See how the 2022 Mitavite TWOTH Competitors are getting ready for this years challenge!
SKYE LIIKANEN
Q: How are you preparing for EQUITANA 2022, to get ready for the Mitavite TWOTH challenge?
A: Being invited as a competitor to Mitavite TWOTH is beyond anything I could ever imagine being a part of.
There are so many aspects in preparing for any horse challenge but for me TWOTH is a unique opportunity that I feel I need to prepare for carefully.
There is the mental side, believing in myself that I can do this! For me this is ensuring I surround myself with like-minded people that are there to support me through the good days and the bad. I am so lucky to have a beautiful group of friends and a supportive family that are already cheering me on. Being fit and healthy is also important to me. It’s a big few days giving your all to the crowd and horse! So, I’m ensuring that I’m keeping myself in a routine between a good diet and fitness program.
I’m also continuing to grow on my horsemanship journey and I like to ensure that I’m constantly developing myself. I’m trying to improve by attending lessons, reading articles, watching videos, constantly asking questions and surrounding myself with like-minded horse people to build on our experiences.
Q: What do you believe makes you stand out from the other competitors?
A: I will have breeches on….And I’m short! Haha!
I hope that I can demonstrate to people that by sticking to basic principles and listening to your horse can build a trusting and relaxed relationship. Sometimes I don’t always get it right, but that’s why I’m constantly building on my knowledge and skills. Working with many horses everyday has allowed me to listen to many stories and ensure that I give each horse it’s own individual learning opportunity.
I have been fortunate enough to be able to learn and participate in a liberty background. I believe that has helped me to understand the physiology and mental side to equine training which in my opinion is equally important to the physical side of training thus being able to excel a horse to its true potential. Liberty work showcases the lightness, connection and relationship we can have with our horses and for me allows me to bring out the best in a horse.
My freedom to be able to travel not only throughout Australia but also internationally has allowed me to be exposed and participate in the training of various breeds, disciplines and horse personalities alongside world renowned trainers. All of which I have taken pieces of a large range of successful training programs to be able to create my own unique way of communicating with my horses.
STEPH LANCEFIELD
Q: How are you preparing for EQUITANA 2022, to get ready for the Mitavite TWOTH challenge?
A: It’s a bit of a tricky event to get prepared for as you won’t know what you are dealing with until the day. Working on my own personal strength and fitness is very important, as well as constantly working on my skills as a horsewoman. Be it attending a weekly lesson, watching online training videos, listening to trainer’s podcasts, I’m always trying to improve myself one way or another.
Q: What do you believe makes you stand out from the other competitors?
A: I can honestly say, knowing both the other two competitors personally, they are outstanding horsewomen in their own right and I feel privileged to be able to stand alongside them. I’m not looking to outshine anyone; I think we all bring a diversity in our training techniques that will make this event appeal to horse lovers from across the board.
HAYLEY HINTON
Q: How are you preparing for EQUITANA 2022, to get ready for the Mitavite TWOTH challenge?
A: I’m just continuing what I normally do with my breakers they only thing I am doing differently is taking out my lead horse, I normally do a lot with another horse in the early stages of breaking in but I won’t be able to do that at EQUITANA so I am doing everything without the lead horse and trying to get the same result.
Q: What do you believe makes you stand out from the other competitors?
A: I don’t think I stand out from the other competitors at all; I think they are both incredible horse women, but I have worked with a lot of brumbies straight out of the bush so hopefully the skills I have learnt working with them can help me out.
