TWO students from the Avon Valley have been selected to compete in equestrian events at state and national levels over recent months.
Jemma Read from York was in the team for the 2014 International Tetrathlon exchange in Perth in July.
Jessica Herzer from Northam is in the WA team to compete in the Prince Philip Mounted Games at the Perth Royal Show.
Both are in year 11 at WA College of Agriculture Cunderdin.
The Prince Philip name has been used for the national mounted games championships in Australia since 1986.
An engraved silver cup was presented on behalf of Prince Philip to the Australian Pony Club Council as a perpetual trophy.
The aim of the competition is to increase the popularity of mounted games and encourage active, happy riders whose success does not depend on expensive ponies, but promotes careful, systematic training to develop skills, horsemanship and team spirit.
In Australia the competition generally consists of 21 different games over a three to four hour period.
Horses are provided by pony club members from the host state.
Early this year, Jemma was selected in the team to represent Australian in the Tetrathlon exchange.
The event consists of four phases; pistol shooting, swimming, horse riding and running.
Teams from Ireland, UK, USA and New Zealand took part.
"It was a wonderful experience training and competing with past and future Olympians and one I'll never forget," Jemma said.
"I hope that being the youngest on the Australian team I will have the opportunity to compete again in two years.
"The Australian girls came fourth out of six teams; individually I came 15th out of 30 girls aged 16-23. "I can't thank my mum enough for all the support and opportunities that she has given me getting me to training and competitions every week and keeping my horse fit.
"Thanks to Jess, Emma and Jen who put up with me riding every afternoon and getting up at 5.30 every morning to run and for feeding my horse on Wednesday nights."
