Robyn Edie / Stuff
Philippa Stratford, 18, of Mabel Bush, near Invercargill, with her horses Fidy ‘Peti Peti Wai’, left, and Jo Dee ‘Mararoa Jo Dee’. Stratford heads to São Paulo, Brazil, to compete in show jumping as part of a team of seven riders from New Zealand.
Philippa Stratford is a little nervous about going to Invercargill Airport Monday morning to fly to Brazil.
It’s not the 17-hour flight she’s worried about, nor the 35-degree temperatures that await her. She’s not even particularly annoyed by the fact that it’s her first time leaving New Zealand.
The 18-year-old is competing in the São Paulo CSI – W Indoor Championships, a prestigious show jumping competition in São Paulo, Brazil, on a horse she hasn’t seen yet.
“We have no idea [what horse we’ll be riding]. We just send a video and they assign us… it’s a little unnerving, but they are good Brazilian horses,” she said.
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She is part of a team of seven New Zealand riders, aged between 15 and 36, who are on their way to competition.
When she found out she was part of the team three months ago, she had a hard time convincing her mother that it was true.
Applications were open to riders of all levels and ages from across New Zealand.
“She didn’t quite believe me when I said I was coming in,” she said.
“I just applied because I thought it couldn’t hurt.”
She has been improving general fitness, running, rehab for injuries and “just general riding” in preparation for competition.
The competition runs over two weeks and includes a ranking show, an overall round in the first week and a three-day horse show in the second week.
While focusing on the competition, she is also excited to tour Rio de Janeiro and experience South America in between her show jumping competitions.
“It’s a trip of a lifetime…I’m very excited.”
The determined show jumper returns on August 29 and plans to compete in Cromwell six days later.
“I’m very lucky to have a lot of support, I have a friend who volunteered to ride them [her horses] while I am gone.”