Tessa Forbes from Bullsbrook is going to use a passport for the very first time. She is off to America later this year to compete in the International Mounted Games Australian Pony Club Team. This event is being held from 12 to 26 July at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, Virginia.
Each year only one rider, from each state not on the reserve list, is selected and this year Tessa is that Western Australian. Tessa went through a selection process on Saturday 7 February 2015 which involved riding different ponies and sitting an interview with questions from the 4 selectors.
NSW, SA, NT and Tasmanian riders will meet her when she flies east and then they all fly to the USA together with their coach.
Tessa started riding when she was 5 and joined South Midlands Pony Club in Muchea at 8. Now 15, she has been dreaming about achieving this goal since 2012 and can’t wait to get on the plane and meet the other Australian Riders and the riders from USA, Canada and United Kingdom.
Mounted Games emerged as a Pony Club activity in Great Britain in 1957 – 28 years after the inauguration of pony club in 1929. In 1956 His Royal Highness Prince Philip spoke of his interest in developing a team competition for pony club riders who didn’t necessarily have ‘show ponies’. He envisaged a series of games on horseback for teams of four riders. His vision was to arrange races that would be exciting for the spectator and rider alike and encourage outstanding horsemanship, skills and balance without the need for specialist ponies or horses. By 1965 the Prince Philip Mounted Games (PPMG) had spread from Great Britain to America, Canada and Australia.
In 2013 and 14 Tessa was in the State Junior Prince Philip Mounted Games Team and both times WA took out the Championships here in Perth. As well as Pony Club, Tessa is a member of the Mounted Games Association of WA who hold monthly competitions all over WA. In 2014 Tessa was the under 18 Individual Champion.
Tessa is in year 10 at Bullsbrook College, adores her amazing pony Blondie and loves the challenge of riding borrowed ponies in her chosen horse riding sport. Tessa thrives on the competition and at the same time enjoys the opportunity to make lifelong friendships all over Australia and later this year, the world.
