Whanganui 14yo Charlie Stone wins Equissage New Zealand pony rider equitation series title

Charlie Stone won the Equissage New Zealand pony rider equitation series, which scores a rider based on their horsemanship.

A 14-year-old Whanganui rider has won the New Zealand pony equitation title and placed second in the under-17 national show hunter series.

Charlie Stone and her pony, Tawa, won the Equissage New Zealand pony rider equitation series after nine months of competition.

The pair also placed second in The Brave Pants Company Category C Show Hunter National Series.

The season ended in late March.

Equitation scores riders on their horsemanship, riding position and ability to communicate with their horse or pony while navigating a jumps course.

Show Hunter judges a horse or pony’s rhythm, style and accuracy on a course plan, detailing the number of strides between jumps and other obstacles.

Show Hunter’s Category C is the largest size pony category for riders aged 13 to 17.

Stone said the moment she realised she had won the equitation national title felt special.

“It was really exciting because it came down to the last show,” she said.

A rider must earn the most points, awarded for finishes at each competition during the season, to win the series. Stone competed against more than 70 riders in each series.

“I was a bit nervous, but I was excited,” she said.

The equitation title came down to the last round of the season’s final show in Hastings, where Stone won 75 points to 73 against Aggie Shearer and her pony Bizzie McGuire.

Her father, Shane Stone, was watching when she won.

“You couldn’t have staged it any better,” he said.

Charlie Stone travelled almost every weekend for nine months to compete at events around the country, with the goal of winning a national series title. She trained with her pony almost daily and cared for him, including “special” feeds, washing, plaiting, changing covers, massaging him and attending lessons.

Her mother, Janie Ford, said the family was “thrilled and proud”.

Charlie Stone has been riding since she was 3.

Her father said horse riding was “in the blood”.

Both of Charlie Stone’s grandfathers were avid riders and played polocrosse. Her paternal grandfather represented New Zealand in polocrosse for more than 10 years, he said.

Charlie Stone said equestrian sports were unique.

“It’s really cool when you work with an animal because you just don’t know what’s going to happen, and when they do go well, it’s super exciting.

“You have a good partnership with them.”

She has ridden with Tawa for more than three years and rides him nearly every day, including walks along Kai Iwi Beach.

“He’s just so amazing, and I wouldn’t have been able to win it without him,” she said.

Looking ahead to next season, Stone said she would like to try new events, including inter-school competitions. Tawa had competed in Show Hunter “his whole life”, she said.

“It’ll be cool to change it up for him.”

She also planned to keep competing in Show Hunter, she said.

“I love it so much.”

Erin Smith is a multimedia journalist based in Whanganui.