Moree is a long way from Paris but the town will have someone to cheer on when Hilary Scott lines up for Australia in the showjumping at the coming Olympics.
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Although she bases herself in the Netherlands now, Scott grew up in Moree which she credits for being a huge part of her journey.
"I absolutely loved my childhood spent in rural Australia," Scott told the ACM.
"It has had a huge impact on my equestrian pursuits, as it is where I first began riding on our family property, which then progressed into local pony club."
Being part of Moree Pony Club in the 1990s meant Scott had a taste of everything - sporting, mounted games, showing, eventing, polo cross and campdrafting.
But it wasn't until she moved to Sydney at 10 that she really focused on showjumping.
From there she didn't look back.
In 2008, Scott travelled with international showjumpers Chris and Helen Chugg to Germany as they began preparations for the Beijing Olympics.
"This trip opened my eyes to the worldwide jumping industry that had business to support it," Scott said.
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"Watching and learning from them and the jumping world in a professional setting to seeing how they produced horses to sell both nationally and internationally, inspired my own visions to go in that direction."
Her win at the Tonimbuk World Cup class in Victoria in 2011 on Oaks Miss Scarlet cemented that.
"That was the moment I knew I wanted to pursue this sport internationally," Scott said.
"That horse certainly made me feel what it was like to be very competitive, we won a lot of young rider classes together, Mini Prix's and then on to World Cup level together."
In 2013, Scott moved overseas to chase her dream.
There are many Australian equestrians based internationally with more options for competitions and horses.
That made the initial move a lot easier for Scott.
"It became more difficult when I realised I wanted to stay longer term which obviously meant a lot more planning was involved, much more work to be done and more sacrifices to be made to develop your own path in an already very established market and industry," she said.
"However, it is an ever growing international market which was a huge benefit at the time so international riders and people have been welcomed."
For the first four years, Scott worked with other trainers and spent time bringing young horses through the ranks to two star and three star levels.
Five years ago, she stepped it up again.
"I began jumping the higher levels in 2019," Scott said.
"To get to this stage involves a lot of riding hours, going to a lot of different competitions and having enough horsepower to do both of those things."
In 2020 she was part of the Australian team who took bronze at the FEI Nations Cup.
Fast forward to now with many wins and successful competitions under her belt, Scott was named alongside four-time Olympian Edwina Tops-Alexander and Thaisa Erwin as the Australian representatives for the Paris Olympics in 2024.
"I was extremely excited and happy to be named on the team," Scott said.
"I was always hopeful, but it's not until you actually get the call that you can breathe. It was really an honour to receive a call like that."
The Australian equestrian teams have legends like Shane Rose (eventing) and Scott's showjumping teammate Tops-Alexander, who she is excited to ride alongside.
"Edwina is the stalwart Australian rider that we've all watched from a very young age and looked up to," Scott said.
"She who has always flown the flag for Australia on the international stage consistently for more than 20 years.
"No one will ever change that she has paved the path to inspire other Australians to do the same."
It was something she dreamed about since she "going to the 2000 Sydney Olympics as a 12-year-old".
To make it even more special, her partner in all of this is a very special mare in Oaks Milky Way.
Scott and her mother, Alice Cameron, bred the now 17-year-old grey.
"I broke her in and started her at her first competitions," she said.
"We had 12 months apart when I first came to Europe after which she came over and we continued our journey together. She means the absolute world to me as we've been through a lot together, she's taken me places and given me opportunities I never imagined.
"She has taken me to venues I only ever dreamt of competing and in the biggest classes.
"Most importantly, I have some amazing friends thanks to the places we have travelled all thanks to her abilities.
"With a horse who you know is capable of anything, everything seems possible."
An Olympic medal is the goal and it would be even more special to Scott and her family.
She said Alice is her "biggest inspiration" who has been there every step of the way.
"There's nothing she's not capable of!" Scott said.
"I have the most admiration for her and my entire family, they're all so capable which is extremely inspiring."