Wednesday, March 25, 2009

New Zealand: Sophie a natural in the saddle

Moruya.yourguide.com.au


BY JOSH GIDNEY
25/03/2009

Benandarah endurance rider Sophie Counsell has plenty of good form on her side as she prepares for the NSW State Enduro Championships in the Boyne and Benendarah State Forests on July 19.

For more local news and photos grab a copy of the Bay Post or Moruya Examiner.

The 15-year-old St Peter’s Anglican College student was the fourth-placed junior rider in the pointscore for the 2008 Enduro Series and first of all the South Coast riders.

She was the first placed junior rider with the best managed horse at the South Coast Championships at Nowra, where she and her horse covered 100km.

Endurance rides involve minimum distances of 80km over difficult bushy terrain such as goat trails and fire trails.

Counsell will compete in the NSW State Championships at Oberon next weekend

As her successes show, Counsell is a natural on a horse, and recently completed her three trick riding course under instructor Heath Harris, who trained riders for films such as the Man From Snowy River and Phar Lap.

In this she has learnt to preform such manoeuvres such as riding while hanging under the horse.

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