High achieving Gunnedah girl Harriet King will take on the nation's best in equestrian as she represents NSW at the National Interschools Championships next week.
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The 12-year-old will be among 390 students and 400 horses taking part in the elite competition at the Sydney Equestrian Centre from Monday to Friday.
A year 7 student at St. Mary's College, Harriet will compete in the Secondary Show Horse section among riders from year 7 to 12 after she also took part in last year's national titles.
The national championships features riders from primary and secondary schools from each Australian state competing in disciplines such as Show Horse, Combined training, Eventing, Dressage and Jumping.
Selection for the NSW team was based on state interschool results and agricultural show results. Harriet represented St. Mary's College at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre and competed in the NSW Interschools State Championships from June 22 to 29.
Harriet placed sixth as she rode her Galloway Bayview Wish (Scarlett) List in the 60cm combined training. She also had a seventh placing in the dressage preliminary 1.2, and a third placing in preliminary 1.3.
Harriet also competed in the Show Horse section, placing first in the led phase and fifth in the rider phase, giving her sixth place overall.
At last year's nationals, Harriet and Milroy Springtime took out top honours of Champion Primary Working Hunter and third in the 60cm Combined training. Harriet was also named in the Champion Show Horse team for NSW.
Harriet started riding at eight years old when she attended a three-day pony camp in Gunnedah. She has gone from strength to strength, and her hard work and dedication have paid off.
Harriet is up every morning feeding her horses and mucking out the stables, and the afternoons are spent exercising her horses.
This year most of her weekends have been taken up competing in Agricultural and Royal shows, as well as pony club events across NSW and Queensland.
She was awarded many top honours of supreme riders and Champion Galloways at these events.
Harriet was also crowned champion rider for her age at the State Pony Club NSW Showriding Championships.
Preparation for this year’s event has been challenging nonetheless due to the unseasonal rain and the cancellation of many competitions.
Conditions at the family home have been very muddy, meaning the family has had to find alternative places for Harriet to ride.
“I am very excited about representing NSW and I can only give it my best,” Harriet said.
This weekend Harriet competes at the Equestrian NSW Show Horse Championships in Camden, with stiff competition sure to be a good warm-up for Monday’s events.
Harriet will subsequently return to Gunnedah to attend Pony Camp.
“I am very excited about representing NSW and I can only give it my best,"
- Harriet King