Becoming a Jillaroo

By Briannah Lewis, Gold Awardee (VIC)

My journey opened up my eyes to a life within my own country I could not even begin to imagine before The Duke of Edinburgh's Award, and helped me gain practical life skills. I was very anxious when I arrived at horse riding camp for my Residential Project, but after a quick game of scissor-paper-rock to determine who got top bunks, I fell into discussion with the other girls and we quickly became friends.

It seemed like everything was different in the country. The air smelt different, the food was fresher, and buildings were scarce and far between. On my first day, I learnt not only how to approach and mount a horse, and to handle the necessary equipment, but also went horse-riding for the first time ever - a slow and gentle trot through the nearby area, but I found it thrilling. In fact, if we had not attracted a mouse to our cabin and ended up all crowded on the top bunks, I am sure I would count it as the best day ever!

I started the next morning with my very first cattle round up. Standing in the field at dawn, we were taught how to crack a whip - a feat much more difficult then it looked! We were then able to put our skills to good use (or in my case, cram in some more practise) by walking around the paddock and using the loud noise to make the animals move. They must have been used to this daily ritual, as they certainly took their time!

Over the course of the next few days I became quite close with my horse - it felt like we were both having some difficulty. Whilst I love riding, I was having trouble letting go and was struck with fear about falling off whenever we went too fast. My poor horse, being a stallion, was being constantly kicked by the mares - the ladies way of letting him know they were checking him out!

Still, we had many adventures together. We rode together across the small mountains nearby; we rode through a river bareback. We mustered sheep together at the crack of dawn - and I learnt how to crack a whip while on his back. And then finally, on the last day of my stay, I completed a 22km ride from town back to our farm house. On the final leg of it, I was finally able to relax and I let my stallion run across the fields home. Coming through the gates so fast, scaring away the chickens and having to go in a circle to slow down enough to stop - it was the best moment of my life.