After 10 years as manager to the Hawke's Bay Horse Trials eventing team, Jane von Dadelszen - or Jane von D as she is nicknamed - has dealt with almost every crisis she can think of and a whole heap of highlights.
She has also travelled all over the country with "her" teams since 1984 but this year it's just a quick trip down the road to Equestrian Park where Hawke's Bay are the hosts for this year's "Champs" as it's known.
Many of equestrian's "names" have been in Champs teams of the past. They include Mark Todd, Mary Darby - another Olympian, Sue Thompson, Tinks Pottinger, Bundy Philpott and Hawke's Bay's Maurice Beatson, who won the DC section.
Von Dadelszen first got into Pony Club in 1980 when her daughter, Alexa, started riding, followed by Matt and Emma. Since then she has held almost every job for Central Hawke's Bay Pony Club and she has been on the Hawke' Bay Area Committee for many years. Currently, she is chief coach for Central Hawke's Bay and she has two grandchildren in Pony Club.
Von Dadelszen originally got into the Champs manager role as just another job in Pony Club, but this one has her heart.
"All I want is for things to work well for 'my kids' and to get them home safely from the crosscountry," she says. "Sometimes it's hell on wheels but it's really important to support them when things go wrong." Hardest of all is when a horse is vetted out of the competition in the trot up vet check after the crosscountry prior to the showjumping phase.
"For the riders it's devastating. But," von Dadelszen said, with her characteristic laconic style, "we just have to deal with it."
Also part of the von Dadelszen Champs team is Majestic Transport truck driver Colwyn Hercock. He books in his annual holiday to take the team away to Champs, year after year.
"I have been very fortunate to have his support".
To the riders, Hercock is a lot more than a driver but that's because, as a horse person himself, he gets right into the Hawke's Bay campaign.
"The trainer starts them off on the crosscountry and it's me and Colwyn at the end."
He's the chief helper. This year, Hercock isn't driving them to Kumeu or Cromwell but his truck is still the Hawke's Bay team base.
Being manager also has highlights that aren't always to do with the competition.
"One year we went down South. Champs were being held at Cromwell and the team was billeted at Bendigo Station with the Perriam family. The day we got there, they mustered in an old ram that hadn't been shorn in years. He was in the stables with our horses. Claire McCutcheon from Otane Pony Club named him Shrek and he went on to be a mega-famous sheep, raising money for charity," von Dadelszen recalled.
Both von Dadelszen and Hercock agreed the team is made by the attitude of the riders. Von Dadelszen isn't easy on "her" kids. "They've got a responsibility to do the best they can, to be organised and deal with the dramas if they happen. Many people have put a lot of time and money into helping them achieve their dream of going to Champs. They've got to be hungry to do well.
"After a 'mare of a round, when they feel they've let the team down, it's important to give them space to deal with it and also remind them that it's not the end of the world. When it goes right - that's when it's easy."
One of the most important parts of being involved with the team is the adult and parent support she gets.
"I have been lucky to have great trainers for the team. Campbell Draper, especially, who was the trainer for many of my teams. We worked very well together and supported each other's decisions. Alice Russell and Donna Wellington have been very effective in coaching the current team and have given a lot of their time to them," von Dadelszen said.
Like every team, Hawke's Bay, is there to win and to achieve personal bests which will last a lifetime. Forefront in their minds at the moment is Amanda Bellerby who, riding Benefactor, won the A1 individual title when Champs were held in Cromwell in 2004. Taking a team that far made the win all the sweeter. The other memory to the forefront is that last time Champs were held in the Bay, in 2001, Hawke's Bay came second.
"We'll be looking to improve on that result," von Dadelszen said with a definite gleam in her eye.