For more than two decades, Mounted Games has been a constant in Lauren Bingley’s life. What began as a Pony Club connection when she was just ten years old has grown into a journey spanning Australian National Championships, international competition and countless hours spent developing horses for one of equestrian sport’s fastest disciplines.

Lauren joined not long after Mounted Games Australia was founded in 2003, after one of the founding members encouraged her family to come along and give it a try.

“I was only about ten years old at the time, so I’ve really grown up with the sport,” Lauren says.

From the Under 12s through to Under 15s, Under 18s and eventually the senior ranks, Mounted Games became part of life. Even as the years brought plenty of change away from the arena, Lauren found herself continually drawn back to the sport.

“Even after moving out of home, starting my own family and life getting busier, I just couldn’t walk away from it. It’s always drawn me back.”

That commitment has taken Lauren a long way from those early Pony Club days.

She has won Australian National Championships in both Pairs and Teams and has had the opportunity to represent Australia internationally. Three trips to New Zealand to compete at Horse of the Year are among her career highlights, alongside representing Australia at the World Championships in Wales.

“Wearing the green and gold is something I’ll always be proud of,” she says.

More Than the Competition

For all the achievements and memorable moments, ask Lauren what has kept her involved for more than 20 years and the answer is immediate.

“The people.”

It is the community surrounding Mounted Games that Lauren believes makes the sport so special. Competition can be fast and intense, but away from the start line there is a strong sense of camaraderie.

“Mounted Games is incredibly family friendly. No matter what level you’re competing at, everyone is welcoming and willing to help. It’s a sport where you can enjoy yourself while still challenging yourself.”

Of course, the competition itself remains a big part of the attraction.

Mounted Games demands speed, accuracy and athleticism from both horse and rider. Races happen quickly, leaving little room for hesitation. For experienced competitors like Lauren, there is always another small detail to refine.

“I love the pace and precision of the competition,” she says. “The races are fast, they demand athleticism from both horse and rider, and there’s always something new to improve.”

There is also a practical side to the sport that has helped Lauren remain involved over the years.

Growing up through Pony Club, she had the opportunity to experience a variety of equestrian disciplines. Mounted Games stood out because it offered plenty of time in the saddle without requiring the same financial commitment as some other areas of horse sport.

“It gave me the most riding for the most affordable cost,” she says. “That made it much easier to stay involved long term.”

Building the Right Horse

While the races themselves might be over in a matter of moments, producing a horse capable of competing at the top level is anything but quick.

For Lauren, developing a new horse has been one of the greatest challenges of her career.

“Building a partnership and getting them to the level you want doesn’t happen overnight, especially when you’re aiming for the highest levels of competition.”

The first thing she looks for is not a particular breed, pedigree or even size. It is temperament.

“Temperament is everything.”

At around 14.3 to 15 hands, Lauren’s own horses are a little bigger to suit her height, but she says the ideal size depends entirely on the rider. While Australian Stock Horses have always been a personal favourite, successful Mounted Games horses come in many shapes and breeds.

What matters is finding a horse with the right balance between enthusiasm and sensibility.

“You want a horse that’s keen to go fast but stays sensible and doesn’t become too hot or difficult to manage,” Lauren explains.

That temperament becomes especially important when training begins.
Once a horse has a solid basic education, Lauren gradually introduces the equipment used throughout Mounted Games. With an assortment of props, obstacles and race patterns to learn, confidence around unfamiliar objects is an important part of the process.

“I spend plenty of time both on the ground and under saddle helping horses become comfortable with the sights and sounds,” she says.

From there, the horse learns how to approach each obstacle correctly before the individual skills are brought together into complete race patterns.

For a horse expected to compete at senior level, Lauren generally allows around two years for that education.

“Some horses progress faster, particularly if they’re competing at lower levels, but for senior competition where we’re asking the most of them, that extra time makes a big difference.”

It is a reminder that beneath the speed and excitement spectators see in competition is a considerable amount of patient, thoughtful training.

A Sport Worth Trying

After more than 20 years, Lauren has experienced Mounted Games from almost every angle. She has grown through the age divisions, developed horses, competed nationally and internationally, and continued riding while raising a family.

For anyone watching from the outside and wondering whether the sport might be for them, she has one simple suggestion.

“Just go along to an event.”

Social media makes it easy to find information and connect with Mounted Games Australia, but Lauren believes there is no substitute for experiencing a competition firsthand.

“Once you experience the atmosphere and meet the people involved, you’ll quickly understand why so many riders stay involved for life.”

Mounted Games also offers opportunities to compete interstate and internationally, with classes catering for all ages and abilities. From novices and Under 12 riders through to experienced competitors and those of retirement age, there is a place for almost everyone to get involved.

There is plenty happening within the sport, too. Australian riders continue to compete at major international events, while the Australian National competitions provide an opportunity for riders from across the country to come together and showcase Mounted Games closer to home.

For Lauren, being part of that community also means recognising the people who helped build it.

She credits founding member Phil Logue for the vision that helped establish Mounted Games in Australia, along with Maureen Purdie, who first introduced Lauren and her sisters to the sport and has continued to support them over the years.

“Without people like them, so many riders, including myself, simply wouldn’t have had these opportunities.”

More than two decades after arriving as a ten-year-old to give a new sport a try, Lauren is still there.

The championships and international appearances are an important part of her story, but perhaps the strongest measure of Mounted Games’ place in her life is much simpler. Through changing horses, growing up, moving away from home and starting a family of her own, it has remained a place she wants to return to.

Fast, competitive and demanding, Mounted Games certainly offers its share of adrenaline. But through Lauren’s eyes, its greatest strengths are found beyond the stopwatch, in patient partnerships with good horses, friendships formed around the arena and a community that makes people feel welcome.

And for the next rider wondering whether to give it a go, the invitation remains simple. Come along, meet the people and watch a few races.
Twenty years later, you might still be coming back.