Sixteen-year-old Montana Hewson is the first local rider in recent years to be selected to attend the National Pony Clubs’ Eventing Championships in Cromwell later this month.

Nineteen teams from pony clubs throughout the country will attend this year’s three day event nationals at the Central Lakes Equestrian Centre. The centre’s cross country course, near Cromwell’s racecourse, was built especially for the national finals last year but, due to Covid-19 restrictions, the event was postponed until this year.

The Hāwea-Wanaka Pony Club member recently learned she had been invited to join five other southern riders in a six person Otago Southland Area team, and recently the team gathered in Dunedin to prepare for the prestigious event under the direction of Queenstown-based coach Hamish Disbrowe.

Montana said the Dunedin training was the first time the team had got together with their horses, and the coaching by Hamish, who has international competitive riding experience, in the disciplines of dressage and show jumping was really valuable.

Cross country is both horse and rider’s favourite three day event. PHOTO: Tania Clarke

She said this is the first time she has been selected for the national championship and she was a little nervous but “also very excited” by the prospect. 

While she’s never ridden at such a high level of competition before, Montana has competitive eventing experience having been a member of the Hāwea-Wanaka Pony Club team which represented the district at the last Springston Trophy in Christchurch in 2019 and at the 20th annual South Island Show Jumping championships held over two days at Waimate in January 2020.

Montana will team up with her regular mount Southern Charm (a.k.a Carter) for the event. The 163cm (16 HH) thoroughbred gelding’s best event is cross country, she said, which is appropriate as it's also Montana’s favourite event. 

Steady and stylish in showjumping. PHOTO: Rina Sjardin-Thompson

“We are a proven combination,” she said and she believes her consistently good results with Southern Charm throughout the past season led to their selection.

She said she’s proud to represent her district at the nationals and acknowledges the many people, from family to pony club stalwarts, “who have helped me go as far as I have”.

Ultimately, Montana said she’d like to create a career out of horse riding. A Year 12 Mount Aspiring College student, she’d like to expand her riding skills and experience beyond her school years “to see where it takes me”.

The New Zealand Pony Club’s National Eventing Championships 2021, which is open to the public, will be held in Cromwell from April 23-25.