Geelong Grammar encourages students to bring big pets to school

GEELONG Grammar School’s equestrian facilities enable boarding students, such as Kyneton sisters Gen and Lizzie Brand, to have a member of their family — their horse — at school with them.

Geelong Grammar boarding students Gen and Lizzie Brand with their horse.

GEELONG Grammar School’s equestrian facilities enable boarding students, such as Kyneton sisters Gen and Lizzie Brand, to have a member of their family — their horse — at school with them.

Set on 24 hectares overlooking Corio Bay, the David William Robert Knox Equestrian Centre has a large indoor arena, outdoor dressage, show jumping and lunging arenas, as well as a cross-country course.

Students’ horses live at school and the benefits are immeasurable — they enhance emotional wellbeing, help create social bonds and provide a welcome distraction from academic learning while teaching valuable lessons about hard work and responsibility.

Geelong Grammar School opened its Equestrian Centre 20 years ago, in 1997, and it has grown to become a strong component of the school’s co-curricular and sport programs.

Equestrian brings out a rider’s competitiveness, their creativity, and their resilience. But ultimately, it brings joy.

While the school’s equestrian program offers everything from lessons with expert instructors to competition at regional, state and national competitions, sometimes, at the end of a long day at school, it’s just nice for students to see someone that loves them.

Gen, in Year 12, and Lizzie, Year 10, have been riding together since they could walk. “I’ve been riding since I was two,” Gen said. “It’s a longstanding bond we have (as sisters).” This bond has more recently extended to include a third member, of the four-legged variety. Gen partnered Quamby Farm Cloud Street (Bailey for short) with great success in 2016.

The duo was crowned Reserve Champion in the Elementary Dressage division at the Australian Interschool Championships as a member of Victoria’s champion Senior Dressage team.

“This year I got a new horse, so Bailey became Lizzie’s,” Gen said.

A retired racehorse, Bailey responded well to the riding change. In April, Lizzie partnered Bailey to an incredible three-peat at the 2017 Equestrian Victoria Interschools, winning the Senior Novice Dressage, Combined Training 60cm and Secondary Working Hunter, to qualify for her second Australian Championships.

“You go into these events not really knowing how you’ll go, but I hope to do well,” Lizzie said.

Lizzie will be joined at the Australian Championships by Year 8 student Hannah Bufton, from Balliang, while Year 9 student Olivia Batten, from Mount Duneed, was a late withdrawal after her horse was injured.

The school’s equestrian community is tight-knit, sharing a great enthusiasm and love of horses and commitment to their care and wellbeing. The bonds formed are what make the equestrian program at the school so special.

• ggs.vic.edu.au