Alessandra Voitenko Turner and Greengrove Calle II won the Primary Combined Training 80cm Championship. Image by Rodney's Photography.
The 2025 Australian Interschool Championships were nothing short of extraordinary. Staged at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre (SIEC) on the 25th anniversary of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, it was the largest competition ever held at the venue – a true celebration of equestrian sport and the legacy of the Games.
The scale was staggering: 431 athletes, 702 entries, and almost 500 horses stabled on the grounds. To cope, organisers brought in an additional 140 portable stables to accommodate the influx of competitors from every state and territory.
There were eight dressage arenas in use, with 567 tests ridden, alongside 716 showjumping rounds and 85 cross-country rides. The site was alive from dawn to dusk over the full five days of competition and festivities.
To honour the 25th anniversary of SIEC, which was built for the 2000 Olympics, Australian Olympians, Paralympians, and lifetime members of Equestrian Australia were invited to attend. In a special initiative, each state team was paired with a legendary Olympian, creating unforgettable memories for young riders.
Among the Olympians present were Vicki Roycroft, Stuart Tinney, Shane Rose, Denis Pigott and Rachael Downs, and Paralympians Jan Pike and Lisa Martin.
Their involvement included the opening ceremony, where the teams were a sight to be seen, with each state’s competitors all in state uniforms with a mascot and an Olympian mentor on foot running into the indoor.
Isla Oxley and Enbarr on their way to becoming Advanced Champion. Image by Rodney’s Photography.
CARNIVAL-LIKE VIBE
The atmosphere was described by many as “electric” — more like a festival combined with a horse show. A bustling trade village, entertainment, and the sheer number of competitors created a carnival-like vibe that lifted spirits and added to the sense of occasion. Families, coaches, and teams filled the stands, cheering loudly for every state.
Behind the scenes, the organisation was nothing short of monumental. Equestrian NSW CEO Vireena Peacock, together with Event Director Linda Skinner and a small but determined committee of eight core members masterminded the week. Eventing NSW coordinated the eventing, as did Jumping NSW for the showjumping, with show horse and dressage coordinated through the organising committee themselves – which was quite an effort on top of all other areas they covered. There were over 200 volunteers that signed up through the app, mostly competitors and parents, and what a great job they did.
The committee’s job was immense: ensuring horses could rotate through stabling, managing unprecedented entries, and weaving the Olympic anniversary theme throughout, not to mention the logistics of judges for all the disciplines and arena grades, to feeding and lodging them all — and that is before scoring and presentations and the like! “No stone was left unturned,” remarked one official, and the result was a slick, seamless event despite the enormous scale.
There was entertainment including a movie night, a pas de deux and an unmounted games night that created much noise, hilarity and cheering.
Liam Mackenzie-Smith and Sandhills Invader jumping their way to overall CCN2* Eventing Champion. Image by Rodney’s Photography.
Mandavilla Catering worked hard on daytime catering, with dinner either camp cooking or Uber Eats. The floats and camping, trucks and caravans were wall to wall with barely a piece of uninhabited ground to be seen. The organisation of keeping all and sundry happy was worthy of a gold medal (remembering that for every competitor there were parents and family)!
With the number of riders and disciplines there were no shortcuts when it came to safety and strategic plans in place. As safety officer, Vireena was very aware of the importance of risk management and safety planning and developed a comprehensive Serious Incident Management Plan. The help here was from event Technical Director, Hunter Doughty, and over the entire competition there was only one minor injury in a showjumping fall where a stitch in a lip was needed.
The competition covered dressage, showjumping, combined training, eventing, and show horse. Standards were high across the board, with some of the most competitive classes ever seen at the Interschool level and on a national level.
NSW RULE ON HOME GROUND
The overall champion state was New South Wales, whose riders shone on home ground. NSW secured team titles, including Senior Dressage Champion, Combined Training Champion, Eventing Champion and Junior Show Horse Champion.
Riders travelled from every corner of Australia, some hauling horses for up to a week to be part of the competition. The camaraderie between states was palpable, with young athletes forging friendships that will last long beyond the ribbons and trophies.
Pas de Deux fun at the 2025 Horseland Interschool Nationals. Image by Rodney’s Photography.
“The week symbolised
the strength and future
of Australian equestrian sport.”
Olympians mingled with competitors every day, presented ribbons, and inspired athletes with stories of their own journeys. For many riders, walking the grounds with the same champions they had once watched on TV was the highlight of their week, meeting up with those who had competed on the hallowed grounds in 2000 at the Sydney Olympics and won medals.
The week symbolised the strength and future of Australian equestrian sport. Twenty-five years after Sydney 2000, the venue once again echoed with the sound of cheering crowds, immense competition, and the unmistakable pride of riders representing their states.
Willa Boersma and Sunset Safari won the Intermediate 100cm Championship. Image by Rodney’s Photography.
The Australian Interschool Championships at SIEC was more than just a competition — it was a reminder of how the Olympic legacy continues to inspire the next generation. Among the athletes who competed this year may well be the Olympians of the future, carrying forward the torch lit in 2000. EQ
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