HORSE riding is as natural to Seren McKeever as day is to night, and the 17-year-old recently returned home safe and sound from the World Team Mounted Games Championships held in Belgium.
The sport is similar to pony club games yet as a team sport they are held relay style and Ms McKeever, along with six proud Australians made up the 2025 U18 team to compete across seven days last month.
Each team member is required to complete the same obstacle course as fast as they can and along the way they secure points for successfully completing the task.
The most recent competition presented a unique obstacle, an unknown steed as due to the distance, riders were allocated a pony.
Rachel McKeever, also a natural, accompanied her daughter on their first overseas trip and said Seren and her 9-year-old mare Lady were a great match.
“Her pony was a ripper! She loved it,” she said.
“In fact, all the ponies and riders were a pretty good match, we couldn’t have chosen it any better.”
The team missed the A final by one point and then placed 3rd in the B final, doing themselves and the nation proud.
“She [Seren] was back one week and then qualified for the National Pony Club Mounted teams games, but she has had to withdraw as it is a mid-week competition, and she’s used up all her annual leave,” Mrs McKeever said.
“It’s been a pretty big year already.”
Local riders, Ben and Jack Hamilton also qualified at the Victorian Pony Club Mounted teams games and they will compete on the national stage at Werribee in October.
We at the Review wish the brothers the best of luck.