Teenager wins top pony club award
Clyde teen Lilly Anderson says she’s ‘‘honoured’’ to receive a national award in her chosen sport.
The 18-year-old received a New Zealand Pony Club Achievers Award in Wellington this month, one of just seven recipients of the award from around the country.
‘‘It’s a really awesome thing to get to recognise my achievements,’’ Lilly said.
The award highlighted her success in riding including dressage and show jumping as well as her favoured discipline, eventing.
Lilly’s nomination by the Central Otago Pony Club also took into account school results and achievements and her part in the community.
The award caps off a successful year for Lilly with the Dunstan High School pupil named Eventing Southland Young Rider earlier this year.
She has big plans for the future including riding professionally and at Olympic level.
‘‘I would definitely love to do that.
‘‘If I get an opportunity like that then I’ll definitely take it.’’
Her immediate plans were to finish school and have a gap year to explore where her riding could take her before taking up university study.
Regardless, Lilly planned to continue her working with horses.
‘‘It’s not really like any other sport.
‘‘Working with the animals, they do have a different agenda to you. That’s animals. They do that.’’