By JARROD POTTER
WHEN your first word is “pony”, chances are a life in the saddle is on the cards.
Haileybury equestrian rising-star Bronte Hutchison has had horses on her mind for as long as she can remember and continues to live and breathe show jumping.
One horse alone can be tough to handle at the best of times, but Hutchison, 13, is working not just her beloved little champion Pip – better known as Radnor Tangerine in riding circles – but newcomer to her stable Polly.
That motivation to rise to the top of the sport earned her the attention of Beijing 2012 Olympian Laurie Lever, who is teaching her what it takes to go from the local ranks all the way to the peaks of international equestrian.
The Pearcedale-based rider is set to take her talents and best mate Pip up to Sydney later this year to test her skills at the interschool championships.
“I’m really excited – it’s the first interschool state team I’ve made,” Hutchison said.
“Hopefully do well at the Australian Showjumping Championships with both ponies as well.”
She’s coming off a spree of success in recent events as Hutchison picked up a reserve championship at the state titles in the secondary division.
That would be an impressive effort for an older student but to pick up that accolade as a Year 7 facing the rest of the state’s best equestrian-loving students shows the calibre of Hutchison’s talent.
“I had a really good first round – where I got second, third and second and she got reserve overall,” Hutchison said.
Who knows where this passion could take her long-term, but Hutchison knows her equestrian dreams are in Europe, pursuing the heights of the sport on the world’s best tour.
“I would really like to go to Europe and with my new horse I’d like to do juniors – which are a metre, metre-twenty-five,” Hutchison said.
“I also eventually want to do show jumping on the Global Champions’ Tour.”
But for now it’s back to class as she remains an integral part of the Haileybury equestrian team.
“It’s really fun as there’s a lot of equestrian loving kids in my class and they’re all horsey – so there’s a lot of girls to talk to,” Hutchison said.
For helping pursue her equestrian ambitions, Hutchison wanted to thank her coach Laurie Lever for his guidance and her family for their support.
Hutchison will compete in the secondary 90cm show jumping category at the Australian Interschool Championship, held at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre from 28 September to 3 October.
