Libby Price is our veteran blogger. She’s been a journalist for the ABC for more than half her life, 27 years, and in that time has worked as a reporter for AM, PM and The World Today on ABC Radio, and as a senior journalist for the 7.30 Report and TV News, as well as fill-in presenting for ABC News and Victoria’s Stateline program.
She’s now back to the future, working where she started with the ABC in the Rural Department, presenting the Victorian Country Hour.
At age 52, she’s one of the older eventers, and it’s been a tumultuous ride. Libby began riding at age 8 when her parents bought her sister a pony. They had no idea what they were doing, and Libby took to horses with far greater passion than her sister. But her father steadfastly refused to buy her a horse, as his focus was on the even more expensive sport of sailing. It certainly paid off for him as he won a world championship and many national championships. But it left Libby riding whatever horse she could get, usually pretty bad ones.
Her parents agreed she could have what’s now called a gap year and gave her the choice: finishing school in Switzerland, or a BHSAI certificate in England. Remember, this was the 1970’s! She of course chose to do the British Horse Society Assistant Instructors Certificate at Moat House in Kent. While she was there, the trainer of the British Olympic eventing team, Bertie Hill, who rode for the Queen, gave a clinic and selected Libby to come down to North Devon as a working pupil.
Things were going swimmingly, but alas, Libby didn’t dare mention she’d never done an official competition and had only ridden duds, and was overfaced and rather lost her joie de vivre for horses. She returned to Australia and threw herself into her journalism career.
More than 20 years later, her passion for horses couldn’t be ignored. Thinking she’d never have the nerve to jump again, she bought a warmblood dressage horse. But eventing was calling and after a few years, she sold the mare, and bought a warmblood x tb cross and was back! She’s now riding pre-novice with 1* in her sights.
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