Community & Business
23 June, 2025
Peyton’s outstanding equestrian effort
Peyton Alexander, a 14-years-old equestrian from Pittsworth, has claimed the title of Champion Intermediate Showhack at the Interschools Darling Downs and Southwest Queensland Regional Championships in Toowoomba.
Equestrian is not a sport for the faint-hearted, especially for those like Peyton, who are committed to performing to the absolute best of their ability.
That means spending 4 to 5 hours every day in the company of her horses.
Peyton is a Distance Education student with Australian Christian College (ACC) - Moreton, which provides her with the opportunity to concentrate long hours on refining her skills as a young equestrian.
Winning Champion Intermediate Showhack was an exciting surprise, and not her only success during the competition.
She was named Champion Secondary 60m Showjumper, and her ACC team, which included Grace De La Croix and another student, won Reserve Champion Showjumping Team and Champion Small School.
Peyton completed the Showhorse events with ‘Cheraton Country Classic’, an all rounder pony, while the Showjumping classes were completed with ‘A Fox Zee Max’, originally purchased from Maryborough.
‘A Fox Zee Max’ was a project horse for her mother Katrina Alexander but it was Peyton who formed a bond with him and completed his training to bring him up to competition standard.
“This combination has a huge and exciting career ahead of them,” Ms Alexander said.
“They’ve got a really beautiful bond.”
Peyton’s love for the sport has been nurtured by her mother, who shares the same passion.
Ms Alexander started riding when she was four years old and feels honoured to be able to pass on her knowledge of the sport to her daughter.
Peyton competed in her first regional show at 11 months old - even before she could walk - and won both classes.
“She was born to do it,” Ms Alexander said.
Prior to competing in the Interschools competition, the mother-daughter duo and their Pomeranian ‘Paddington’, hitched up the horse float for a road trip out west.
Peyton competed in equestrian events at six regional shows in Wallumbilla, Taroom, Roma, Mitchell, Charleville and Chinchilla.
She received over 30 placings in the dressage, showjumping, hacking, eventing and sporting categories.
In order to be able to compete out west, Peyton completed all of her term two curriculum, so she could concentrate on the competition without falling behind in her studies.
“A lot of hard work, determination, passion and absolute love of the sport and horse, goes into this,” Ms Alexander said.
For Peyton, Showjumping is her favourite event, and her goal is to confidently clear 1.20m in that field.
After an intensive ten weeks on the road competing, Peyton is enjoying a couple weeks off to rest and recuperate before the next competition.
She intends to catch up on some much needed sleep, and spend her downtime reading.
The next focus for the young equestrian is the Darling Downs Showjumping Champion-ships in Allora and the State Showjumping Champion-ships.
It’s obvious that equestrian is more than just a hobby for Peyton.
With her natural ability, and the effort and dedication invested to develop her skills, it’s likely we’ll likely see much more of Peyton’s success in the equestrian arena, and on a much grander scale.
