My name is Savannah Casey, I am 20 years old and am based in Auckland. I am currently studying a bachelor of primary school teaching at Auckland University. 

I started riding when I was 13 years old and learnt in a paddock at the property that we grazed. When we were learning there were no instructors or arenas, just a horse, my mum as our instructor and a keen attitude from both my sister and myself.
She would set up cute little jumps in the paddock for us to jump on our 20 year old ex-hunter called Banjo, who I shared with my younger sister.
After him I got my first pony called Poppy, a 14.2 ArabX mare with springs in her feet! She taught me great stickability! We would almost always win tip n out competitions and won the Pointways 6 bar cup!
I did some ribbon days, low level eventing and show jumping on her, which really built my love of horse riding and competing.

Once I outgrew her (quickly) I was lucky enough to get Nugget aka 'Waitangi Twitter' a 5 year old by Westminster. I took him from intro to pre novice, he was a real gem. He was an amazing horse to bring on and take up the levels with a super cool laid back attitude, and very teachable. I have been so lucky to have an amazing instructor, Kate Lambie, who has helped me every step of the way. Being able to go to events with her as well as helping her schooling her horses means I have gained invaluable knowledge from one the best eventers in the country. 
With Nugget I got to compete for the first time at 3 day events like Puhinui and Kihikihi which had always been my dream.

I had always loved jumping, everything and anything I could find in the paddock, forest, beach etc. I contemplated doing straight show jumping but very quickly realised my love of cross country.

I definitly found a love of cross country and having that awesome adrenaline kick you get galloping around a cross country course, especially as the jumps got bigger. Nugget was that horse I knew I could always rely on and always gave me a great ride. He has been my favourite horse I have owned so far, but made the heart breaking decision to sell in earlier this year after owning him for 3 and a half years, in order to persue my dream of competing at a higher eventing level. 

I am currently a member of Pointways Pony Club in South Auckland which offers lessons from the best instructors for every discipline. It has given me an opportunity to compete in awesome teams events like Timberlands North Island champs. 

Waitangi Twitter pictured above ^ and I competing at the Kihikihi Horse Trial in 2014.

I have big dreams and goals for Eventing, including competing at Young Rider 2* level. I hope to make the young rider team and compete in Australia in the next few years. 

^ This was one of my first show jumping competitions on Nugget when he was just 5 years old. 

I hope this season (2015/16) to compete 1* eventing and bring on an off the track TB. I think it would be an amazing opportunity to show and follow my passion for eventing and bringing on young horses.

Puhinui Horse Trial 2014 - Pre Novice on Waitangi Twitter ^

This was Waitangi Twitter as a 6 year old on cross country, after winning the dressage on 24.0 and going clear in the show jumping, however getting time faults on cross country placed us 3rd overall.

Waitangi Twitter placing 2nd in the Pointways Show Hunter winter series 2015 ^