By SUZANNE McFADDEN
Elizabeth Walker is making a name for herself - without riding on the fame of her father.
The daughter of running legend John Walker is using her voice to compose her own career on the world stage.
Next week, 21-year-old Elizabeth begins training at the London School of Musical Theatre - taking her closer to her dream of singing in the West End.
The mezzo-soprano has even given up a bright sporting career to pursue her love of music.
Elizabeth has worn the Silver Fern in showjumping, but she has had to sell her horses to move to the other side of the world.
And she has quit her job working alongside her father in Stirrups, their equestrian shop in Manurewa.
Walker admits that he will miss hearing his daughter's tunes behind the counter and finding screeds of music written on office papers.
"Hopefully, when she comes back she will be an accomplished performer, and I will get the benefit of that," Walker said.
"I'm proud of her because she has done it of her own right. She has passionately driven herself to get this far.
"Kids can't live through their parents. As I say to a lot of young kids in athletics, it's purely up to you to make a go of it."
Elizabeth, who has been living on her parents' farm in East Tamaki with her three younger brothers and sisters, went to England last year to try to pursue her musical aspirations.
She trawled through old programmes of West End musicals to find where the stars trained - then sent her credentials to the London School of Musical Theatre.
On her 21st birthday, Elizabeth got the call-up for an audition.
"They sent me a letter by sea, but it never arrived," she said.
"Finally they rang and said I had been accepted, and I couldn't believe it.
"They like Australians and New Zealanders because of their good work ethic."
Each year, the school takes 17 aspiring stars from more than 500 applicants. The school's director, Glenn Lee, selects young performers who he knows will get parts.
It's an intensive nine-month course, during which the students perfect their singing, dancing and acting techniques.
Elizabeth's strength is her voice, but no one in the family is sure where it came from.
"When she was a little girl we used to have concerts in front of the fireplace - we'd tell her to get up on the bricks and sing," recalled her mother, Helen.
"She has such an unusual quality to her voice - it's so enjoyable to listen to.
"But she used to drive her friends mad at school - she was constantly humming show tunes."
She started taking lessons at 14, but lacked confidence until she spent time with New Zealand entertainer Tina Cross.
For most of her teenage years, singing came second to horse riding, a passion inherited from her mother.
Elizabeth represented NZ in a young riders showjumping team across the Tasman, but last year she decided to sell her four horses and change her career path.
She has not ruled out emulating her father in the Olympics one day.
"But if you want to go to the Olympics, you have to have a lot of money behind you to campaign your horses.
"I can always come back to it, but right now I really want to give this a shot."
Elizabeth has turned the Walkers into a musical family, even though her brothers, Richard and Tim, will argue that they are more interested in ice hockey.
"I have always loved music, but I'm really hooked on shows now," said father John. "I saw Les Miserables five times. She has done us all a favour."
There is another budding singer in the family, too. Eight-year-old Caitlin knows all the words to the musicals her sister sings.
"This one has all the confidence in the world," their father said.
"She tells everyone she is going on stage to be better than her sister."
Not if Elizabeth can help it.
Jumping Walker breaks into song
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