Noosa riding champ credits horsing around at 3am makes for winning edge

When most 14-year-olds were enjoying lazy sleep-ins, Tewantin’s Alyssa Dinnage was rising well before the sun with determination beyond her years.

Alyssa Dinnage won two categroies at the Australia championships for horse riding. Picture: Patrick Woods.

When most 14-year-olds were enjoying lazy sleep-ins, Tewantin’s Alyssa Dinnage was rising well before the sun with determination beyond her years.

Alyssa was putting in the extra effort atop her trusted four-legged riding partner Roanie Pony in the lead up to becoming twice national champion at the Australian Quarter Horse Association in Tamworth at Easter.

The pair were determined to make the most of an opportunity COVID-19 almost snatched away from them.

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“It was a bit touch and go when we first arrived because Queensland was to lockdown again and we thought we were going to have to leave … we had to isolate for three days,” Alyssa said.

“We didn’t think the national show was going to go ahead, but it did and then in those three days we just did a lot of training and practised with the horses.

“It was up at 3am helping out to prep the horses for the courses – it was just very hard.”

Alyssa Dinnage won two Aussie championship medals for horse riding. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Her highly disciplined preparation yielded results in her chosen events.

Alyssa’s mum Kerry Dinnage instilled her love of quarter horse competitions in her daughter

“She’s had Roanie for almost two years and has been riding and competing since she was nine,” Ms Dinnage said.

“It’s all about that real bond between the horses and the rider – there’s all sorts of disciplines in the actual show competition that she does.

Ms Dinnage said the equitation section was very English “where you have to be precise and your seat in the saddle has to be perfect”.

Alyssa Dinnage won two Aussie championship medals for horse riding. Picture: Patrick Woods.

“The rider has to make the horse look nice, the rider completes the picture,” she said.

“It’s completely different from dressage, the horses have their heads down low and it’s the real connection between the rider and the horse.

Alyssa said her training involved doing “a lot of trust exercises with him – I call him Roanie Pony”.

“Basically we just work together as a team,” she said.

The two are training for the National Pleasure Horse Association Celebration Show starting May 19 at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre.

It will mean a week off classes at Sunshine Beach State High School, but for Alyssa the real test will be showing the judges how a horse and rider can work together flawlessly at the biggest show of its kind in Australia.