The Australian Ladies Tentpegging Team is excited to be heading to the NAMPO 2025 Championships in Bredasdorp, South Africia from 7 to 14 September for a clash between South Africa and Australia in the Western Cape. The team competed together for the first time since selection at the Australian Tentpegging Association National competition in Gilgandra NSW in early August and won the A grade National Title. It was a great leadup to the international competition and has been the only opportunity the full team has had to ride together, due to distance of where team members live. Tentpegging originated in the military and today is a highly skilled equestrian competition that is precise and fast paced with a team of four riders, aiming to pick up their peg that measures 30cm x 7.5cm. The team is managed by Jo Watson from Cornishtown, coached by Kerry Bryant from Indigo Valley, captained by Donna Davidson from Chiltern, and includes Christine Staats from Indigo Valley, Taylah Smith from QLD, and Brodie Chandler from Echuca. Tentpegging is an exciting equestrian sport where riders aim to pick up a peg with a sword or lance while riding at a gallop and has been practised by mounted riders since at least the 4th century BC. The Australian Light Horse (www.lighthorse.org.au) used tentpegging as a training exercise during World War 1. The Australian Light Horse has been demonstrating tentpegging at Royal Shows as far back as the 1930s. The last time an Australia ladies team went overseas they were second at the World Cup Championships in 2018 held in Oman. Three of the current team members were also in that team - Donna, Christine and Taylah. Jo said the team is all self-funded, apart from some sponsorship for the cost of part of the uniform. "In previous years the Open team have been very successful in Dubai, India, England, Pakistan and Germany," she said. "The Australian Open team consisting of men and women (Donna and Christine from the current ladies’ team) won the event in 2019. "It's a purely amateur sport and we pay our own way so going overseas is no easy thing, and a big commitment by all those involved. "We'd like to acknowledge the people who have made donations of support, it has been amazing, and also the sponsorship from IGNITION ASV Echuca. "We also thank The South Africa Tentpegging Association for inviting us and giving us the opportunity to compete with them in Bredasdorp, and thank the ATA for accepting the offer from South Africa so we are able to go." The team is open to sponsors to support this campaign - contact Jo Watson at jo.watson1962@outlook.com. Donna said the entire team was rapt with the national title result. "We were quietly confident about doing well at the Australian Tentpegging Nationals held in Gilgandra NSW and extremely pleased with our winning result," she said. "We aim to do Australia proud in South Africa. "All the riders are very competent horsewomen who have been riding in many disciplines for many years. "They all started there riding career in the great association of pony club." In Australia, riders use their own horse, but overseas they are balloted horses. In Australia the breed of horses varies greatly, but they must be over 14.2 hands high and be very versatile. Meet the team: Donna Davidson (team captain) - 6th time selected to ride for Australia ATA How did you get into the sport? My eldest daughter saw a demonstration at pony club and the next thing I knew the whole family of five were competing in tentpegging. What do you like about the sport? The challenge of stabbing or slicing a target at a controlled gallop. Socialising with like-minded horse people. Travelling all over Australia and the world. What is the biggest challenge in the sport? Apart from connecting the weapon with the target, the biggest challenge is introducing the sport of tentpegging to riders. We need more peggers so we can keep this exciting sport going. Once you have ridden in a team of tentpeggers you are hooked Name of your horse and how long have you been together? Gannon, he is 11 and I bred him. He is a mixed breed, mainly quarter horse. He is named after Gordon Gannon who has been breeding tentpegging horses his whole life. Gannon does working Equitation as well. Why is your horse so special? He is my favourite colour (buckskin), he is very fine tuned and has a smooth canter. He loves tentpegging. What are you looking forward to the most about the championships? The excitement and competing with the best in the world. Do you have any special training techniques/diet etc? Ride every day and train as often as I can. Brodie Chandler rider - first time selected to ride for Australia ATA. How did you get into the sport? As a kid Rowan and Connie Anderson would run a rotation of tentpegging at Barmah Pony Club Camp. This gave me a glimpse into the sport and I always really enjoyed it. It wasn't until the 2022 Victorian Tentpegging Championship held at Albury when my dad and sister asked if I wanted to join their team, I really started to fall in love with the sport. What do you like about the sport? It's such rush when you get four riders and four horses working in harmony at the gallop working as a team, especially when you get a full house (pick up all the pegs). What is the biggest challenge in the sport? It takes a huge amount of teamwork, horsemanship and hand eye coordination. Another huge challenge is the amount of