The Albury Wodonga International Horse Trials is an exciting competition for most riders but for Albury local Kattriya McKinnon it will be part of a dream come true. Kattriya, 15, has been aiming for this moment for the past 12 months and will finally be competing on home ground at the higher level of CIC* (one star) at the Crowe Horwath sponsored event over April 3 – 5, 2015.
The Year 10 student from The Scots School Albury has been riding since she was nine years old and recently made the Victorian Eventing Young Rider Squad.
She has had many successes in the preliminary and pre-novice classes as well as in her pony club events. The one star level is the first step on the road to qualifying for some of the bigger events and Kattriya hopes will soon mean she can compete at the Melbourne International Three Day Event in June.
Kattriya is being instructed and mentored by Howlong’s 20 year-old Teegan Ashby, a well-known local equestrian said to be on her way to the top of her field and a potential eventing Olympian of the future. Teegan recently won her first 3* (three star) event in Canberra and will also be competing at the event held at the Albury Wodonga Equestrian Centre in Thurgoona.
Currently Kattriya is riding one of the Ashby’s horses, Marlo (paddock name Ben), and will compete him at the horse trials over the Easter weekend. Horse and rider have been working together now for 12 months and hope their local debut is a great success.
Kattriya is sponsored by Free Rein Equestrian and competed in only her first CIC* event a few weeks ago in the Randwick Equine Sydney Summer Classic held at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre. Whilst not placing she was pleased that she successfully, and safely, made it round the three elements of dressage, show jumping and cross country.
“To be able to ride my first one star event in Sydney was amazing,” she said.
“I was very nervous at the thought of competing on the difficult cross-country course, however, with the benefit of Teegan’s instruction and being able to ride Ben, I knew we could do it.
“Mum is always worried when I’m out on the cross-country and struggles to watch me over some of the jumps, whilst Dad just believes in Ben and I, and encourages me to just ride well and remember my training.”
She said the Albury Wodonga International Horse Trials was extra special as it was a home event.
“I have ridden in lower classes in previous years but to now be able to compete at one star level against riders who have been to the Olympics and other similar big events is just awesome. To have some of my close friends and family there I just hope I can be extremely competitive, but either way I will be wrapped to be riding as one of the youngest at that level.”
Kattriya will be competing against a number of older and more experienced riders at the Albury event, however, she has confidence that with her training and Teegan’s experience to guide her, she will be in a good position to perform well.
An Eventful Life will be providing full coverage each day from the Albury Wodonga International Horse Trials for our 4* members - cross country videos from Albury can also be viewed/purchased following completion of the event
