The Leader Nelson edition

Teen dressage rider galloping ahead

Meila Picard’s love for riding began when she was three years old and living in Denmark. Now 15, Picard, is galloping ahead to meet her goal of one day representi­ng New Zealand as a dressage rider. She caught up with reporter

- Where did your passion for horses come from? How did you choose your discipline and what do you like most about it? How much time and training you do you put in? Is there someone you look up to as a role model in this industry? What advice have you bee

I got my first pony, Harry, when I was 11 and he was 19. I rode him competitiv­ely for two years before he was retired. I have had my current pony Buckton Denniston (Dennis), who is a seven-year-old German riding pony, for nearly two years now.

When I was nine I started having riding lessons with Rachel Thomas, who is a dressage rider.

When I started doing dressage, I then realised my passion for it. I was a ring-in at a local dressage competitio­n on a little grey pony

My short-term goals at the moment are to step up to Level 4 and win/place in NZ Dressage Pony of the Year 2018.

My long-term goal/dream is to one day ride Grand Prix and represent NZ internatio­nally. When I finish school I would love to travel to Europe to train and compete.

I ride six days a week with lessons twice a week. Plus two more days dressage training and the other two days I hack him out for fitness. The caring side of it also takes up a lot of time including feeding and mucking out etc.

Charlotte Dujardin and Carl Hester, both from England, and Isabell Werth from Germany. They are amazing riders and have achieved so much in dressage. They all have amazing work ethics and are really humble people.

Stay in your own bubble. You can’t control what the other competitor­s are doing but you can control how you and your horse perform.

Make sure you know your test really well so you can focus on your horse. Don’t worry about what the other competitor­s are doing as you can’t control what they do, but you can control how well you ride.

2017: 3rd Overall NZ Horse Of The Year Level 3 Pony; 3rd Overall NZ Under 25’s Championsh­ips Level 3 Pony; 1st NZ Horse Of The Year Level 3 Pony Title Class; South Island Level 3 Hi-points Champion; Represente­d the South Island in the Inter-Island York Team Challenge at the 2017 NZ Under 25’s Championsh­ips. Sport: Dressage

Suburb: Mahana Occupation: Waimea College student

Date of birth: 12.05.2002

?? ?? Young Nelson dressage competitor Meila Picard talks about her achievemen­ts and future goals in dressage.
Young Nelson dressage competitor Meila Picard talks about her achievemen­ts and future goals in dressage.

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