Sturgess sisters take on the best
EQUESTRIAN: When her daughters compete, Kellie Sturgess jumps up and down on the sidelines.
She is a proud mum and she should be, for she might well have three budding Olympians on her hands.
Kellie said her daughters, Ashlee, Holly and Keely, have been riding horses since they were old enough to walk.
She is spending the school holidays in Toowoomba cheering on her elder daughters, Ashlee and Holly, as they compete in the Pony Club National Championships.
Ashlee competes in tetrathlon this week at the Toowoomba Showgrounds at the national championships which bring together Australia’s best riders, as well as teams from France and China.
They compete in showjumping, eventing, mounted games, formal gymkhana, tetrathlon and international challenge events.
Meanwhile, 11-year-old Holly will compete in next week’s Interschool National Showjumping Championships after placing fourth in Queensland in July.
Kellie said Ashlee hoped to come away with a top-10 placing.
“There are 10 ribbons and we’d love to be able to snag one of those but even if she’s just doing her personal best that’s great,” she said.
After placing seventh overall last year, Holly was determined to do better this year.
“She really wants to get into the top six this time. She actually wants to win but the expectation is a top six would be awesome,” Kellie said. “It’s nice to dream. Holly’s dream would be to go to the Olympics.”
The Pony Club Nationals conclude today.