MICHELLE Payne made racing history with a royal of Penzance and closer to home, another ‘Little Girl’ is achieving big dreams with her own Prince.

In their very first Victorian Interschool State Championships, Miley Davies, 10 and her 14-year-old grey gelding have taken out the primary school 45cm showjumping title – less than 12 months after their very first competition.

A family move from Branxholme to Gorae West saw Miley transfer from Macarthur Primary School to Portland North, but she returned to her old stomping ground at Macarthur where the inter-school qualifiers were held, success setting them up for the state titles.

Last weekend, Miley and Prince, along with mum Ali, sisters Indi and Polly and ‘Nan’, headed to the Werribee Park National Equestrian Centre for the five-day event.

“I was a bit of both … nervous and excited,” Miley said.

Held over three days, Miley’s class of 26 competitors included all the skills required for an up-and-coming showjumper, including two-phase – where horse and rider are required to change speed, mid-course – events and fastest round, all while jumping clear rounds (without knocking a pole down).

Second in the two-phase on day one, first with a clear round and fastest time of 58 seconds on day two and first with a clear round in the preliminary and then the jump-off on day three, Miley and Prince were crowned overall winners in the class for their outstanding results over the three days.

“We got ribbons for the different events … then I was the overall winner, we got a rug and a rosette,” she said.

“It was exciting … when mum rang dad to tell him we’d won, he cried!”

Climbing on her first pony when she was just a year old, Miley enjoys riding in a range of disciplines, but confesses her newest interest is her favourite.

“I’ve been with Prince for five years … we started showjumping last September; before that I just did campdrafting and stockman’s challenges … showjumping is my favourite,” Miley said.

Mum Ali said she had had every confidence in Miley and Prince’s abilities on a bigger stage and she and Richard were “super proud” of their achievements.

“I said to her, I wouldn’t have taken her if I didn’t think she could do well … she’s so dedicated, she loves her horses,” Ali said.

“We’ve got an arena here and she’s got her jumps set-up, but she never practises a full course on him; I took her to the Orford indoor arena on Friday before we left and I set up some jumps for her to practise on.”

While heavily involved in dog-trialling – the family’s own Celtic Kelpies successful at trials across the state with three out the four children now participating – equestrian events are also finding a big ­­­place in a busy annual calendar.

“We’re not a showjumping family, I don’t know much about showjumping, but Miley said she wanted to do it, so here we are … and she’s just very good at it!”

“(Miley’s sister) Indi is more into the campdrafting, barrell racing, stockman’s challenges.

“We’ll probably go up to Harrow for the stockman’s challenge; the kids have been going there every year, I used to go, but now I’m just the strapper!”

The first Equestrian Victorian Interschool Championships were held in 2000 and since then, thousands of students from across the state have taken part.

Members of the Victorian Interschool Team, to compete at the National Championships, are selected in Dressage, Jumping, Combined train and Show Horse.