Natasha Waddell of Ashburton has her sights set on the New Zealand Show Horse Council Championship in Taupo.
The 23-year-old is aiming to place in the top two in class at the champs, in November, so she will qualify for the Grand Nationals in Sydney, Australia in 2026.
She is confident after recent success at the Defender Horse of the Year Show for New Zealand Eventing held in Hastings in March.
She and her two horses – Gandarah Country Road and Carnesso Magic Merlin – took out five placings.
On Gandarah it was four runner-up placings; Park Hack of the Year, Senior Rider of the Year 21 years and over, the Gee Whizz Memorial Turnout and Paced & Mannered Park Hack/Hack of the Year.
On Merlin it was runner up Rising Star Park Hack of the Year.
‘‘The standard at these events is very high and when you compete you just hope you at least get in the line of winners,’’ Waddell said.
Waddell has riding in her blood.
Her grandmother, mother and older sister rode, so it was no surprise she took up competitive riding.
At age five she was riding competitively with her mother assisting by leading her horse.
‘‘I enjoy being around horses and working with them.
‘‘They are smart animals. It is so satisfying to watch horses improve with the work you put in.’’
Waddell said show horse events could be described as beauty pageants for horses. The competitions are visual; it’s not about showjumping or cross-country eventing.
‘‘Horses are judged on turnout, straight legs, good looking body, how pretty they look,’’ Waddell said.
‘‘For a horse to enter the competition requires hours and hours of practice. They have to be well-trained.
‘‘The horse ideally needs to be a bit older, young horses get easily distracted,’’ Waddell said.
Waddell’s life revolves around horses.
When she is not competing or practising for competitions, she is busy running Natasha Waddell Equestrian where she breaks-in and schools horses and teaches riding.
At any time, she can have up to seven horses under tuition.
During winter the number tends to drop to four or five.
Breaking-in a horse involves getting them to a stage they can be ridden.
It takes about eight weeks to get a horse to this stage.
She also schools horses where they come to her already being able to be ridden but schooling them makes it easier for their rider.
The process takes about two to four weeks.
Among the highlight so far of her show performances has been taking out the Senior Rider of the Year 2024 on Uptown Charlie Brown, along with winning South Island Premier Park Hack title on Carnesso Magic Merlin.
The win on Merlin was particularly memorable as it was a horse she had bred.
