A record field of 390 school-aged equestrians from NSW, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory – all of whom have qualified through their respective state and territory championships – will compete in a variety of disciplines including Combined Training, Dressage, Eventing, Jumping and Show Horse. The youngest competitor is eight, the oldest is 18.

The Australian Interschool Championships is the premier school age event for young riders in the equestrian disciplines and is an integral pathway to elite level competition.

Godolphin, the global thoroughbred breeding and horseracing operation founded by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed, sponsored the New South Wales Championships earlier this year and is proud to extend that support by partnering the National Championships.

Henry Plumptre, Managing Director of Godolphin in Australia, said: “Godolphin is proud to be able to reinvest back into the grass roots of the Australian equestrian industry and we are committed to supporting the long-term growth of the local equine industry. These Championships are the pinnacle in showcasing the talent of young equestrian riders from around Australia and to be associated with this equine Olympic style event both in size and importance to the Australian children’s equestrian community is a wonderful opportunity”.

Plumptre added: “Not only does this event celebrate the success of the Nation’s top junior riders, importantly the versatility of the retrained thoroughbred racehorse is also on show. Many young riders will be competing across four disciplines on a former racehorse for the coveted Off The Track prizes.  We wish all the competitors the best of luck”.

The 2016 New South Wales State Interschool Championships will be held from September 25 until September 29 at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre, Horsley Park, the scene of the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.

Equestrian NSW Chief Executive Officer, Bruce Farrar, said: “The young equestrians competing at this year’s Championships represent the elite young riders in Australia. Many of these riders will continue into open competition and some will be likely contenders for Olympic Games and World Championship representation in the future. Competitions such as this are vital to help foster the talent in this country. The interschool equestrian movement has been building in Australia for over 20 years and is driven by Equestrian Australia and its state branches”.

“We are delighted to have Godolphin as our principal partner for the Australian Equestrian Interschool Championships. Godolphin has a proud heritage as one of the most successful international racing and breeding stables and is committed to the lifetime care of horses, through its support of equestrian sports and many other community-based programs”.

Godolphin will be presenting the Best Performed Thoroughbred in each discipline with the Godolphin Off The Track Winner’s rug.

Friendly rivalries will come to the fore during the event, with each state vying to win the Harry Le Bhertz Overall Trophy (awarded to the state with the highest score across all disciplines).