Emma Boylan, a senior at Oakland High School, will travel to Belgium next week to compete in the International Mounted Games Association World Championships.

The IMGA World Championship is an equestrian skill riding event that attracts riders from 18 countries.

Emma competes with a team of the five best mounted game riders in the United States.

The team will leave for Belgium this week, and competition will begin on August 22. Emma and her team will participate in riding events twice a day as they progress through the competition rounds. Their goal is to reach the championship round. The US team will not bring their own ponies, so Emma and the other team members will only have two to three days to get familiar with ponies that will be loaned to them through the IMGA for the competition.

Emma's favorite event is the sock and bucket race, which involves skill, hand/eye coordination, and a large dose of bravery, since she must jump off and then back on her pony as it races to one end of the track (video). She also enjoys meeting lots of other riders from all over the world. Emma has been riding horses her entire life and has competed in equestrian eventing, cross country, and stadium prior to taking an interest and training for mounted games. Emma is the only competitor from Tennessee and this will be her second time to compete in the IMGA World Championship.



Oakland High School wishes Emma and her team the best of luck for their upcoming competition!