Term one for Equestrians at Burnside High School is a busy time of year, with three competitions of different disciplines.

Burnside had two teams at the inter school show jumping, and one team at the mounted games and dressage.

The show jumping took place at National Equestrian centre on Wednesday 20 February with the following teams and their mounts;

NAGS: Jorja Dann on Diana, Stephanie Horridge on Picallo, Charlotte Henshaw on Opal, Max Shanks on Tango

NEDS: Stella Archer on Jimmy, Melissa Green on Alice, Breagha Beggs on WP Hotshot, Robbie Cochrane on Inspector Gadget.

The scoring was awarded on a points basis. Max, Jorja and Stephanie scored a number of points. Max received the overall award for good sportsmanship on the day.

On Friday 22 February was the interschool mounted games, at the Christchurch Show grounds. This is an interesting event to watch, as it is full of action and speed, and at times resembles “some sort of stunt riding.” Last year Max Shanks and Jorja Dann, rode as a pair for the first time, and were 4th overall. They rode again this year hoping to beat their placing, Jorja rode her usual mount Diana, and Max rode Tango as his games horse was lame. Both riders proved to be capable vaulters and they managed to win the interschool’s trophy. Congratulations to Max and Jorja.

The last event for the term was the dressage, on Wednesday 27 March we had a team of four at the interschool dressage competition: Jorja Dann, Stella Archer (both girls riding at level 2), and Stephanie Horridge and Robbie Cochrane (riding at level 1). These riders competed on the same mounts that they rode at previous competitions, and completed two tests each. Burnside High School came 8th out of 28 teams, and Robbie Cochrane was 4th and 6th in his tests. Thank you to Anne Cochrane who offered coaching prior to this event.

The last competition for the year was on Sunday 11 August at National Equestrian Centre, we competed in the One Day Horse Trials; Stella Archer riding Cognito, Robbie Cochrane on Inspector Gadget, and Stephanie Horridge on Piccalo. To complete our team, we had Papanui rider Alyssa Harnett on her mount Paddy. Unfortunately the team did not place, but Stella Archer was 2nd in her dressage and 6th overall in her class.

It has been an awesome year for equestrian with Burnside High fielding teams for all schools events.