For the love of Show Horse - with Hallie Cowdroy

The 2024 Hygain EA Australasian Show Horse and Rider Championships (The Nationals) are currently on at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre (SIEC). This three day show features 230 Show Horses and 195 Riders from around the country who have qualified at their various state's Horse of the Year (HOTY) shows over the past 12 months.

NSW has successfully hosted this event for the past three years and in 2025, The Nationals will head back to Werribee Park National Equestrian Centre in Victoria where the show will be held for the next three years.

Day One of the Championships this year saw all the Children's/ Juniors classes in action and we caught up with one of the competitors - eight year old Hallie Cowdroy, from Cobargo, near Bega in NSW to find out what she loves about Show Horse and her involvement in the sport.

When asked about how many horses she has - Hallie replied "21 but I only ride 7" Hallie also confirmed what we had been told ... that she breaks in her own ponies!

Hallie told us that she has been riding Show Horse for five years, so since she was three, and loves that she gets to "trot around and have fun in the arena". 

Hallie brought two ponies to Nationals this year, Bellevale Charisma which she rode in the Child’s Large Show Galloway over 14.2h ne 15h and Wilgo Exotic Bliss in the Child’s Medium Open Pony over 12h ne 13h, with both horses finishing in Runner Up position.

Above: Hallie Cowdroy on Bellevale Charisma.

Above: Hallie Cowdroy on Wilgo Exotic Bliss.

Hallie has two younger sisters, Lacie Rae and Lexi who also both ride, with Lacie also competing this week.

Hallie took out the award for 2023 Junior Show Horse Athlete 5 and under 12 years at the Equestrian NSW Annual Awards at the beginning of this year which looks like a well deserved accolade, especially when we hear that Hallie gets up early every day to help look after the ponies and at shows gets up is responsible for ''giving them a good bath, putting stuff on their hooves to make them more shiney and then plaiting them up and doing their tail''.

Prior to her time at Nationals, Hallie rode at Willinga Park and before Christmas will be off to Dubbo for another show.

It was lovely to meet such a lovely young lady who obviously has a huge passion for her ponies and for the sport of Show Horse and we are sure we will see much more of Hallie Cowdroy in the future.