Penrith rider Evie Gilmore tops in her sport of reigning
Evie Gilmore does a sport that very few people know much about. But she wouldn’t swap it for the world.
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It’s a question Evie Gilmore gets asked all the time. What exactly is your sport?
But the 14-year-old from Penrith is more than happy to explain the intricacies of reigning, a sport she loves and hopes will one day take her to the US to compete.
“I got involved in reigning when I was 10 but I’ve been having riding lessons since I was four,” Gilmore said.
“I was just super intrigued by it, how the horse moves and the way they did huge slides. I think it is really cool.
“Everyone thinks it’s like dressage but it is very different.’’
Gilmore is a Penrith Press Junior Sports Star nominee in the local Sports Stars Awards.
She is the reigning Australian champion 13 years and under - an honour she happily shares with her best friend.
“I was fortunate enough to tie for first place with my good friend Ally Bogie,” she said.
“We could have opted for a run off where a winner would have been decided but both agreed to share the title as both our horses had performed so well.’’
Gilmore was also awarded a NHRA Champion buckle for the Australia youth team tournament and at the recent NSW State Show in July won two Champion buckles in Rookie level classes one and two.
The young rider says she works hard to achieve success in a sport she loves.
“I ride six times a week. I spend about four hours a day out there because I have a young two-year-old,” she said.
“I also have a show horse I ride three times a week and at least two hours a day getting ready.”
Gilmore says her goal is to one day compete in a lucrative competition in Las Vegas which carries $1m prize money.
“The pinnacle would be to get invited to the Run for a Million in Las Vegas where the world’s best riders and horses compete for over one million dollars in prize money,” she said.
Gilmore says what she loves about reigning the most is the bond she makes with her horse.