Goorambat’s Anne Marie Greenway was recently honoured with a lifetime achievement award for services to showjumping.
Ms Greenway was presented the honour by Equestrian Victoria at their awards ceremony in Werribee earlier in the month.
“I started my career as an apprentice jockey when I left school, moving on to become a professional showjumper for nearly 10 years,” Ms Greenway said.
“Being dissatisfied with the organisation of getting horses into the arena, I took on gate marshalling and soon discovered I was a far better organiser than I was showjumper.
“I completed 25 years as a top gate marshall in the UK, including every show at Hickstead during that time, before migrating to Australia 15 years ago.
“I became an official equestrian Australia steward soon after arriving, and an FEI Steward — the international equivalent — a few years later.
“Ill health has now forced me to retire from stewarding and marshalling, as it is an extremely tough job with no breaks, early starts and long days.
“I was delighted and humbled to receive this award, especially as they had already awarded me a Volunteer of the Year award in 2018.
“Then this week I was honoured to receive Life Membership of the Northern Victorian Showjumping Club in Shepparton — a great honour, and the entire committee turned up at the Goorambat Railway Inn to present me with this, and we had a great meal, too.”