LARA Coventry-Cox hopes she can be a pioneer for ranch riders around the Mid North Coast.
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After previously claiming three state titles in the reining discipline, Coventry-Cox took out her first Queensland state ranch riding title on July 6.
In ranch riding classes, the horse is shown to work individually in pattern work and then judged on the precision of the pattern manoeuvres and the horse’s movements.
Coventry-Cox said the sport was still in its infancy and with a new arena slated for the Mid North Coast, she felt now was the time to generate interest.
“It’s a new event in horse sports and with a new arena down in this area we were hoping to get a bit of interest out there,” she said.
“It’s based on reality riding, so it’s where you basically riding a horse as if you were on a farm – that’s where the (ranch part of the ranch riding) name comes from.
“It’s about who has the best all round horse – a horse who can put it all together when it counts, and to be able to ride like you mean it.”
She said it was an emotional win to do it on her 15-year-old horse Rebel.
“Anyone who thinks it’s too late to teach an old horse new tricks ... it’s not,” she said.
The sport originated in America and has generated such an interest that it has now gone to the largest class that riders can compete in.
Coventry-Cox was hopeful that could be the case in Australia in coming years – and they were on the right path.
“The class has tripled this year with riders because it’s a brand new event,” she said.
“It was huge to win the state title as it was the first time the Quarter Horse Association had changed disciplines.
“It’s sort of similar to equestrian where all riders have a pattern we need to follow and you get scored on each manoeuvre you do.
“It’s mainly based on a horse’s natural movement.”
Riders are penalised for having their horse over-bridled and being too slow per gait.
Coventry-Cox recently moved to Port Macquarie from Queensland and was looking forward to the continued growth of the sport.
“I am a local trainer who has been training animals for 33 years,” she said.
“We are (now) getting a lot of interest in Ranch events because it is a very horse friendly event with no fancy gear required.”
