A long-held passion for polocrosse has underpinned Hannah Rutley's rise to representing Western Australia at an elite level.
She will be competing at the sport's next national competition, to be held this June.
Ms Rutley is part of an eight-person team that will take part in the under-21 division in Chinchilla, in Queensland.
Joining her are Georgina Abbott, Olivia Bolingboke, Chelsea Semmens, Kye Styles, Bryce Scott, Ryan Kennedy and Archie Thomas.
Each will need to transport at least two horses more than 4000 kilometres across the country to play for WA.
Ms Rutley said this was the highlight of the 2024 polocrosse calendar, which ran from mid-July to November.
She said during the local polocrosse season, about 30 to 40 teams played in a round robin competition nearly every fortnight.
It was during these games the State selectors noticed Ms Rutley and added her name to the WA under-21 team, which is coached by Trish Jones and managed by Hannah Adams.
Ms Rutley grew up on a farm at Dandaragan and attended Dandaragan Primary School before being "shipped off" to boarding school.
"I didn't much like boarding school and living in the city," Ms Rutley said.
After a few years in boarding, she moved to Guildford Grammar School as a day student.
On completing year 12, she started a nursing degree and moved to a small property at Bullsbrook where her partner is a stockman and is also on the team to go to the polocrosse nationals.
They keep five horses on the property.
Ms Rutley started playing polocrosse from a young age with her father and brothers.
She loves the sport because it is a real family affair, with everyone able to play with and against each other.
The sport has also taken her around Australia and overseas, including playing with Pony Club Australia in the UK in 2018.
"That was a test series and unfortunately there has not been another one due to a lack of funding," Ms Rutley said.
"Polocrosse is a self-funded sport, we don't get any government support.
"Despite this, it is growing in popularity and there is a great polocrosse community in WA."
Ms Rutley was selected for the WA junior girls team in 2020, but the Ballarat national competition was cancelled three days before her departure due to COVID-19 and WA borders being closed.
In 2023, she played locally for WA against Victoria in 2023 and her team was runner-up to the champions.
Ms Rutley is excited to represent WA again on a national arena in Chinchilla.
"It is the most expensive and exciting event of this year and every State will have teams that travel there," she said.
"It is a week of intensive playing and great for watching some of the top players who have amazing horsemanship skills under saddle."
From the nationals, selectors will be looking for players to represent Australia at several international events.
That would be a dream come true, Ms Rutley said.
She said her WA team members were all training hard.
Ms Rutley said training and preparation for the cross-country trip was years in the making.
"It requires dedication, time, energy and effort to play for your State," she said.
"Not only do we have to be prepared, but it takes a lot to get our horses fit and healthy to play highly competitive sport."
Ms Rutley is on her horses daily, including every weekend.
In her spare time she teaches swimming at Muchea and is continuing her nursing studies.
"I, and all my teammates, are self-funding the trip over to represent WA, so if there is an agricultural company that could help support us in any way, we would promote and represent them in the highest possible manner," Ms Rutley said.
She is unlikely to live in a big city again, preferring a rural lifestyle where the pace is more relaxed and she can keep and work her horses.
