from The Marlborough Express (dated 11mar11)

Another long season may be drawing to a close, but for leading Marlborough showjumper Georgia Reid, tomorrow's Equestrian Sports Marlborough Area Showjumping Championships at Waterlea Racecourse are a signal to shift into top gear.

After a busy season, during which the 19-year-old has competed almost every weekend since the end of September, tomorrow's event is the perfect chance to fine tune her horses ahead of next week's all-important season finale – the New Zealand Horse of the Year in Hastings.

The Marlborough event is also one of her last chances to accrue points for the South Island Junior Showhunter series. A previous winner of the series in the 2008-09 season, Reid is currently second and in the top five nationally.

Although she admits it will be tough to catch the combination holding down the top Mainland spot, a good performance tomorrow would stand her in good stead to achieve her goal of the junior title at Horse of the Year.

Only two of her four horses, Mint and Skye, will make the trip north. Reid says her best chance at the title probably lies with Mint, who has been in top form this season.

It shouldn't come as much of a surprise that Reid is a talented showjumper.

Not only does she have a job that makes her the envy of her horsey mates – being a fulltime groom for her coach, Helen Ensor, a breeder and former showjumper – but her mother, Bernadette, is a former rider and her No1 supporter.

Reid says her mother has been a big contributor to her career, which started at 3.

"Mum's always there, so I'm pretty lucky, really. She does dressage, but most of the time she doesn't compete because she's too busy helping me."

Although she has done "a bit of everything" in the equestrian world, Reid switched her focus solely to showjumping, and more specifically showhunting, three to four years ago.

She says the difference between the two is that showjumping is a race against the clock, whereas showhunting has a focus on style, with horse and rider judged on things such as balance and rhythm.

The reasons for her success are fairly easy to see.

Along with living the horsey lifestyle all day, every day, competing on four horses means she keeps up a very busy training schedule.

With a bit of help from her mother, Mint, Skye, Charlie and Mel are worked each day – something Reid says is crucial if they are to perform well.

She will be joined at Waterlea tomorrow by several other Marlborough competitors, including top pony grade riders Jess Sonne and Sarah Parkes.

Tomorrow's show is also timed perfectly, as it features a number of the country's top competitors on their way to Horse of the Year, which starts on Sunday.

- The Marlborough Express