June 28, 2024 • 7 mins
Levin's Louise Duncan will be competing at the Paralympics for the first time when she and 15-year-old mount Showcase BC head to Paris later this year.
The pair earned important qualification scores after recent competitions in Australia.
Duncan joined Adam Cooper to discuss her lifelong involvement in equestrian, and her Paralympic journey.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Time to talk the Paralympics, because obviously all eyes are
on Paris over the coming months for the Olympic Games
and then of course the Paralympics straight afterwards. In the
New Zealand, Paralympians are building. We're seeing people named in
different sports and different disciplines to fly the Kiwi flag
for the Paralympics a little bit later in the year.
And really cool to be able to well find out
(00:21):
and chat to someone from our region based in Levin
who will be heading to the Paralympics, and that's Para
equestrian writer Louise Duncan who's been named in the squad
for Paris twenty twenty four. Louise, good morning, thanks for
your time here on Newstalks EB.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Good morning and thank you so much for.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
Having me righty. Oh well, this is very exciting, is it?
And I know you've had a lifelong involvement in equestrian
and with horses and everything like that. So getting named
in this New Zealand squad for the Paralympics, how special
is this for you?
Speaker 2 (00:51):
It's really special. Means the world to me. Really, it's
just I still can't believe it. Still punching myself. I
was looking at videos last night of the Palace and
Visai and it's just a stunning venue. I'm so excited
to be able to be there in a few months
representing our country wearing the fern on my jacket.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Yeah great, And I know, I mean every sports qualification
path to Olympics and Paralympics is different. I understand you
sort of had to make a pretty important decision to
go over to Australia to sort of boost your qualification path.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
That's correct. For our qualification, we must compete internationally and
overseas to be able to get our FBI Code of Capability.
So I had to make that last minute ditch across
Tasman to Bonio in Australia to compete Showcase BC and
(01:44):
grant those scores and show the international judges what New
Zealanders can do.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Yeah, fantastic. And this must be extra special given that
things were so close but not quite close enough for
you're getting to Tokyo a few years ago.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
That's correct. And the horse I was riding for Tokyo
is Showcases half Brother Spirit Walkenstein BC. So it's really
cool to be able to have that family lineage and
know the breeder from Auckland and that he's a New
Zealand horse capable of competing in Paris.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
Yeah, fantastic. Tell us a bit about the dressage as
a whole sort of how you at this point a
few months out are preparing.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
We are training. We have a very strong plan with
my coach Andrea Raves and my other coach Frankie web
who's my mum as well. So I'm very lucky to
have eyes on the ground all the time at home
and we have every day we work out what we're doing,
whether that be the horse coming in for his message
or we are actually training to make sure we've got
(02:42):
the course set out correctly, where I'm doing, what I'm doing,
that sort of thing, and getting him just prepared for
a different life over in Paris for a couple of months.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
Yeah, and Louise, I know that one of the things
a lot of people enjoy about the Paralympics and getting
engaged with the games when they come around after the
main Olympics as the backstories, you know, the inspiration, the
adversity that's everyone in the Paralympics has faced. That the
hurdles overcome and challenges overcome can you tell us a
little bit about your journey to becoming a Paralympian.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
I got meningitis when I was seventeen, which left me
paralyzed from the neck down after having some strokes. I
was very lucky and worked really hard with Palmerston North
Hospital to learn to walk and talk again. I was
told I would never ride again, but I got sent
a photo when I was in hospital from Louisa Hill,
(03:32):
who's actually a past Olympian in dressage for New Zealand,
and a photo of her and Gavana signed wishing me
well and telling me that I've got this, which gave
me that inspiration to want to get up and make
sure I was back on that horse and our family.
If you don't speak horse, you tend to miss out
on conversation a little bit, so that definitely wasn't going
to be an option. I would rather be able to
(03:53):
get on the horse than drive my car, so it
was definitely going to happen. It was just a case
of where and getting through those obstacles.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Yeah, and competition wise, have you come across some of
the people you'll be competing against much before from overseas.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
I've had a few in Australia while I was over
there competing the Australian team riders at Bonio. But I
haven't had anyone in New Zealand from Europe because it
is a little bit fa for them to come.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
Can you just run us through. You know that the
work you've put in, and I know it's extensive. You've
obviously worked incredibly hard to get to this position, Louise,
but you know how much have you really just had
to drive yourself to get to this point and being
able to wear a silver fan.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
I work full time. I'm a here addresser. I have
my own seal on the waves dank and hair design
here and live in so I have to train after hours,
quite often at night and under light, so there is
a lot of pushing myself. I'm very lucky to have
my mum and my dad and my husband really pushing
me and helping me at every turn so I can
(05:00):
I'm home and Mum will have the horse ready, my
husband will have got things on the arena sorted so
I can get in there, get training, and I just
have to make sure I have everything really staged out
on what I'm planning to do.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
Yeah, Brittiant, I wanted to ask about your hair's a
lot as well, because obviously there be a lot of
people listening in the Livin area that are familiar with you.
