First Equestrian involved in the Sport Australia Hall of Fame Scholarship & Mentoring Program
We are delighted to announce that Equestrian Australia member, Elloise Devlin, has been selected as a 2017 Scholarship recipient within The Sport Australia Hall of Fame Scholarship & Mentoring Program.
Elloise is one of five young Australian athletes who have been selected for the 2017 Program and the first Equestrian since the Program commenced in 2006.
The Scholarship and Mentoring Program aims to help talented young Australians achieve at the highest level of sport, by providing support and funding for a period of 12 months.
The successful recipients will be presented their scholarships by their respective mentors during the Sport Australia Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Gala Dinner on Thursday, 13th October 2016 at Palladium at Crown, Melbourne.
Sport Australia Hall of Fame Chairman John Bertrand AO, who was a mentor to 2013 scholarship holder and Olympic silver medallist Olivia Price, said the mentoring is a 'money can't buy' opportunity.
“The impact of having an Australian sporting superstar as a mentor for our scholarship holders has been profound,” Bertrand said.
“The five successful scholarship recipients have demonstrated they are quality young people within sport and life in general and it is a privilege to play a vital role in nurturing the nation’s next wave of talent – both as athletes and people,” Bertrand added.
Successful recipients receive one-on-one personal mentoring by a current member of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame, in what is a truly unique experience. Recipients will also be awarded a $5,000 sporting expenses grant, as well as one international return economy flight thanks to Etihad Airways.
Judy Fasher and Paula Ward, Chair and CEO of Equestrian Australia will be present on the Gala night to show their support to our young equestrian recipient.
“Elloise has achieved this well deserved recognition for her outstanding dedication to Equestrian Sport. The scholarship from the Hall of Fame is a great honour for both Elloise and Equestrian Australia.” says Judy Fasher.
Paula Ward adds “The opportunity to connect Elloise with Kieran Perkins, one of Australia's most successful athletes, is a simple yet powerful thing. Kieran exemplifies resilience, determination and the pursuit of personal excellence. Sharing his wisdom and experience with Elloise will be uniquely influential in shaping her path forward. ”
Kieran Perkins, a dual Olympic gold medallist and one of Australia’s greatest swimmers, will mentor Devlin. It’s the second time he has been part of the program after working with cricketer Holly Ferling in 2013.
“It’s a cool experience and I found that you actually get just as much out of it as a mentor as the mentoree does. It works both ways. As you have conversations and figure things out you understand more about them and how you can help. You find that their experiences are very similar to your own and that it’s all quite similar – no matter what the sport.”
Perkins, who was an athlete liaison officer with the equestrian team at the London Olympics, revealed that before he was a swimmer, he rode horses.
“As an eight or nine year-old I rode horses quite a lot… my equestrian dream was short lived though as I got taller and also got better at swimming so that became my focus, so I’m looking forward to working with Elloise and her horse,” Perkins said.
Elloise, from Lake MacDonald just outside Noosa (Queensland), who just turned 18 this year has been around horses her whole life and was riding on her mum’s horses before she got her own. She has a Grand Prix horse, Brimstone Anakiwa (nicknamed Sam), which she has owned and trained since it was a foal as well as a young horse, Brimstone Florente, which she is currently training. She has been a member of the Australian National Young Riders Dressage Squad for the past three years and has recently placed in the Sydney and Brisbane CDI events in the Youth Category. “To be one of five young sporting people in Australia to be selected to receive this amazing scholarship is an incredible feeling, and to be the first equestrian to ever receive this award after 10 years since it began is an even better achievement! I am beyond excited to attend the awards night in Melbourne, and to be in the presence of the many greats in Australian sport. The coming year with the support of the Sporting Hall of Fame, leading sponsors, and mentor, Kieren Perkins will be a great one indeed! “
Julia Battams, Equestrian Australia High Performance Director for Dressage says about Elloise, “she has been an active member of the Australian Youth Development Squad and has the talent, enthusiasm and dedication to progress into Senior Dressage sport in the future with great success. It is a great honor for Elloise to receive this award and I have no doubt that she will be a great ambassador for our sport in this space.”
Established in 1985, the Sport Australia Hall of Fame plays a vital role in preserving and perpetuating Australia’s rich sporting heritage, whilst promoting the values of courage, sportsmanship, integrity, mateship, persistence, and excellence, all underpinned by generosity, modesty, pride and ambition.
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