Tooradin’s Dylan Gregson and his pony, Bollingbrokehagen, won the 15-and-under junior challenge at the Victorian Pinto Championships to cap his successful year in sport. 23558By Marc McGowan
TOORADIN schoolboy Dylan Gregson completed a four-pack of sporting success at the Werribee Park National Equestrian Centre this month.
Dylan, 11, had already won a netball best-and-fairest for the Pakenham Strikers and the most-improved and most-determined player in his age group for Cardinia Cricket Club and Narre Warren Junior Football Club respectively this year.
But the Grade 4 Cardinia Primary School student was far from finished, also taking out the 15 and-under junior challenge at the Victorian Pinto Championships, which were held on 4 and 5 October.
Pinto horses have large, irregular colour markings, which are usually black and white.
The title was Dylan’s and his pony Bollingbrokehagen’s first win together.
“It was very good and lots of fun,” he said. “We get him (Bollingbrokehagen) fit, practise leading him around and get riding lessons in Pakenham.”
Dylan also competes in show jumping on two other horses – Banenboclassact and Flowerdaletaco.
His mother, Leigh Buchanan-Gregson, has also achieved equestrian success, but said her son’s other sporting feats followed in his late father Stephen Gregson’s footsteps.
“It’s great – he takes after his father. I’m only into the horses,” Leigh said.
“His younger brothers (Mitchell, 10, and Lauchlan, 8) are heading in the same direction.
“They just nagged and nagged me to let them ride and they do all the ground work themselves as far as getting the ponies ready to show.”
Dylan, a Brisbane Lions fan, is on the field, court – or a horse – seven days a week, but Leigh said she was happy to drive all the boys around.
“I get home from work most days and have a little bit of time to get changed and go to sport, and then we come home for tea!” she said.
Stephen played in Tooradin Football Club’s last senior premiership in 1997.