travel. It's many hours on the road travelling to events, but it's always worth it for a day of tentpegging. Name of your horse and how long have you been together? I got her in 2022 just before the Victorian Tentpegging Championship and we didn't know her name when she arrived. She was small, fat and hairy, my husband called her "Wombat" and this seemed fitting. Later on we found out her name was Wirringulla Delta Mist, bred in Tatura. She is a Welsh cob who started her career under saddle as a show horse, then as a a broodmare. Why is your horse so special? Wombat is my one in million horse. She always gives me 110 per cent. I have so much trust in her and find so much enjoyment of just being around her. I can't really explain why I find her so special, but she is such a special horse to me. I actually get emotional thinking about not having her. What are you looking forward to the most about the championships? I really look forward to the challenge, pushing myself and also riding alongside so many inspirational women. Donna, Christine and Taylah have all ridden internationally and I feel very blessed to have them by my side. Do you have any special training techniques/diet etc? We are extremely lucky in Victoria to have so many tentpeggers with knowledge and experience. We meet up monthly to train in Yarrawonga. I personally mainly ride along the roads with a stick and practice my overhead on low hanging branches and random things on the side of the road. Taylah Smith rider - 4th time selected to ride for Australia ATA From Joyner, Queensland How did you get into the sport? I was introduced to the sport at pony club around 15 years ago where I watched a demonstration. After that I was invited to attend a “come and try” day by the Qld Tentpegging Association. I was immediately hooked on the sport and have been competing ever since. Since then I have competed in state championships in QLD, NSW and Victoria, Sydney Royal Easter Show, National Championships and International Championships. I have been on the Australian team three times previously. Twice as a junior competing in QLD against Pakistan boys team and in South Africa against their girls team and boys team, and once in the senior ladies team competing in the Ladies World Championships in Oman. What do you like about the sport? The camaraderie and support of not only your own team members but that of all the other competitors. I have made many wonderful friends both here in Australia and overseas. I also love the adrenalin of competing at a fast pace and the thrill of getting a full house when I pick up all the pegs in a run. What is the biggest challenge in the sport? Finding the right horse for the sport. They need to run straight and be able to be ridden singlehandedly. You basically have to totally trust your horse to do its job while you concentrate on picking up the peg. Name of your horse and how long have you been together? My horse is a black Stockhorse called Oakie and I have been tentpegging on him for 15 years. We have owned Oakie since he was five years old. Why is your horse so special? Oakie is 23 years old although you wouldn’t know it as he is still as agile and fast as he was as a youngster. Oakie is very special to my family as we have all ridden and competed on him in many different disciplines including camp drafting, sporting, dressage, show jumping, mounted games and of course tentpegging. What are you looking forward to the most about the championships? I am so excited to be returning to South Africa this time as a member of the Australian Ladies Team and once again look forward to a wonderful competition with my fellow teammates and the South African Ladies. Do you have any special training techniques/diet etc? My training mainly consists of practising my hand eye co-ordination at the training sessions held at our pony club grounds. At home I concentrate on Oakie’s fitness as well as my own fitness. Christine Staats - 5th time selected to ride for Australia ATA. How did you get into the sport? At the time, I had three boys in pony club who were competing in horse trials, showjumping and games. I saw a tentpegging demonstration at a Wangaratta Pony Club Rally and I thought that that looked like such a fun sport for my boys – galloping with weapons! What do you like about the sport? Galloping with weapons! It is a lot of fun. It also requires a lot of skill to manage both the horse and getting the targets. I love the teamwork as well. What is the biggest challenge in the sport? It is difficult to train a horse to cope with tentpegging. They need an exceptional temperament. Name of your horse and how long have you been together? Tuppal Nita. 15 years. Why is your horse so special? Nita was purpose bred for tentpegging. She is a Stockhorse/Arab and she is so very clever. She loves running in a team and she is so focused in the overheads. She will do anything for you. What are you looking forward to the most about the championships? Competing in South Africa is so much fun. They really look after their visitors. They provide exceptional horses and run a very fair competition. The South Africans practise and compete a lot in tentpegging so they will be tough competitors. Do you have any special training techniques/diet etc? I ride every day at home on various horses, so when we compete overseas on borrowed horses I will feel comfortable with that. I eat very healthily.
