Acrobatic dismounts, dramatic handovers and furious galloping are common in this niche sport, which is being played regional Victoria right now as part of a world championship event.
As he reaches the middle of a dusty paddock, Simon Rodgers leans from his pony, Floss, and drops a ring onto an orange cone before pulling away and jumping off the horse at full speed.
Some of these distinctive requirements include tossing socks into a bin, balancing a tennis ball on a cone or using a spear to burst a balloon.Normally, seeing an 11-year-old child hanging upside down on a moving horse would be cause for alarm, but Sophie Millar's parents aren't worried."You also really develop a bond with that pony because you have to be able to go flat out and then stop at a piece of equipment," Mr Rodgers said.
This week's competition is the 37th annual World Teams Championship and only the second time the event has been held in Australia.Eleven countries from across Oceania, Europe and North America have sent teams to compete in the under 18s and open divisions. "The international riders will be riding ponies supplied by Australia … so finally the shoe is on the other hoof."
Mr Slade said the discipline has a small but dedicated following in Australia, with many riders falling in love with the combination of teamwork and fast-paced races."Jumping off a pony at a full canter then jumping back on … it's very exciting to watch and very exciting to ride."He assumed he would be involved for a year before moving up to bigger horses, but other disciplines failed to capture the same excitement of mounted games.
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