Under the Auld Pump: Much of our own world changes dramatically when water turns from solid to liquid.

Partner: Brendan. Child: Nathan.

Parents: Charles and Ooi. Sibling: Eric

Education: Eltham East Primary School before going to Eltham High School.

Sporting highlight: being trackside when my good friend Charlotte Graesser trained Raazaular to win the 2007 Warrnambool Grand Annual Steeplechase.

Meaghan, to train a Grand Annual Steeplechase winner is an outstanding achievement. I take it that you've watched Charlotte's career with horses pretty closely. Is that right or wrong?

It's right. Charlotte has done an amazing job. She would usually have one or two horses in work but it's all about the love and attention she gives to all her horses, whether that be a pony in the paddock to a racehorse. She loves and cares for them all the same.

I must admit, I was very lucky to have ridden Raazaular. He had won the 2007 Grand Annual and I was 20 weeks pregnant carrying Nathan when I did some dressage work on Raazaular. It was a special time.

Can you please explain what dressage means?

It's all about getting the rhythm and balance of the horse right.

Dressage teaches horses to use different muscles and to relax.

Meaghan, I note you were born and educated at Eltham. What are your memories of those early years of your life?

I had a quiet childhood. Eltham was just like a little suburban town back in that era. It's got a lot bigger now.

I enjoyed school. I played hockey for Eltham United for 12 years and was lucky enough to play in a couple of premiership sides but I got bitten by the horse bug.

My dad was disappointed that I gave hockey away because he was heavily involved in the sport.

I've still got fond memories of my time playing hockey and, in particular, the games against the boys. They were pretty willing games of hockey on occasions.

I got the horse bug when I started working for Sunny Hills Riding School in Diamond Valley. I was 13 years old when I started working there on weekends on a voluntary basis.

There would have been more than 30 horses in the school. The trail rides through the hills and amongst the bush were incredible. The rides would last for an hour or two hours and I found them very relaxing. I worked there for more than three years and I really loved it.

The first horse I purchased cost $200 and I would have been 16 years old when I got it.

We lived on a normal sized house block and I had to find a paddock to stable my horse.

A friend of mine's parents had a bit of land at a place called Cottles Bridge, which was about 25 kilometres away from where we lived. I used to get my parents to drive me up to the property and I would ride the horse around for hours. It made it easier when I turned 18 and I could drive up to the property.

When did you move to the Western District?

It would have been in 1999.

Peter Haynes was the field service manager at Murray Goulburn at the time and he offered me a job as a field officer at Murray Goulburn. I took over as the field service manager in 2007 and stayed in that job until Bega took over the site in 2018.

I now look after the southern region of Victoria down Gippsland way and western Victoria.

I have six staff who answer to me. I do a lot of travelling in the job but I like it.

When you moved to Western Victoria in 1999, where did you live?

We were at Mailors Flat for a little while before moving to Grassmere and then we purchased 52 acres out at Bessibelle.

We've got Frisian steers and horses on the property and are kept really busy.

Can you remember the first horse you purchased when you moved to the Western District?

Yes. John Meade, the trotting trainer had a trotter he wished to sell.

It was the first standard bred I had, and, in the, end, we showed him at the Melbourne Standard bred show.

I also took part in the three-day event called the Lake and Crater down at Camperdown. It's usually held in December and it is always a great event, which includes dressage, cross country and show jumping.

It would have been in 2002 when I got involved with the Warrnambool Adult Riders with Heather Godard and Julie Luxton.

I was part of the first group and am still involved today. We have different lessons and instructors who run the rallies.

I've been involved in lots of dressage events with horses around Warrnambool, Horsham and Melbourne over the years in different roles, including judging and scoring and helping run the events.

To do the judging, you have to be accredited and that takes a bit of time to get. A judge is a bit like an umpire.

I've also been heavily involved with the Macarthur Pony Club as the chief instructor. We have some marvellous events like flag and barrel. We meet at the Tarrone Recreation Reserve once a month. The club is very aware of the safety part of the sport but we love to have fun and give enjoyment to all our members.

How many members does the Macarthur Pony Club have?

We've got 38 members and capped the number at 40 members. We felt we had to put a cap in place because otherwise, it just gets too big to manage.

The club also stage pony camps with other clubs in the region.

We've got a two-day event coming up at Hexham in the middle of June.

My son Nathan has got heavily involved in Tetrathlon, which is organised by pony clubs.

Tetrathlon is a variant of modern pentathlon, without fencing. It comprises four disciplines of laser shooting, swimming, riding and running. It's developed into a national sport.

Nathan loves Tetrathlon and it's really gaining traction in Australia and is a healthy sport to be involved in.

The laser shooting is done indoors, while the other parts of the sport are over varying distances relating to your age.