IMAGINE picking up a 50 cent piece, on horseback, at speeds of over 40km hour.
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Now imagine doing it in front of the world.
That is what Gunnedahs Steven Craig will do when he represents Australia at the World Cup Championships for Tentpegging in Oman in January 2019.
Craig and Tamworths Jayme Averillo will both feature in Australias maiden under-21 team.
The pairs mentor Scotty Miller said he expected the pair to star at Januarys competition.
Typically tentpegging isnt a big sport in Australia, however we are very competitive on the world stage, Miller said.
I have been mentoring these two by default I suppose and they have been doing very well.
Theyre both really accomplished riders who have been doing it for a long time and this is a great stepping stone for these guys to get to where they want to go.
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For Craig, the world cup brings a chance to do what he loves: ride.
Im really looking forward to the opportunity to compete for Australia to be honest, Craig said.
It will be certainly be pretty high on my list of achievements thats for sure.
Craig said he was hard at work preparing for Januarys competition.
Theres not really one thing I am focusing on in particular, he said.
Im just getting my horse and smashing a few pegs every afternoon to try and get organised.
The 16-year-old is expected to be one of the sides younger members but said that he holds no fears.
I dont know really what to expect, he said.
I havent seen too much of any of the other sides, so I dont know what theyre all about.
Im relatively new to tentpegging so all I can really do is go out there and do my best.
To be honest I think being new and not really knowing what to expect might play to our advantage because we hold no fears.
Both youngsters will be hosting fundraising events to help pay for the trip to Oman, with Craig hosting a barbeque at Woolworths Gunnedah on December 15 and Averillo a car boot sale in the coming weeks and a barefoot bowling day in Manilla on January 13.
The fundraiser is more or less just to help get over there, Craig said.
Everyone has been really supportive so far and it would be great to see a few people come down to Woolworths, grab a snag and get behind us.