Syria-bound Rebecca Porter's done her homework and made some mental notes.
The teenager, who turned 15 this month, knows the Islamic country has endless kilometres of deserts somewhere near Saudi Arabia and Turkey and it's not unusual to see men in headdresses.
"And I'd like to go camel riding when I'm there," the Hastings Girls' High School pupil says before jetting off to Damascus from February 13-23 for the Under-14 FEI World Showjumping Championship in the capital city.
Before Porter, of Fernhill, can try to saddle a multi-humped one through the art of leaning backwards and forwards, she faces the task of showjumping on a pony she will not know until the day before competition.
"They'll pick a horse for me. I'll ride it first on practice day and if I don't like it then I can choose another one."
What if Porter doesn't strike a rapport with horse No 2?
"You only get two picks and you have to adapt otherwise you can't compete."
Porter was the only under-14 rider among 25 to register two clear rounds in the final qualifier in New Zealand on her 10-year-old mount, Mr Bee Brown, before securing her berth among the world's top 16 showjumpers in that age group.
She'll miss her horse, nicknamed Buzz, who she cajoled over fences without subjecting herself to too much pressure on time but reveals it was a combination of both that got her the ticket to the world champs.
"He [Buzz] knows he's the boss. He's greedy and loves his chaff and cool feed," she says of her mount, explaining the food is light and ensures the horses don't "spin out".
Porter is following a rich tradition in the family. Her 18-year-old sister, Greta, went to the same FEI championship although Calgary hosted it in Canada.
Greta, studying at Otago University, qualified on her "spooky" former pighunting packhorse, Hori.
The other sister, Claudia, 16, who also attends HGHS, is also a showjumper.
They are daughters of Leah Porter, a teacher at Irongate School in Hastings.
Rebecca Porter, who started riding a miniature horse at the age of 3 but didn't compete until she was 5 years old, lauds her mother for her success.
"I wouldn't have got as far as I have if my mother hadn't pushed us a bit."
Leah Porter, her partner, John Pearce, and Claudia will travel to Damascus with Rebecca.
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.
Latest from Sport
Gone in six seconds: Injured footballers on long road back to fitness
A sportsman who suffered a horror knee injury six seconds into a match opens up.