And how's the community sort of rallied behind you in
this journey, but particularly now that you'll be heading to
the Paralympics.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
I'm really lucky. The community is amazing and living. I've
had so much support and nationwide as well, from Auckland
and christ Church and all over New Zealand. It's fantastic.
They love it. The equine community have got behind me,
and I'm really supportive. I'm just I feel very humbled
by the amount of support I've had. It's just amazing.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
And are there nerves about competing at this level? How
are you sort of feeling about it all?
Speaker 2 (05:50):
I'm not nervous. I'm excited. I just can't wait to
trot down that center line looking at the Palace of
Asai and saluting and showing them how cool New Zealand
is and how amazing our athletes are in New Zealand.
It's just amazing. I'm just so stoked. I'm just I'm
bringing it, bring it on.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
Ah. Yeah, you sound excited and it's fantastic. I do
want to ask though, and I think a few people
might be wondering, you know, getting your horse over to
the likes of these competitions. It can't be easy. How
does that sort of work and how long does it take?
Speaker 2 (06:20):
And it's a logistical nightmare in some ways. But I'm
very lucky going over to Paris. I've got a lot
of help and support and High Performance are helping me
organize these logistics with I. The horses go on an
airplane which has special compartments, like a stable sort of
thing for them to travel in, and we will head
(06:40):
over hopefully middle of August, and base ourselves for a
week before the Olympics so that we can train, so
that we can hit the ground running and get into
the village and into the sie and get competing.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
Nice said, it must be pretty exciting seeing more and
more athletes getting named for the Paralympics will be a
pretty good ki we buzz around, I'm.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
Sure most certainly. And I've met a few of our
athletes that have been selected and they are just amazing
people and they are so inspiring. Our pair of sport
in New Zealand is just incredible.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
Wonder Fallowise. So it's been awesome to chat here a
bit about your journey and I can sense the excitement
and your voice. With a few months to go to
all the Paralympics in Paris, so can't wait to track
your progress. Then all the best for the build up
and everything else, and hopefully we'll be chatting again soon.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Look fantastic. Thank you so much for having me on.
I really appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
For more from News talk Ed B listen live on
air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcast on iHeartRadio.
Time to talk the Paralympics, because obviously all eyes are
on Paris over the coming months for the Olympic Games
and then of course the Paralympics straight afterwards. In the
New Zealand, Paralympians are building. We're seeing people named in
different sports and different disciplines to fly the Kiwi flag
for the Paralympics a little bit later in the year.
And really cool to be able to well find out
(00:21):
and chat to someone from our region based in Levin
who will be heading to the Paralympics, and that's Para
equestrian writer Louise Duncan who's been named in the squad
for Paris twenty twenty four. Louise, good morning, thanks for
your time here on Newstalks EB.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Good morning and thank you so much for.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
Having me righty. Oh well, this is very exciting, is it?
And I know you've had a lifelong involvement in equestrian
and with horses and everything like that. So getting named
in this New Zealand squad for the Paralympics, how special
is this for you?
Speaker 2 (00:51):
It's really special. Means the world to me. Really, it's
just I still can't believe it. Still punching myself. I
was looking at videos last night of the Palace and
Visai and it's just a stunning venue. I'm so excited
to be able to be there in a few months
representing our country wearing the fern on my jacket.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Yeah great, And I know, I mean every sports qualification
path to Olympics and Paralympics is different. I understand you
sort of had to make a pretty important decision to
go over to Australia to sort of boost your qualification path.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
That's correct. For our qualification, we must compete internationally and
overseas to be able to get our FBI Code of Capability.
So I had to make that last minute ditch across
Tasman to Bonio in Australia to compete Showcase BC and
(01:44):
grant those scores and show the international judges what New
Zealanders can do.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Yeah, fantastic. And this must be extra special given that
things were so close but not quite close enough for
you're getting to Tokyo a few years ago.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
That's correct. And the horse I was riding for Tokyo
is Showcases half Brother Spirit Walkenstein BC. So it's really
cool to be able to have that family lineage and
know the breeder from Auckland and that he's a New
Zealand horse capable of competing in Paris.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
Yeah, fantastic. Tell us a bit about the dressage as
a whole sort of how you at this point a
few months out are preparing.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
We are training. We have a very strong plan with
my coach Andrea Raves and my other coach Frankie web
who's my mum as well. So I'm very lucky to
have eyes on the ground all the time at home
and we have every day we work out what we're doing,
whether that be the horse coming in for his message
or we are actually training to make sure we've got
(02:42):
the course set out correctly, where I'm doing, what I'm doing,
that sort of thing, and getting him just prepared for
a different life over in Paris for a couple of months.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
Yeah, and Louise, I know that one of the things
a lot of people enjoy about the Paralympics and getting
engaged with the games when they come around after the
main Olympics as the backstories, you know, the inspiration, the
adversity that's everyone in the Paralympics has faced. That the
hurdles overcome and challenges overcome can you tell us a
little bit about your journey to becoming a Paralympian.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
I got meningitis when I was seventeen, which left me
paralyzed from the neck down after having some strokes. I
was very lucky and worked really hard with Palmerston North
Hospital to learn to walk and talk again. I was
told I would never ride again, but I got sent
a photo when I was in hospital from Louisa Hill,
(03:32):
who's actually a past Olympian in dressage for New Zealand,
and a photo of her and Gavana signed wishing me
well and telling me that I've got this, which gave
me that inspiration to want to get up and make
sure I was back on that horse and our family.
