EARLY October saw the Southern Highlands Vaulting Team driving across the Hay Plain to compete at the National Vaulting Championships in South Australia.
A strong team of eight presented at the indoor arena at Mallala. The team consisted of Phoebe Priestly, Lani Maher, Felicity Corney, Reilly O’Byrne-Inglis, Emma Heath, Gabby Simpson, Mikayla Manning and Natalie Paragalli.
And what a successful team it was. They combined to achieve placings across all grades and classes contested.
Coach Michele O’Byrne said she was proud and delighted with all vaulters’ performances.
“It was a huge commitment to travel with a horse to South Australia and so very encouraging to see so many personal bests achieved,” O’Byrne said.
“All vaulters received a placing in at least one class.”
O’Byrne said one of the stand out performances was Emma Heath who was placed first in her E Individual and Pas de Deux with her partner Phoebe Priestly.
Congratulations also to Mikayla Manning on her second place individually. Phoebe Priestly finished third and both Natalie Paragalli and Gabby Simpson ended fifth in their respective grades
In her first competition as an A-grade vaulter, Lani Maher, a Year 8 Frensham student, competed in Individual, Pas de Deux and the Canter horse team.
At the tender age of 14, Lani was competing against seasoned vaulters such as 27-year old Australian champion and international competitor Tristyn Lowe of Canberra.
Lani placed third, acquiring a qualifying score for the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, USA in 2010.
Lee Briggs, a Year 10 Bowral High student, achieved the national male champion award, winning his A-grade individual and also posting a qualifying score for the WEG short list.
He was also a member of the winning canter team that hopes to qualify for the trip to Kentucky next year.
Reilly O’Byrne Inglis, in Year 9 at Chevalier, achieved a very commendable score and placed in B-grade.
Reilly and her Pas de deux partner, Lani, wowed the audience with their performances and placed second in the PDD classes.
Lee, Lani and Reilly were fortunate to ride the beautiful horses, Sam and Louis, owned and trained by Lyn Lynch of Sydney Vaulting Group in Oakville.
Sally Briggs, Lee Briggs, Reilly O’Byrne Inglis and Lani Maher had recently returned from a trip to Germany with the Australian Vaulting Team which trains at the National Equestrian Centre in Canberra.
They had lots of fun and success as they endeavour to qualify to represent Australia in Kentucky.
We acknowledge the enormous support for Lani from Frensham, Lee from Bowral High and Reilly from Chevalier College in allowing these talented young athletes to balance their studies with their intensive training schedules which involves training in Canberra, Oakville and the Highlands.
The trio are very committed to their sport and their team and have personal goals set very high in planning to represent Australia in the World Equestrian Games in October next year.
We wish them luck and fun on their journey towards Kentucky.
To learn more about vaulting visit equestrianvaulting.com.
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