Sport
6 August, 2024
Kilcoy local jumps high in Mexico comp
Kilcoy local April Davies was the top-placed foreigner in the 1.20m jump category of the 2024 Global Amateur Mexico Tour, which took place in Puebla, Mexico, from June 15-24.
The 18-year-old placed fourth in her class out of 80 competitors, calling the experience ‘surreal’ because the expectation wasn’t to win.
“They told us when we got there, ‘You’re not going to beat these guys’,” she said.
“I just did my best to do right by the horse and I had nothing to lose. I jumped three clear rounds, which was what I wanted, so in the final, I was told to just go out there and give it my shot.”
Being her first international arena, she only had three rides to get to know her borrowed horse, Huatabampo-Inspiracion, before the competition started.
“Having a taste of what international competition is like is giving me a new sense of motivation to really take my training to the next level when I get back home,” she said.
Now in her final year as a junior competitor, April hopes to compete in the Young Rider Series in March, jumping 1.35m.
“I’m nervous, but as a rider, I also need to be conscious of my horse,” she said.
“My horse hasn’t competed before either, and we need to be ready as a team.
“I need to ensure my horse is ready so there are no interruptions or accidents.”
April has been riding competitively since she was 12 years old, having the dream of pursuing it professionally.
Her advice to any young horse riders is to be consistent and compare themselves to others.
“It’s a physically and mentally challenging sport,” she said.
“You are going to have many more bad days before a good one.” Congrats April on your achievement!
