Horse of the year: Triplet Amy Wiltshire shows style of her own

Amy Wiltshire from the team The Herd competes in the Mounted Games at the 2014 Horse of the Year Show.

Don't think you are seeing double or even triple when you see Amy Wiltshire competing.

The Bridge Pa 16-year-old is one of three triplets competing in the Mounted Games this week.

The Mounted Games, which began yesterday, is a colourful event which calls for supreme hand-eye co-ordination, agility and fitness in a series of high-intensity races.

One event, known as the toolbox scramble, is particularly exciting to watch. Riders compete relay-style in teams of four, with the first rider from each team placing a toolbox on an upturned bin in the centre of the arena at speed.

At the end of the arena, the riders dismount while holding on to their horses, pick up plastic hammers off the ground, vault back on to their horses and place the hammers in the toolboxes during their return sprint.

The final rider is tasked with depositing a hammer in the toolbox and retrieving the toolbox itself to conclude the race.

The games, are co-ordinated by Wiltshire's mother, Kate.

Mrs Wiltshire hopes to watch her daughter compete in the New Zealand teams' championship today, at 6pm, in the NRM arena.

"The final will be loud and colorful. It's an action-packed sport and simple to understand - a real crowd-pleaser," she said. "This year, we've had more entries than ever."

Next week, Wiltshire is moving permanently to the United Kingdom with her pony, Mabel, to ride in the English mounted games. She'll also represent New Zealand in the world teams' championships in France in August. Wiltshire is "a little apprehensive" about the big move, but glad to be accompanied by her pony.