We have received the Certificate of Registration in four classes: Group/Centre Activities, Participate in Community, Personal Activities High, Innovative Community Participation.

A bit old news now, but we are so proud of our own Willow Hersant to bring three silver medals for Australia as part of the Australia Equestrian Team at 2019 World Special Olympics Games. Intense four days of competitions on unknown horses, at the beautiful venue at Abu-Dhabi, long days and lots to take in...

It happened: our Willow Hersant received an invitation to be a part of Team Australia and represent the country at the World Special Olympics Games!

With her astounding success at the National Games in Adelaide, in March 2018 and earning FOUR gold medals, Willow is one in only four Equestrian athletes going to Abu Dhabi in March 2019.

We have to train hard in preparation, but it is exciting, challenging and so much fun for Willow, who always rides with a smile and puts her heart out to achieve good results! Proud of well-deserved success and looking forward to meeting athletes from other countries as part of GREEN and GOLD Team Australia!

From the 16th until 20th of April 2018 over 1000 athletes from the whole country descended on Adelaide to take part at the National Special Olympics Games. Well supported by volunteers, well organised, the Equestrian events were held at a lovely facility about an hour away from the city. With the high score of 67.167 in Dressage tests, and excellent results at Working Trails and English Equitation, Willow finished with FOUR gold medals! Very proud of this young lady!

Chuffed, proud, astonished, thrilled - what other words can describe the way I feel about two of my athletes receiving an invitation that starts with: "Congratulations. You Have Been Chosen For Team Queensland!" Willow and Daisy have made a QLD team for Equestrian team and are going to 2018 National Special Olympics Games in Adelaide in April 2018. Congratulations to our girls! Only onwards and upwards!

Humbled and very proud to be a Winner of the Best Class/Activity for the Children with Additional Needs! On Saturday night, 10th of June 2017, we received a lovely glass trophy and a nomination Winner Certificate at the lovely Award ceremony for What's On 4 Kids. The FB page for this group has over 150,000 followers and there were 1400 nominations from all over Australia.

Special Olympics State Championship: four of our athletes - Willow, Daisy, Carl and Ubby, - participated in the State Championship help at the Southport Pony Club on the 29th of April - 1st of May, 2017. The fantastic results for all of them - four Gold, four Silver, four Bronze medals, one fourth place and an Encouragement Award, considering that some of them had to ride billet horses that they never rode before - we were all so proud of them and bursting with joy and happiness! Well done Team EQUUSTERRA!!!!

In preparation for the NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) QLD roll-out in July 2018

our centre completed the registration as a provider, thus allowing families to include Therapeutic horse riding within their plans. The current certificate is for provision of Innovative Community Participation services, with other registrations pending approvals from the Department of Disabilities and Social services. Very exciting news!

https://www.ndis.gov.au/

Our centre became a registered provider of Ready, Set, Trot program - a great initiative by Equestrian Australia and supported by the Australian Sports Commission. This program is raising the awareness of equestrian sport for primary school age children, focusing on instilling core values such as responsibility, communication, respect, empathy and team work.

If your school is interested in participating, the grants from ASC are available within the Sporting Schools programs. Looking forward to spreading the word!

A great day for riders and their families - Special Olympics Inter-Club Regional competition, - was held at the Tallebudgerra Pony Club on Sunday, the 23rd of October. Despite an early start, the riders looked sharp, buzzing with excitement and understandably - nerves! So were their families and the coach!

Each rider took their turn, rode the tests beautifully and clean, to receive a very positive feedback from the judge and at the end - the first ribbon! Fantastic opportunity to feel a part of wider Special Olympics Queensland Equestrian team, see what the competition is all about and set some very achievable goals ahead of us! Congratulations to the riders and - HAPPY RIDING!

Mansfield State High School completed their first Pilot program to support kids with ASD and through horse riding - gain confidence, focus, muscle tone, improve academic results and overall feeling of well-being. And we are proud to say - the program is to be continued with more school kids participating. What a wonderful opportunity for the kids, I am sure they will reflect back on this activity with gratitude and fondness. Fantastic to see the kids blossoming, with shiny eyes, eager, happy, smiling, trying hard to learn the rising trot! "I don't want to go, I want to stay here with horses"...The seed of love to horse has been planted....

We are pleased to announce a program to give the students of Barrett Adolescent Centre School a work-time experience. Hope it will lead to a stronger long-term partnership!

Lovely to see one of our students doing so well and benefiting so much from the horse-riding.

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