Karena off for a showjumping trip of a lifetime

Karena Murray is part of Kiwi showjumping troupe invited to Gut Ising in Germany to learn more about the sport. Photo / Rebecca Mauger

Karena Murray will be jumping ahead in her sport after being accepted into an elite German showjumping programme.

The Katikati College student is off to the world-renowned Gugler Sport Horses stables in Isling next month where she will be training each day with top coaches and horses.

Karena, 14, was the youngest applicant. Her mother Hayley says Karena was successful due to her abilities, achievements and ambition to represent New Zealand internationally one day.

Evolution Equestrian's Mark Wells organised the trip. The stable is one of the most beautiful in Europe if not the world, he says, and the programme will give Karena an insight into how some of the best in the world train and prepare.

"Karena strikes me as a determined young lady, who has the talent to realise her dreams, she strives to develop her own self produced horses, and she is having success with this.''

The biggest feather in her cap is jumping 1.20m with horse Solo (show name Rebel Alliance) at the Auckland Showjumping Championships in December last year.

Karena Murray and Rebel Alliance in the junior rider class at the show jumping championships. Photo / Amy C Photography

The Gut Ising complex has three indoor arenas, three outdoor arenas, 10 rubber turnout paddocks, polo fields, gallop track and forest hacking. There's also the four-star Hotel Gut Ising where the young riders will stay.

As well as training, the group of 12 will explore Munich, take a train trip to Austria to see Mozart's birthplace and travel to Frankfurt to attend Wiesbaden International Showjumping event — a four-star event — watching and learning from some of the best riders in the world.

Applicant numbers were high so Mark is organising a second trip with another group later this year.

Mark says Karena will learn a huge amount.

Karena has been horse riding since she 7 and showjumping since age 11. She calls it a ''once in a lifetime opportunity'' and wants to bring her riding prowess to another level.