ROSEWOOD Hack and Pony Club (RHPC) riders are already looking to next year’s Queensland State Tetrathlon Championships after a series of recent impressive performances.
Seven RHPC riders shared in a range of individual successes, also joining with three competitors from the Hatton Vale, Laidley and Gatton clubs to form a Zone 3 team.
The Zone 3 team finished runners-up, beaten narrowly by Zone 2 hosts Gold Coast and surrounds, at the Mudgeeraba Showgrounds on October 25 and 26.
RHPC secretary Brent Armstrong was among the individual winners, securing back-to-back titles as Masters Men champion for riders aged 26 and over.
However, after his victory on a different horse last year, Brent was thrilled to savour another achievement on his own mount called Poetic Choice, a former racehorse.
“I wanted to beat my score that I’d done previously,” Brent said, chasing his second title at the state event.
He did – with a personal best 3,348 points, an increase from his 3001 tally in 2024.
Tetrathlon competition features four disciplines – swimming, running, laser pistol shooting and derby (showjumping with cross country jumps included).
Points are totalled based on the results of each of the four disciplines.
Tetrathlon features four of the five disciplines applied in Olympic modern pentathlon competition.
While delighted with his victory, Brent praised his clubmates for their performances.
“Our riders put in phenomenal efforts across all phases, achieving amazing results and personal bests,” he said.
“I’m always proud of them when I go out and look at the results and they class well in the zone.”
Other winners who qualified for the state event included Tia Adams (Master Women Champion) and Andy Killen (Sub Junior Boys division).
Natalie Riggs (Masters Women) and Shayana Shepley (Senior Women) were runners-up.
Natalie achieved the same result last year.
Shayana, an instructor at Hatton Vale, was competing in her first state tetrathlon competition, losing to an international opponent.
Brent was pleased to see the club excel in other hotly contested and well represented junior events.
Laura Stewart was fourth in Sub Junior Girls (for riders aged 10-12).
Bonnie Osborne came sixth in Mini Girls for riders aged nine and under.
Ava Mansfield and Abigail Mansfield finished ninth in their respective Junior Girls (13-16 years) and Sub Junior Girls events.
Ella Osborne was 11th in the Mini Girls competition.
In the team event, Bonnie and Abigail’s scores were combined with Hatton Vale’s Shay Shayana Shepley and Laidley’s Laura Stewart to finish just behind the hosts, representing Zone 2.
“With our success in that, we’ll have more competitors next year,” Brent said.
The latest Queensland State Tetrathlon Championships came after the Rosewood club hosted a major state competition at the showgrounds in September.
“It was absolutely huge, that event,” Brent said.
“It was a great outcome for participation and enjoyment across the weekend.”
Among the leading performers was Courtney Osborne, who was named overall champion across the five disciplines – showjumping, dressage, sporting, combined training and campdraft.
