PONY CLUB: Nikki Burraston has seen Australia off the back of a horse. Well, not quite, but pony club and equestrian sports have allowed her to see a lot of the nation.

In the past five years, she has competed in state championships in Theodore, Beaudesert, Taroom, Paradise Lagoon, Yeppoon, Charters Towers, twice in Maryborough and in Warwick.

At a national level, she has competed in Perth in the pony club nationals, Melbourne and Sydney in the Inter-School Nationals. The Year 9 Warwick State High School student was 12th overall in 90cm showjumping this year in Sydney, the second time she has finished in the top half of the field. She had two class wins and a second in the state championships in pony club this year in Charters Towers.

One of her top achievements was winning the state overall title in mounted games at Taroom as well as numerous wins in Warwick Hack and Pony Club, zone 21 and regionals events.

She said her most memorable victory was the mounted games win at Taroom.

"It was exciting to win, then be driven to Brisbane to catch a flight early next morning to Melbourne to compete at Inter-school Nationals and then flying to Perth the following weekend for the Pony Club Nationals," she said.

"The trip was a great experience and chance to meet and make many different friends."

Her horse was transported by friends to Melbourne last year, she competed on a borrowed horse in Perth.

She lists showjumping as her favourite event and hopes to buy a new horse over summer to progress to 1m showjumping next year.

Nikki has also qualified for state championships in gymnastics and athletics and made Southern Downs teams in swimming three times.

Last weekend Nikki travelled to Brisbane to compete at the State Athletics Championships in hurdles recording a personal best.

Her next equestrian competition will be a Warwick Show fundraiser organised by Tammy Bondfield on November 7.