Teen jumps at Brazil riding chance
Philippa Stratford is a little nervous about heading to Invercargill Airport to fly to Brazil this morning.
It’s not the 17 hours of flying she’s worried about, nor the 35C temperatures that await her. She’s not even particularly irked by the fact it will be her first time leaving New Zealand.
The 18-year-old is competing in the Sa˜o Paulo CSI–W Indoor Championships, a prestigious show-jumping competition, on a horse she has not seen yet.
‘‘We have no idea [what horse we’ll be riding]. We just send over a video, and they assign us . . . it’s a bit nerve-racking, but they’re good Brazilian horses,’’ she said.
She is part of a team of seven New Zealand riders, aged between 15 and 36.
When she found out three months ago she she had been selected, she had a tough time convincing her mum it was true.
The applications had been open to riders of all levels and ages from throughout New Zealand.
‘‘She didn’t quite believe me when I said I got in,’’ she said.
‘‘I just applied thinking couldn’t hurt.’’
By way of preparation she has been working on her general fitness and getting in riding practice.
The competition runs across two weeks, and involves a ranking show, general round in the first week and a three-day horse show in the second week.
Whilst she’s focussed on the competition, she’s also excited to tour Rio de Janeiro and experience South America in between her show-jumping. it
‘‘It’s a trip of a lifetime . . . I’m very excited.’’
The determined show-jumper will return on August 29, and plans to compete in a competition
in Cromwell six days later.
‘‘I’m very lucky to have lots of support, I have a friend who’s volunteered to ride them [her horses] whilst I’m away.’’