Levin rider succeeds at Horse of the Year

Louise Duncan competing in Horse Of The Year 2018

A Levin woman has achieved significant success at the country's premier equestrian competition, taking home a host of accolades at Horse Of The Year earlier this month.

Louise Duncan, riding Don Ivanno, took out the title of Grade IV Para Equestrian Horse Of The Year at the Hawke's Bay competition, placing first in the Para IV Team Test, Para IV Championship Test and Para IV Musical events.

Duncan also placed second, third and second respectively in those categories, which are points-based, on her other horse, Wolkenstien BC.

Para Equestrian gives people with mild to severe disabilities the opportunity to train and compete at dressage competition on equal terms. It became the fifth discipline in Equestrian Sports NZ in 2009 and is different from Special categories, which include athletes with intellectual disabilities.

Participants compete at a certain grade based on their level of impairment, or against able-bodied riders if they choose.

Duncan, who suffered a series of strokes and endured extensive rehabilitation after contracting meningococcal disease as a teenager, has fought her way determinedly upthrough equestrian competitions in New Zealand, competing in both Para and able-bodied categories as well asrunning her own successful hair design business in Levin.

Alongside her Para achievements, she and Wolkenstien BC also placed fifth in the North Island Zilco Accumulator, an able-bodied category based on accumulated points throughout the year at various events, as well as a final performance at Horse of the Year.

They were also ninth overall in the Level 5 title, and Reserve Champion Grade IV Horse of the Year.

Duncan said it was her first time competing at Horse Of The Year in Para categories, but she had competed for a number of years on horses and ponies in both dressage and showing.

"I was very proud to have qualified in able-bodied and Para classes, and to finish in the top ten able-bodied classes with a fifth in the National Accumulator, [as well as] coming home with Champion and Reserve Para," she said.

"Being a Para equestrian always has challenges.

"My Para grade 4 dressage tests are equivalent to a level 3 able-bodied dressage test, and up to level 5 able-bodied in our freestyle which includes Walk, Trot and Canter, Flying Changes, Half Pass, Shoulder-in and other lateral work."

Duncan works her horses on average five days a week, fitting in her passion around her business and busy lifestyle.

She trains alongside her mother Frankie Webb, who is an Equestrian Sports NZ coach and also works with top-level international coaches John Thompson and Andrea Raves.