At what age did you start competing in your chosen discipline?

i started eventing 2 years ago but again not a vast amount of events each year so i was about 16
smile.gif
 
I started BE doing juniors at 14, I think I was a year too young at the time and had dispensation from the selectors. I had my first pony at 9 years old I think.
 
I started BSJA when I was about 8 I think until 18 then had a break from everything horsey until last year (I'm 21), hoping to start competing again this year! Even the thought of it now makes me a lot more nervous than when I was doing it at 8!!!
 
I'm gonna sound ancient here but...

Started riding at the age of 6 in 1974. Probably did my first show at the age of 7 or 8 and was SJ'ing BSJA by the time I was about 12 (In 1980
blush.gif
). Continued to BSJA until I quit horses completely in 1987........then never even sat on a horse again until I was 37...18 years later. Was BSJA'ing again within 3 months.....and have been poor ever since
tongue.gif
 
I think I win the prize for the most ancient person to start competing
grin.gif
I was 41 when I started BE and 42 when I started BSJA. I didnt have my own horse until I was 36 and then it was a yearling, so took a time before I was ready to get out and about
grin.gif
 
Learnt to ride when I was 4 or 5 I think. Got my first pony when I was 8 or 9 (cant remember now!) and began pony club (unsuccessfully!) then. Began competing more when I got my 3rd pony (2nd pony was a rig who was hell!) but that was just RC level (teams etc.) until I got my first horse when I was 16/17 I think. Did a bit of BSJA with him until he was sold 3 years later. But only started BE about 3 years ago with my current horse and do a lot more BSJA as well. Am doing the highest levels Ive ever done with a horse so I guess we're in our "prime" just now! And have started low level BSJA and BE with my other horse too.
 
I started competing affiliated 1 1/2 years ago when I was 20, im now 22. Up until then I had no transport so I occasionally went to an unaffiliated if someone would take me. I bought Gin 5 years ago this august and we did our first comp the march before. I cant be bothered to work it out.
 
First sat on a horse - aged 5
First ever competition - aged 9 i think
First BSJA - aged 15
First BE - aged 16
First PC - 13 i think

Not bad for a girl from a non-horsey family!!
 
I started competing really when i was 15/16, started BE straight in at novice level (because i wanted to do the harder XC) when i was nearly 17 and then started having lessons on how to get a horse to go properly when i realsied how bad i was at dressage and sj, slightly strange way of dong things but o well.
 
I'm 20 now - I started riding when I was 7, got my first pony of my own at 13, and I was a SJer through and through until my confidence failed me at age 15. I gave up jumping entirely for a year and I discovered dressage, and actually became interested in the competing and not just the fact that I was jumping jumps. I first started to learn to ride "properly" (not just be a passenger) a couple of months after I gave up jumping, not on my own pony, and it started my passion for dressage. I do still jump (when I have my own horses, and not when they're crippled in a field
smirk.gif
) but I wouldn't really want to do more than 3' SJing and 2'6" XC at riding club competitions, and only occasionally. I have in the last couple of years been more and more interested in competing BD, and hopefully if I ever manage to get another horse then that is what my aim shall be.
I am rather hooked on competing!
 
Started riding at 6, did my first riding school competition aged 11, and a few RC dressage tests on the riding school pony. Shared a pony aged 14, he got sold so found another that I hacked to local SJ, then when I outgrew her I shared another who was stabled on an SJ yard so did my first affiliated with him aged 17 but got a few horses belonging to other people to take out and do bits with too. Now at uni doing BUSA. Still not got my own, and don't anticipate being able to afford it for a few years yet... Then I'll start BSJA again
wink.gif
 
i started riding at 6 had a two year break and started again when i was 10.

did my first ever show on a friends horse when i was around 10 and then when i got my own pony at around 11/12 years old i started competing showjumping and a bit of showing
smile.gif
 
KatB - I had no idea you are so young.

I started RC local competing at around sixteen, but the fact that eventing had only just started over here, and the fact that you then had to go straight in at novice, meant that I stayed with in the RC comfort zone for ages, before buying a young horse and taking the aff plunge at the age of 32.

Fiona
 
i started riding aged 7, got first pony at 11 and just did a handful of local shows. gave up at 13,started again at 18 ,stopped at 21. had a few kids , got back into horses properly 2.5 years ago when mother bought the kids a pony.we now have 3. havnt been to any competitions as cant guarentee i'd actually manage to stay on the horse! im 40 this year.
 
I started riding at 12 and got my first pony later on that year. He was an ex JA showjumping pony and fantastic. I started competing on him in local showjumping classes and chase-me-charlies etc.
I sold him and bought a youngster but didn't compete her as she broke her leg and was pts aged 4.
I worked in a livery yard/riding school and showjumped one of their horses. But then bought Rocky and jumped him BSJA up to Newcomers.
I also had a little TB that I evented and showjumped.

I sold Rocky and gave up horses for a year, but got fed up and applied for a job with Olympic Dressage rider Bar Hammond.
I wasn't interested in dressage at all and thought it was only for wimps who were too scared to jump, but her Husband was MFH of the Surrey Union so I thought I might get some days hunting out of it!! She was also the only person that would let me have my dog.

I was well and truely converted to dressage in the time I worked for her. I rode her GP schoolmasters and a livery's horse that was GP level. I groomed for her at Premier league competitions and loved every minute of it. I left there in 1998 and didn't really ride 'properly' until I backed Axey in 2006.
I bought Axel in 2003 as a yearling to be my dressage horse. I was 6 months pregnant with Rachel at the time and 32 years old.
I am now 37 and Axey is 6 this year. He is everything I hoped he would be, and I dream one day of wearing a top hat and tails on him.
That is if I'm not too old by then.....
 
Joined pc aged 6 ,did unafff sj and dressage age 7,first ODE aged 9 went to pc champs aged 13 and first B.E. aged 17 ,never had the horse to affiliate until then
 
I first sat on a horse properly on my 10th birthday. I asked for money instead of presents and bought a hack.

The first time I ever went Show Jumping was at 12 evidence

We never had any transport though until I was about 18 and as I was at uni I had a small pony and did MGA I went to the Worlds a few times.

The first time I went BSJA was when I was 26 and the first time I went BE was when I was 32.
 
my first comp was when i was about 8 i think.. good old riding school ponies
laugh.gif

but i was 1 and a bit when i had my first pony, very spoilt child
went to first pc champs 14
first BE event 15
and now age 16 hopefully going to tackle novice Be
 
Well i had a go at everything aged 8 - 11, then when i got Fiddler i did a year of Novice Pony club Eventing, Show jumping and Dressage, and then a year at intermediate. I did my first affiliated BE event aged 14 and also my first affiliated BSJA show aged 14
smile.gif
Im now 16
smile.gif
 
I started show jumping unaffilliated with my ponies when i was 12 then i did my first BSJA show at the end of that year.

Then got Ulrich when i was 14 and have been competing BSJA seriously for just over a year now, I'm 15 now
smile.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top