Catriona Williams
- Twice winner of Pony of the Year on her fabulous ponies Meisha and Harlequin
- Bomac Grand Prix winner at the NZ Horse of the Year 2001 with NRM Falcon
- Bell Tea 2 and 3 Star CCI winners on NRM Preview and NRM Graphic respectively
- 15th Badminton, 15th Open Europeans - Burghley, 15thSaumur with NRM Win For Me
- Competing at the 1999 World Cup Showjumping Final in Sweden on NRM Falcon
Catriona competed at both Grand Prix level Showjumping and Advanced level Eventing, a rare feat also achieved by the likes of Olympians Mark Todd, Blyth Tait and Vaughn Jefferies.
Catriona's passion for horses has continued despite a shattering fall on 10 November 2002. Competing at an event in the North Island of New Zealand, spinal cord injuries left Catriona a C6-7 tetraplegic. However while the accident may have changed her mobility, it definitely has not stopped her drive and determination.
Working from a wheelchair meant a steep learning curve in everyday life skills for both Catriona and her husband Sam.
Although things slowed down initially it wasn't long before everyone was back on track with Catriona taking over the communication and marketing of Little Avondale. The use of today's technology has enabled Catriona to maximize every opportunity presented.
Her friends will also admit that keeping up with Catriona in her specially adapted car is not easy. She's totally independent in it and regularly drives a number of important and trusting people!
Out of the car, her chair features new e-motion wheels and is further proof that life with Catriona on wheels is not too different to life on legs - if anything it's faster!
Catriona says she has received overwhelming support since the accident and is keen to share a special message with the community.
I know people may feel sorry for me but it's good to remember that it's my body that's a little broken, and not my personality! This is true of everyone in a chair.
An exotic adventure to visit the mountain gorillas in Uganda with great friends Amanda Hall, Jim Barlow and Sal Apatu was a dream come true in August. Made possible by and in memory of a wheelie great friend, Guy Irwin. Being carried in like Cleopatra brought this wheelie to tears with the thought of a possible stumple and second broken neck but Ugandans are used to carrying so much more. Olivia and Greta Apatu were part of this dream team and agree - If it's on your list, do it!
An unfortunate slip when carried down some stairs meant another holiday in Burwood which included a 50th birthday and 20th wedding Anniversary celebration. Although the neck needed to be stabilised at every vertebra we were incredibly lucky as only broken bones no spinal cord damage.
Roll on to the November Melbourne Carnival and Roch 'N' Horse beats Nature Strip in the Gr.1 Darley Champion Sprint. This time Sam is there and they both agree, with the exception of their wedding day, it's quite simply the best day of their lives.
Generous hospitality, warm friendly faces