Dressage: Willa Aitken wins title

Tikokino's Willa Aitken celebrates her New Zealand Pony and Young Rider Championship dressage title with Ally, a friend's pony, in Hastings. Photo/Paul Taylor

Central Hawke's Bay dressage rider Willa Aitken proudly boasts about her regular wins against mother Lucy Robertshawe.

Yet at the same time Aitken, a 15-year-old Woodford House Year 11 student, is quick to praise the work Robertshawe has done as her coach since she took up one of equestrian's toughest disciplines as a 4-year-old.

"With Willa it's a case of do what I say not what I do," Tikokino's Robertshawe quipped.

It's a formula which obviously works. Aitken and 9-year-old gelding Maxwellton Roger Rabbit returned from the recent Samsung New Zealand Pony and Young Rider Championships in Kihikihi with the level two pony dressage title.

Aitken beat 14 other riders for the title after also winning the level one title when Feilding hosted the same championships last year. In addition to the national titles Aitken has won several regional titles.

Following the nationals Aitken competed for the Hawke's Bay team at a Taupo-hosted competition. The team finished seventh and Aitken came fourth in the individual section.

"I train hard. For a teenager I get up early and during the holidays I train up to four hours every day ... I would train all day long if I could," Aitken said.

"I would love to go to the 2020 Olympics. It's good to have a long-term goal like that."

Aitken says eating plenty of jet plane and gummy bear lollies on competition day is one of the secrets to her success.

One thing she has worked out she shouldn't do is wear new items of clothing on the first day of a show.

"I had some new gear on in Kihikihi where I took two ponies. I didn't have as much success with Kirkwood Green Light but Roger could do no wrong," Aitken explained.

A big fan of Dutch Olympian Adelinde Cornelissen and British Olympian Carl Hester, Aitken is keen to win the level three title at next year's nationals. She has a busy schedule between now and then with a Hawke's Bay competition on February 8 her final rehearsal for the March Horse of the Year Show in Hastings.

This year's HOY will be Aitken's fifth. Last year she took three ponies and recorded fourth, fifth and sixth placings with them.

While she plays hockey and volleyball for her school, dressage is Aitken's main sporting pursuit. With an Olympic Games beckoning it has to be.

Her mother ranked mental discipline as Aitken's biggest work-on.

"Willa has to process her thoughts in the right way ... she has to be able to think and do at the same time."

If Aitken's successes to date are an indication it shouldn't take her long to tick this work-on off. This will no doubt enhance her chances of more wins against her mum and coach who will likely to be among the first to congratulate her at the appropriate time.