Mereki, who is in her mid-50s, bought Zadkiel, an Andalusian/Warmblood gelding, when he was 11-years-old.

He proved unridable for Mereki - she couldn't even get her foot in the stirrup before he threw her off.

After two years of natural horsemanship and struggling to manage Zadkiel and connect with him, Mereki decided to sell him. She was unsuccessful.

"I was disappointed and felt ripped off, yet he became a great teacher for me over the years to come, and a true friend," Mereki said.

The horse and rider combination that scores the most points by placing first to fourth in HRCAV official show classes over the year wins the championship.

The duo also won the Victorian Rider Championship for the same period in HRCAV level two (second highest level of five levels), which is also awarded to the horse and rider with the most points accumulated over 2005-6 by placing

in at least three equestrian disciplines.

Mereki and Zadkiel competed in the four disciplines: showing, dressage, show jumping and combined training.

Mereki said winning the championship was a triumph considering Zadkiel was 19-years-old.

"It's a story of perseverance," she said.

"I didn't want to give up on myself. It's an encouragement to persevere if you really want to achieve something, you get rewarded."

Mereki put her perseverance down to working in the addiction field for over 20 years.

"Part of my training was to keep hope alive," she said.

Mereki ensured Zadkiel was happy with his life.

"He is tolerant, he wanders around and knows when to come and get fed," she said.

"He has been a great teacher to me and me to him."

Mereki and Zadkiel are members of the HRCAV Trentham Adult Riders Club.

They qualified finalists in the Parelli National Tournament Final held at Equitana in Melbourne, 2003. They placed

fourth.

They then moved on to the Andalusian Horse Association of Australia, EFA and HRCAV events and have competed for the last three seasons.

Zadkiel achieved his AHAA Working Roll of Merit last year, and breed championships.

"He is now so calm and obliging. It is that relationship that develops through struggle

and perseverance which is the greatest reward," Mereki said.