My name is Alaina Thompson. I am a 25 year old, South Auckland based event rider. I have been riding since the age of 11 and started off my early days, riding at Whitford Pony club. Currently working for Air New Zealand as an In Flight Service Manager. 

I had to beg my parents for a horse, my mum who used to be horsey and knows the feeling of desperately wanting your own pony, eventually caved. My first ponys name was Scotty and I spent hours walking down the hill.. Cantering up. Walking down the hill...cantering up. Poor horse! He was tolerant to say the least and when he had enough he would walk under a low tree branch and I would come back to the yard with either grazes, or I had been swiped off. I went through pony club right up to my B certificate which I never ended up completing, due to boys and school ended up getting in the way! I had a three year break, in which I competed for NZ in synchronised figure skating, once a horse girl, always a horse girl and before long I was back into it, purchasing a big lanky TB off England based event rider Lizzie Brown. Tolly was 16.3hh, huge movement and a little bit nuts. But he taught me a lot and after a while I felt ready for something a little less expensive to feed!

I decided to spend a little more money and ended up with the coolest xbred Dunn mare by the name of Ellie. She was a 4 year old with minimal schooling and together we worked our way up through the grades to training level eventing where Ellie started to get a bit to puffed to progress much further. 

I had been looking for another horse for a while but nothing really stood out. Until I came across echo. A 6 year old Dutch Warmblood x Stationbred with the most amazing movement. I couldn't believe my luck! The previous owners informed me they had some trouble with his behaviour, however they had sent him away for schooling and he had behaved ever since with professional event rider Andy Daines. I was concerned I would come across problems due to my experience levels being nothing to those of Andys, however I took the risk and knew I could always ask for advice.

We have ended up making a super team and he is my forever horse. He had only done mainly dressage and the odd ODE and we have made our way from pre training to pre novice winning most of our events. He has a lazy nature, but tries his heart out. Occasionally his cheekiness shining through when he feels like it.

I am so blessed to have the help and support from my mum, and coaches Kate Lambie, Nicky Pope and close friend Andy Daines. I will continue to strive for success and this season I am aiming for 1* with Echo and potentially bringing on a younger model, which I am still on the look out for!