Equestrian: Saddled with true passion

By JULIE ASH

As a parent it must be a bit of a nightmare when you live in a city and your daughter has her heart set on having a pony.

Jane Conway's parents can probably vouch for it.

Leading up to every birthday and Christmas for five years Jane pleaded for a pony. Mr and Mrs Conway gave in and brought their daughter her first pony when she was about 11.

But unlike most girls, horse riding was not just a phase she was going through.

Almost 10 years later, the Lower Hutt-born, Sydney-based 20-year-old has just won the Adelaide International Horse Trials two-star event and is hoping for further success at this weekend's three-day event in Auckland.

"Yeah, I was definitely one of those kids who always wanted a pony," Conway admitted. "My uncle is a farmer in the Wairarapa and when I was young I used to go riding at his house. Well, they use to lead me around on it.

"I just fell in love with it. So then I just harped and harped every single birthday and Christmas and eventually they caved in."

The Conway family moved to Australia when she was six. The family have a proud sporting history. Her great uncle, Red Conway, is a former All Black and her aunt Karen Conway is a former New Zealand and Australian springboard diving champion.

"I have only met Red twice and he was just amazing to talk to ... I think because my dad spent a lot of time with Karen when he was younger her competitiveness rubbed off on him which has now rubbed off on me, just in the way I organise myself, the way I think.

"I don't like any distractions. Before events I'll find a quiet place and sit down and focus."

She said her success in Adelaide, where she edged out several top Australians, including double Olympic gold medallist Matt Ryan, has been the highlight of her career.

"I have been working hard all year, although I had a bad fall in April after a collision with a branch. I ended up breaking my collar bone and two vertebrae in my neck."

Such an accident would be just about enough to make most riders hang up their boots. Seven weeks later she was back in the saddle.

"I was keen to get back into riding. It took me a while to rebuild my cross-country confidence at speed but at Adelaide I went like the clappers and managed to duck all the trees."

She knows little about those she will line up against in Auckland but is confident of a good result.

"My horse [Gordonstoun] is going well, the best he has ever gone. So I am feeling very positive.But it is a different country, you have got different weather conditions, so all those things have to be taken into consideration.

"I just have to get out there, ride my hardest and get the job done. "

As a result of her performance at Adelaide, Conway won a trip to observe next year's Badminton event in England.

"My aim for next year is to go to Sydney's three-day, three-star event in May. That is why I am here in New Zealand, to do a two-star event to qualify so I can move up to a three-star event."

To qualify she has to score over 50 per cent in dressage, perform an almost clear cross-country run and knock no more than four rails down in the showjumping event.

And should she go on to compete at Badminton or the Olympics, Conway can represent either New Zealand or Australia as she has dual citizenship."If the opportunity came up to represent either country I'd jump at it."


What's on

Today: Two-star dressage, from 9am; three-star dressage noon.

Tomorrow: Endurance from 8am; three-star cross country from 1.20pm

Sunday: Showjumping, two-star 10.30am; three-star starts 2.30pm.