MOST school students enjoyed their recent break for the winter holidays by relaxing at home or undertaking their chosen sporting loves, and it was no different for Matilda Mason.

The only difference was that Mason spent her break in France, as one of a select few Modern Pentathletes chosen to participate in the 2023 France leg of the Global Amateur Tour (GAT), where riders from around the world are invited to train and compete to further their careers.

“I was fortunate enough to be selected from video footage of Australian competitions,” Mason said.

Riders from around the globe attended and Mason noted just how much she gained from the experience.

“There was so much to learn from each horse I rode, as they were all so different and the French also have a slightly different style of riding,” she noted.

“We started each day at 6am with rider fitness, strength and conditioning, core exercises, running, yoga and meditation, we then went to the stables and had two lessons on two different horses most days.”

Modern Pentathlon is a sport where athletes must adapt to different mounts, as they cannot always have their own horses with them for competitions.

 “The horses were incredible, with a real range of age and ability from green four-year-olds to experienced grand prix winners, but my favourite was the young grey stallion Falcom, who had a huge canter to ride and a big jump,” Mason said.

“I’m used to riding lots of different horses, so I really enjoyed that part of it, and I rode a 13hh Connemara pony up to a 17hh warm blood stallion, but I enjoyed every single horse I rode.”

The participants were given some of the best tutoring in the world, as world-class coaches such as father and son duo Michel Ismalun and Etienne Ismalun helped guide the athletes along with Lucy Olphert and Jamie Campbell too.

 “The coaching was incredible, and I feel so lucky to have had lessons with international course designer and coach Michel Ismalun, whose stables we rode at every day.,” Mason said.

“His son Etienne is a Grand Prix show jumper, and he was a great coach too, as he also took us out riding in the forests around their property on our day off.

“We then had the GAT creator and Grand Prix rider from New Zealand Lucy Olphert, and her coaching was so good.

“She helped me with striding and getting good lines to the fences.

“She also brought along New Zealand National Selector and grand prix rider and coach Jaime Campbell, who was also an amazing coach and really able to make adjustments to my position.”

Judging by the way 15-year-old speaks of her experience, one could be forgiven that all the athletes did was train and compete the whole time they were in France, but that wasn’t the case as what would a trip to France be without some sightseeing.

“Each day we had fitness and riding lessons, and then evenings and some days we had seminars such as nutrition, sports psychology, a social media presentation from Tina Wallace who is successful equestrian influencer,” she said.

“The last day of the tour was the competition, and we were assigned two different horses to compete on.”

“We had a visit to the Palace of Versailles where the equestrian events for the Paris Olympics will be held next year, a trip to Chantilly International, meeting French Olympic medallist Herve Godingdon and having a tour of his yard and finally competing in a competition at Bonnieres-sue-Seine.

After such a boost to her knowledge and experience, Mason will no doubt be looking forward to the future.

“I am competing in the International Modern Pentathlon Union (UIPM) Laser Run World Championships in Bath, next month,” Mason said.

“I have also been selected for TeamVIC at Nationals in Perth in September, where I will compete as an individual and on the Junior team aged 13-17yo.

“I will compete on my horse Bernie at the Victorian hub in Melbourne first, then fly to Perth for the rest of the Nationals event with my team.”