Normally, seeing an 11-year-old child hanging upside down on a moving horse would be cause for alarm, but Sophie Millar's parents are not worried.
Key points:
- Young regional Queensland women showcase their equestrian vaulting skills at a national level
- The team from Sarina placed in the top 10 at the state championships in July
- The relatively unknown sport is gaining traction in Australia but is popular in Germany and the US
While the goal for most riders is to stay in the saddle, she is part of a team of young women making an art of almost falling off — as an equestrian vaulter.
From their small regional Queensland town of Sarina, 40 kilometres south of Mackay, the team performs gymnastic-style tricks on horseback, using rhythmic and artistic styles in their musical routines.
Despite their youth and distance from the capital city teams that dominate the sport, they are part of a growing group of trick riders finding their feet on the national stage.
Trick riding no accident
At just six years old, Sophie accidentally discovered equestrian vaulting when she missed out on a spot in a riding class, so she went along to a vaulting one instead.
"My favourite trick is … all of it!" she said.
"I just went along, and I loved it so much that now I'm a part of the team."
Her teammate Sienna Eiser, 14, started just last year but has already found herself on the winners' podium, placing third in her class at the 2023 state championships held last month.
"It's amazing. It was one of the best decisions I've ever made," Sienna said.
Seven years after being drawn into the sport at a riding class, Nicole Bourne is now an introductory level coach committed to getting more women like Sophie and Sienna on board.
"Everyone is kind, you're always working as a team, and you couldn't find better people," she said.
Clearing more than the hurdles
But learning high-octane moves on horseback is not the only difficulty the team faces.
The team is just one of two in Queensland, and the other is 900km away in Brisbane.
Their coach, veteran riding instructor Jody Burrows, said it added to the challenge.
"We do it here in Sarina, little old Sarina, and we're very proud of that," she said.
"Our team, and our trainee coaches, have to travel away to do all of their accreditation.
"That is quite expensive and time consuming."
As momentum builds in Australia for a sport that is currently most popular in Germany and the United States, she says the effort is worth it.
"The little kids are included. The big kids, the old kids, the young kids, people with disabilities, everybody can join in our sport," Ms Burrows said.
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