Fresh from playing a starring role as Pirates claimed their maiden Central North women's premiership, Shae Partridge is swapping out the footy boots for the saddle as she turns her focus to her first love - horses.
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"I couldn't live without them, that's for sure," the Pirates speedster said.
"Just such a friendly animal," as she described them, horses, and showing, have been a part of the Walcha local's life for as long as she can remember.
"I've shown horses my whole life," she said.
"Mum and dad brought that on to me. And just as I've got older, I've started to ride other people's horses and help them out."
More involved in the showing side to date, the 20-year-old has started to get into breeding some of her own and is about to have her first foal broken in.
"It's something different, but it's exciting watching them go from a foal to being broken in to where you can ride them yourself," she said.
Her first major show is the Off the Track finals at the end of next month in Gunnedah, where just last weekend she scored a crucial double as Pirates overcame Narrabri 31-24 in a see-sawing grand final tussle.
The flyer's first try came after the quarter time bell and provided a boost going into the break with the Blue Boars establishing a 12-nil lead early. Her second put them ahead 31-24 with just minutes remaining after the Blue Boars had reeled them in from 24-12 to draw level.
Both breakouts, she said she just put the foot down.
"Barb's (co-coach Anthony Barbara) always tells me to back myself," he said.
"And I do love running."
Her efforts saw her adjudged the best performer of the grand final.
"It was good, it was a shock for sure, I'm just a little winger that runs basically," Partridge joked.
It was the second premiership she has been involved in with Pirates after being part of the side that won the New England title three years ago. That was her first season with them and came about through Pirates and Walcha joining forces, and after the local Walcha league tag side, the Jillaroos, weren't able to get the numbers to field a side that season.
Very much a rugby novice back then - she had never really watched a game let alone played one - she has come to love the game, and Pirates.
So much so that while the Jillaroos got back up and running this year, she decided to stick with Pirates.
"It was probably the club. The club in general has really good spirit, and the girls, they'll all really great and they're supportive and we've got a good coach," she said.
One of their best the last season they played (2019), the Jillaroos did try to convince her to come back.
"And I do miss them," Partridge said.
"But, once a Pirate always a Pirate."
Not someone who likes to be idle, she won't be packing away the footy boots completely with the local touch season about to start up.
Partridge also plays indoor hockey. That is another family passion.
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