It has certainly been a busy time for young rider Jasmine Chamberlain, as she prepares to represent NSW at the Special Olympics Australia National Games in Adelaide next year.
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The 17-year-old will contest the English equitation, dressage, working trails and gymkhana events at the games.
Jasmine is the Manning River Times-Iguana Sportstar of the Week, earning a $50 open order at Iguana.
She will have to perform on billeted horses at the event to maintain a focus on the rider rather than the horse.
Jasmine said she is looking forward to representing NSW, making new friends and catching up with old ones from the Queensland contingent.
The NSW equestrian team contains riders from across NSW, including fellow Manning representative Sui Watts.
Her goal is to be a part of the Team Australia squad for the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Abu Dhabi in 2019.
Last year, Jasmine took out the Manning Valley Dressage and Hack Club’s 2016 Special Olympics B division.
This was just six weeks after she began riding her current horse, Huey.
Soon after, she suffered a double fractured pelvis in a riding accident.
But as the saying goes, she ‘got back on the horse’.
Within 10 weeks of the incident, she was participating in Special Olympics dressage trot test qualifiers.
She later claimed two gold medals and the only encouragement award at the NSW State Special Olympics Equestrian championships.
She considers this a major achievement as it landed her a spot in the NSW equestrian team for the national games.
Jasmine also participated in the 2017 Equestrian Australia NSW regional competition where she entered her first open event.
“We had a lot of the NSW paras who have always encouraged, supported and been part of my equine family,” she said.
Here she gained two firsts and a second in the junior young rider prep division.
Jasmine is also maintaining a focus on competing in para and open competitions.
She is working towards hopefully receiving Federation Equestrian International (FEI) grading in April 2018.
Jasmine said she would like to become a coach and trainer for riders with special needs.
She balances her riding with her completion of the Higher School Certificate through the Camden Haven High distance education program as well as learning to drive.
A Facebook group called “Jazzy’s Dream” has been set up for people interested in following her progress and donations can be made on her Special Olympics website profile to help her get to Adelaide.
