When Young women Megan Hardman and Amy Blackwood entered into this year’s Australasian Police and Emergency Services Games, little did they expect to walk away with a gold and bronze medal.
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The pair, both NSW Rural Fire Service employees, entered into equstrian events at the games that were held in Werribee and Melbourne, Victoria during Easter.
The games included a variety of sports such as angling, archery, aquathons and duathons, badminton, basketball, cricket, cross country, cycling, darts, equestrian, golf, hockey, lawn bowls, mountain biking, netball, rowing, shooting, soccer, softball, squash, stair racing, surfing, swimming, table tennis and tennis, tenpin bowling, rugby, track and field, triathlons and volleyball.
Hardman - who works in the RFS regional office in Lovell Street - and Blackwood - a former local who now works at RFS Head Quarters in Lidcombe - travelled to Werribee to compete against more than 100 equestrian competitors from interstate and overseas.
The girls spent many of their young adult years riding together in Young before Blackwood relocated to the Central Coast.
The duo competed in the hack and dressage events at this year’s games.
Hardman and her Anglo Arabian named Aloha Musicman were presented with a gold medal for winning the Open Hack under 16 hands class.
While Blackwood, riding her thoroughbred High County, won bronze in the preliminary 1.3 test out of a field of 25 horses.
Considering there was a huge downpour of rain during her warm up and test, she couldn’t be happier with the great result.
“We were lucky in the fact that we had a huge team of strappers and supporters travel with us to Victoria,” Hardman said.
“Ray and Charna Blackwood, Lisa and Yvonne Hardman and the Ottey/Jones family all made the trip and were a big help in getting us prepared.”
Blackwood’s parents Ray and Charna of Young were extremely proud of their daughter’s efforts, especially since it had only been three and a half years since the 31-year-old was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia.
After receiving treatment in Germany and a bone marrow transplant in Sydney, Blackwood is now in remission.
She only started riding again over the last 12 months and is enjoying being back in the saddle and competing.
“It was a great few days with a friendly atmosphere, meeting the other competitors from other emergency service agencies and camping with family and friends,” Blackwood said.
The girls are now planning to compete at the NSW Police Games in Wollongong next March and in 2016 the Australasian Games on the Sunshine Coast.
