Four Australians riders since knee-high to a Shetland pony

Press, 26 February 1980, Page 12

Four Australians riders since knee-high to a Shetland pony

From

DAVID SWIFT

in Ashburton

Four young Australians competing on the national equestrian circuit had an unusual introduction to New Zealand. They spent their first two days here travelling and sleeping in a hired horse truck. The New South Wales junior show jumping team of Jenelle Waters, Michael Murphy, Maree Gordon, and Kathie Wightman arrived in Auckland on January 27 to discover

they were due in Invercargill in just two days fc<r their first meeting.

"We had to live in the truck until we reached Wellington, because we didn’t have time to use the paid hotel accommodation,’’ said -Michael Murphy. The four, aged between 18 and 20,' survived the experience. They were in Ashburton at the week-end to compete in what they termed the highlight of their visit, the three-day New Zealand Horse Of The Year Show.

Loans from supportive parents, and part-time jobs helped pay the cost of. two months competition in New Zealand.

Jenelle Waters sold three of her cattle, bringing about $2BO each. Return air tickets have been paid for,'but they estimate spending another $l2OO. So each will be the richer for the experience, they say, but about $3OOO poorer when they return home on March 29. All four have been riding since they were kneehigh to a Shetland pony.-. Jenelle Waters lives on her parents’ sheep and

cattle property in Western N.S.W. ’She started riding at pony club level at the age of five. She won numerous events , in Sydney and Brisbane before taking the Helen Rose Memorial Trophy for the most successful girl rider under 17 at Sydney in 1976. She was selected as her state’s representative in the Pony Club Inter-Pacifr ic team participated in the Nations , Cup in 1977. In this series she is riding Blue Jinx. Another young starter, 19-year-old Maree Gordon, has 16 years riding experience behind her. She has competed in every state championship since she was 11. Now she is riding T.N.T., originally a racehorse, with success. Kathie Wightman has taken over an 11-year-old horse named Bonanza from team manager, John

Fahey, who is accompanying them. This combination has also built an enviable list of placings at state and major level shows in Australia. Michael Murpny, from Armadale, N.S.W., may be the only male in the team, but competitively he is not out of his depth. He is a regular winner at state championships on his mount. Mr Groovey. His fascination with horses began when he was only four. At meetings in Invercargill, Dunedin a-d Waimate. the team has already picked up SJu-j m prize money. This is a success rate with which they appear well pleased. After the Ashburton event, they travelled on to Blenheim. Competitions in Nelson and Methven will follow. It has been a busy schedule, with little time for sight-seeing. Caring for the horses is a daily necessity, involving one or two hours work. And are not. competing,. they, are travelling. The four have been impressed by the New Zealand “tracks.” But they consider the riding standard a little deficient. “It’s hard to win anywhere, but the riders here aren't quite up to the mark of equivalent ages in Australia,” said Michael Murphy. At the Horse of the Year Show in Ashburton the team’s successes were capped by Maree Gordon and New Zealand-bred

T.N.T. winning the Wills Horse of the Year title. The combination also took the Walter Norwood Gold Cup, were second in the Junior Showjumping Rider of the Year, and fourth in the Lady Rider of the Year. Lady Rider of the Year (Merrylegs Cup) was won by Jenelle Waters on Blue. Jinx. Blue Jinx also scored a sc -nd in the A grade Puissance Pilmer Plate and equal third in the Walter Norwood Gold Cup. Michael Murphy and Mr Groovy had a third in the Junior Showjumping Rider of the Year and a second in the B grade championship. Kathie Wightman’s Bonanza won the A grade Puissance Pilmer Plate ridden by another Australian team captain, John Fahey, who had many successes with his horse, Red Ceder.