| Larissa’s Ready for the Challenge |
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By Mick Jensen - Lowcliffe’s Larissa Srhoy is currently sitting pretty on her mount Starburst. Her chance of making the New Zealand Young Rider eventing team was given a big boost with a recent victory at an event held at the NZ National Equestrian Centre at McLeans Island. Larissa led from the opening dressage section, had a clear round on the dry, rabbit hole-ridden cross country course and finished with a good-enough performance in the show jumping. She was well clear of the opposition in the confidence–boosting first event of the South Island’s autumn season programme. The horse and rider are now keen to tackle the three-day event challenge that awaits them at the Horse of the Year show in Hastings in a week’s time. Three weeks after that she’ll be back in the saddle and competing at a World Cup qualifying event near Hamilton. Whilst some riders compete on two, three or more horses, Larissa is satisfied with her 13 year old thoroughbred gelding. For now anyway. “I’ve been too busy studying for my massage therapy diploma to focus on more than one horse,” she said. She describes her horse Starburst as lazy and docile, but also clever and safe “He’s not your typical thoroughbred. I need to boot him around the cross-country course sometimes.” Starburst is 16.1hh tall and was bred in Ashburton by Tony Cook. Horse riding is in Larissa’s blood. Her mother Tarnia was a top eventer and rode at an advanced level, whilst on the Srhoy side, her Aunt Julie also performed at an elite level. Politics played a big part in New Zealand eventing, with decision-makers and the majority of riders based on the North Island, said Larissa. “The sport is less popular than it used to be because things have been made more difficult. It’s harder to qualify and more riders have moved from eventing to showjumping,” says Larissa. The 20-year-old enjoys the technical aspect of dressage, the challenge of the cross-country course and the nervous atmosphere of the show jumping arena. Injuries for her and her horses over the years have been few and far between, but when you hit “ a solid fence at speed anything can happen”, she says. “McLean’s Island is the best equestrian facility in the country. For an annual fee you have access to sand arenas, irrigated arenas, training areas and the cross-country course,” she said. On cross-country courses Larissa and Starburst tackle fences up to 1.2m high and in the show jumping arena fences up to 1.25m. Selection in the New Zealand Young Rider team will be decided soon after the Hastings event and if Larissa makes it, she will compete against her trans Tasman rivals at McLeans Island in April. For now she’s busy analysing mum’s video footage of her more recent performances. She’s keen to spot anything that will keep her eventing points to a minimum and that will help her achieve her goal of New Zealand team selection. 
Larissa Srhoy and her horse Starburst.
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