If you don't speak horse, you tend to miss out
on conversation a little bit, so that definitely wasn't going
to be an option. I would rather be able to
(03:53):
get on the horse than drive my car, so it
was definitely going to happen. It was just a case
of where and getting through those obstacles.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Yeah, and competition wise, have you come across some of
the people you'll be competing against much before from overseas.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
I've had a few in Australia while I was over
there competing the Australian team riders at Bonio. But I
haven't had anyone in New Zealand from Europe because it
is a little bit fa for them to come.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
Can you just run us through. You know that the
work you've put in, and I know it's extensive. You've
obviously worked incredibly hard to get to this position, Louise,
but you know how much have you really just had
to drive yourself to get to this point and being
able to wear a silver fan.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
I work full time. I'm a here addresser. I have
my own seal on the waves dank and hair design
here and live in so I have to train after hours,
quite often at night and under light, so there is
a lot of pushing myself. I'm very lucky to have
my mum and my dad and my husband really pushing
me and helping me at every turn so I can
(05:00):
I'm home and Mum will have the horse ready, my
husband will have got things on the arena sorted so
I can get in there, get training, and I just
have to make sure I have everything really staged out
on what I'm planning to do.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
Yeah, Brittiant, I wanted to ask about your hair's a
lot as well, because obviously there be a lot of
people listening in the Livin area that are familiar with you.
And how's the community sort of rallied behind you in
this journey, but particularly now that you'll be heading to
the Paralympics.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
I'm really lucky. The community is amazing and living. I've
had so much support and nationwide as well, from Auckland
and christ Church and all over New Zealand. It's fantastic.
They love it. The equine community have got behind me,
and I'm really supportive. I'm just I feel very humbled
by the amount of support I've had. It's just amazing.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
And are there nerves about competing at this level? How
are you sort of feeling about it all?
Speaker 2 (05:50):
I'm not nervous. I'm excited. I just can't wait to
trot down that center line looking at the Palace of
Asai and saluting and showing them how cool New Zealand
is and how amazing our athletes are in New Zealand.
It's just amazing. I'm just so stoked. I'm just I'm
bringing it, bring it on.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
Ah. Yeah, you sound excited and it's fantastic. I do
want to ask though, and I think a few people
might be wondering, you know, getting your horse over to
the likes of these competitions. It can't be easy. How
does that sort of work and how long does it take?
Speaker 2 (06:20):
And it's a logistical nightmare in some ways. But I'm
very lucky going over to Paris. I've got a lot
of help and support and High Performance are helping me
organize these logistics with I. The horses go on an
airplane which has special compartments, like a stable sort of
thing for them to travel in, and we will head
(06:40):
over hopefully middle of August, and base ourselves for a
week before the Olympics so that we can train, so
that we can hit the ground running and get into
the village and into the sie and get competing.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
Nice said, it must be pretty exciting seeing more and
more athletes getting named for the Paralympics will be a
pretty good ki we buzz around, I'm.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
Sure most certainly. And I've met a few of our
athletes that have been selected and they are just amazing
people and they are so inspiring. Our pair of sport
in New Zealand is just incredible.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
Wonder Fallowise. So it's been awesome to chat here a
bit about your journey and I can sense the excitement
and your voice. With a few months to go to
all the Paralympics in Paris, so can't wait to track
your progress. Then all the best for the build up
and everything else, and hopefully we'll be chatting again soon.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Look fantastic. Thank you so much for having me on.
I really appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
For more from News talk Ed B listen live on
air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcast on iHeartRadio.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Betrayal Season 5
Saskia Inwood woke up one morning, knowing her life would never be the same. The night before, she learned the unimaginable – that the husband she knew in the light of day was a different person after dark. This season unpacks Saskia’s discovery of her husband’s secret life and her fight to bring him to justice. Along the way, we expose a crime that is just coming to light. This is also a story about the myth of the “perfect victim:” who gets believed, who gets doubted, and why. We follow Saskia as she works to reclaim her body, her voice, and her life. If you would like to reach out to the Betrayal Team, email us at betrayalpod@gmail.com. Follow us on Instagram @betrayalpod and @glasspodcasts. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations, and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience, and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com