An Eventful Life filmed all competitors on cross country at
Tamworth International (1) 2022 - order or view videos here
“That video will be one for his 21st birthday party” laughs Karen Mackenzie-Smith of her son’s first ever cross country round captured by An Eventful Life
When we saw this cross country ride by nine-year-old Ryan McKenzie Smith, who won the 45cm Junior class at Tamworth International Eventing at his first ever eventing competition, we had to ask if we could share it (and we'll be hanging onto it for when he rides at Badminton!)
Ryan went to his first ever cross country clinic in January, coached by Sam Lyle and Jess Somerfield, followed by his first cross country lesson with Prue Barrett in the lead-up to the competition at Tamworth and then went and smashed it in his EvA45, finishing third overall
“It’s all about having fun for Ryan” says Karen “But even so, he kept asking – how am I going against the adults!”
The McKenzie-Smiths are no strangers to eventing with their 13-year-old son Liam already doing well in the sport. Ryan is also lucky to have inherited Liam’s past ride on the gorgeous Whitford Park Southern Cross (Charlie)
“I was actually going to sell ‘Charlie' as Liam had outgrown him and moved onto other horses but Ryan, who was way too young to move onto him at that stage, did all he could to convince us to let him stay, which we did”
At Tamowrth, Ryan finally got to ride Charlie at their first competition and now he’s hooked
"I love it" he told his mum at the end of the cross country “Good boy Charlie, good boy!”
