two second places and Reserve Champion for our grade at our first Horse of the Year show! We rode the Grade 1a Championship test and Musical Freestyle. I was also awarded the Bell Tea Rider of the Day on Wednesday!
  • February 2011: Competed with my new horse Tech at our first competition together - the Katikati Pony Club dressage Day. I rode my championship test twice and we scored 64% and 65% respectively. Great start for Tech's first ever dressage tests!
  • November 2010: Competed in my first Para Equestrian Dressage competition - the North Island Championships. I rode two tests on my borrowed horse, What A Cracker, and we gained the following scores: Team Test: 62% and Championship Test: 64%
  • May 2010: Betty Blundell, founder of Tauranga RDA and former dressage coach/judge, offers to come out of retirement and coach me for Para-Equestrian Dressage
  • March 2010: Officially classified by International Para-Equestrian Classifier Vicky Melville as Grade 1A for Para Equestrian Dressage. I'm now eligible to compete!
  • February 2010: Riding independently (at walk) with no sidewalkers or leaders, and starting to work on dressage skills.
  • October 2009: Two 3rd place ribbons at Napier RDA Dressage Day (riding Grade 1a tests)
  • November 2008: Riding with one sidewalker (not anchoring me on - just there for balance support if I need it) and taking control of the horse (with leader on a long leadrope). Riding for up to 30 mins each session
  • May 2008: Started riding at RDA once per week with two sidewalkers anchoring me into the saddle, and a leader controlling the horse. Riding for 5-10 mins per session
  • February 2008: Plucked up the courage to go for an assessment at RDA in view of starting a riding therapy programme