Meet aspiring Olympian Harriet Smith, one of four WestMAC students set to represent Queensland this month

Meet the 11-year-old equestrian talent with eyes fixed on an Olympic games, one of four WestMAC students representing Queensland in this month’s Australian Interschool Championships.

State 90cm showjumping champion Harriet Smith (pictured in action at the State Titles). Photo:Peter Wallis.

Not too many have both the drive and pedigree that 11-year-old Harriet Smith has.

The Year Six WestMAC student and aspiring Olympic Equestrian has her eyes on a 2032 Brisbane showcase and her father Ross Smith, who was selected as New Zealand’s representative for the World Cup Final in France in 2014, has been grooming her for such stages since the beginning.

But, Smith isn’t the only WestMAC student excelling in the sport, with four selected to represent Queensland in showjumping and dressage in this month’s Australian Interschool Championships held at the Sydney Olympic venue.

WestMAC’s students who have been selected to represent Queensland in showjumping and dressage in this month’s Australian Interschool Championships. Left to right: Harriet Smith, Aria Clunes, Kayla Moore and Siena Peters.

Smith, who started at WestMAC this year in hopes of furthering her dream of representing Australia at the 2032 Olympics, has won the Queensland Primary School 90cm Showjumping Championship.

The youngster from Kalbar achieved her first goal of winning the State Title after completing a clear jumping round on her pony I’m a Cowboy, who she has a “special connection” with.

But for Smith, this is just the beginning, having won the 1m Children’s Under-14 Championship at the Caboolture Festival World Cup event at the State Equestrian Centre in June.

State 90cm showjumping champion Harriet Smith (pictured in action at the State Titles). Photo:Peter Wallis.

She trains seven days a week, has been competing since she was four years old and has the magic recipe for her top-level ambitions.

Her Father Ross rode too, and was very good at it. He was selected to represent New Zealand for the 2014 World Cup final in France but did not attend nor pursue the 2016 Olympics because of an personal reasons.

But perhaps that is fuel to the flame.

Harriet’s uncle Matt Gaske was longlisted in the Australian team for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics equestrian team, and grandmother Judith Smith represented New Zealand in showjumping in the 1960s.

It’s fair to say it runs in her blood.

“I’ve been riding before I could walk,” Harriet said. “I’m inspired by what my dad has achieved and I want to represent Australia at the Olympics one day.”

The WestMAC girls (left Kayla Moore and right Siena Peters) receiving the State trophy in team dressage at the QLD championships.

Harriet’s Showjumping Championship success comes on top of WestMAC’s milestone Queensland Dressage Team Title victory against 172 schools at the State Interschool Equestrian Championships in Toowoomba.

WestMAC’s dressage team of Siena Peters, Aria Clunes, Kayla Moore and Erin Johnston combined for the prestigious Queensland team title after stellar individual performances.

Peters, Moore and Johnston will also represent WestMAC at the Australian Interschool Titles from 26 September to 3 October.