How long have you been
involved with horses?
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I have been involved with horses since I was
very young, my grandmother has been showing horses and
breeding Thoroughbreds since well before I was born,
she gave me my start with horses.
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| What equine discipline
do you specialise in and how did this come about?
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I specialise in Trick Riding on horses and have
been do that professionally for 8 years. I was lucky
enough to meet movie horse trainer Heath Harris
through a mutual friend around the same time as he was
thinking about developing a live show which
would feature girls performing Trick Riding on horses
(a previously male dominated sport). The show would
also include cracking stock whips to music, singing
and dancing.
I had always ridden as a child and this opportunity to
learn a new style of riding was exciting, not to
mention the possibility of being able to perform in
front of a crowd. Since then I have performed at
countless Agricultural shows, rodeos, corporate events
and live shows.
These days I still perform at shows but I also teach
Trick Riding along with Heath to students in four day
clinics based at Heath and his wife Krissys' property
on the Central Coast of NSW.
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What time do you
start/finish your work each day?
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When I am not Trick Riding
or teaching, I work at Strawberry Hills Thoroughbred
Stud which is conveniently situated next door. My day
there runs from 7am to 4pm, If I have a clinic coming
up I will then ride up to five horses after work to
get them fit for the four days of constant work with
the kids. During a clinic I will start at 7am, feed up
and check gear before starting teaching at 9am till
4pm.
I will also work my own trick riding horse if I have a
show coming up which he needs to be fit for.
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Do you have a
favourite horse?
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My favourite horse is my Trick Riding horse,
"Levi", a 13 year old chestnut paint horse,
he is my best mate and has never let me down during
any show that I have done over the years. He was
purchased from a local riding school as a misfit and
had to be re-trained in order to be a Trick Riding
horse. I doubt that I will ever work with another
horse with more character and intelligence than
"Levi" - he's my pride and joy.
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Who do you most admire (in or out of the
horse industry)?
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My friend and mentor Heath Harris. What he can do
with a horse is phenomenal, from training dressage
horses to movie horses jumping through burning
buildings. Heaths horses work exceptionally well for
him. If I could ever be half as good as Heath I would
be over the moon.
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Highest achievement in
your sport?
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Performing at Equitana, Sydney Royal Easter Show,
Brisbane EKKA and some other pretty major corporate
events along the way.
Being able to teach in the first ever Australian Trick
Riding School has also been an honour for me.
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Do you have any other
hobbies or interests besides horses?
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Not really, horses take up
most of my time at the moment. I enjoy training all
kinds of animals and have a few pets who keep me very
busy as well.
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Any big competitions
or performances coming up?
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There are a few things in the pipeline, but nothing in
the immediate future.
(stay tuned for details of future
performances in "whats on")
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So what's next for
Bridie Sparkes
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I would like to go to America and New Zealand and
perform with some of my Trick Riding friends I have
there. I want to become the best at and perform the
most difficult combinations of vaults, something no
other female in the country does. Something I'm
working on at present.
I would also like to perform with some of my students,
this would give me great satisfaction.
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