Dedication and hard work pays off when it counts. Lily Brown, a new student at St. Joseph’s High School has always had a passion for horseback riding. She competed in her first competition this weekend, on Saturday, October 21, 2017 at Whitewater Equestrian Centre in Cobden. Lily managed to snatch a third place ribbon in the midst of the excitement.

Lily has always had a love for animals, especially horses. She obtained the interest from her friends, Lily Curry and Alexandra Lennox, former horseback riders themselves. Lily began taking lessons in June preparing for the fall show that took place this weekend. She learned how to trot, canter, and jump throughout the 5 months, and was able to perfect these skills as she practiced them repeatedly.

“Horseback riding allows me to relieve stress, it makes me feel free. It gives me time to relax from school and enjoy myself,” said Lily, an English rider.

Lily trained on many horses within the time she was practicing but landed with Oliver on the day of the show. Oliver was not one of the top three horses she wished to compete with, yet she made the best out of a discouraging situation. All her training and dedication payed off in the ring and Oliver ended up performing beautifully. Lily was determined to get a ribbon and that is just what she did. Competing against 4 other more experienced riders with stronger horses was definitely stressful, but Lily came out on top.

“It felt really nice to place third in my first show,” said Lily, “Not many girls place third in their first show, especially when they have a more challenging horse. I am really proud of myself.”

Lily has one more lesson before she calls quits for the winter. She will be back up and riding in the spring time at Whitewater Equestrian Centre, ready to compete in more shows. Make sure to keep a watch out for her.