Adam Carlisle in action. PHOTO/SUPPLIED
JAKE BELESKI
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Kuranui College student Adam Carlisle will get his first taste of Texas when he heads there with the rest of the New Zealand team for the American Quarter Horse Youth World Cup in June.
The 15-year-old has been selected as the reserve rider for the event, which includes about 20 countries and is held every two years in different locations.
Throughout the competition, each country rides for gold medals in cutting, reining, horsemanship, ranch riding, trail, western riding, hunt seat equitation, hunter under saddle and showmanship.
Adam will only get the chance to ride if one of the five riders is unavailable, but there is plenty that he will be able to take part in at the world cup.
There will be educational seminars, discipline clinics, leadership training and competitions.
Adam’s mother, Sue Carlisle, said the event had been a popular one for members of their family.
“My two older sons have also been to the youth world cup – my oldest one, Dan, went to Texas as well, and Nick went to Australia two years ago.
“It’s an amazing opportunity – they meet all the top trainers and make these amazing friendships all around the world.”
The New Zealand team riders are selected from horse shows over the summer period, and riders must get used to riding on horses other than their own.
At the world cup, the host nation always provides the horses for competitors to use.
Even if Adam does not get the chance to ride at the event, he will be putting his skills to use before returning to New Zealand.
“Unless something goes wrong, he won’t ride, but on the way back he’s going to spend some time with trainer Brent Maxwell from Mil-Max Training Centre in Ohio.
“He’s one of the top trainers.”
Being named reserve rider also means Adam will be eligible for next year’s transtasman competition, which runs in alternate years to the biennial world cup.
Some of the riders in the New Zealand team were in Clareville on Sunday, practising with horses they had not ridden before.
“It’s all about practising on other people’s horses,” Mrs Carlisle said.
“They need a couple of days at the competition to get to know the horse.”
