But at just 12-years-old, Kian is now about to compete in one of the most prestigious challenges in Victoria - the Stripling Challenge at the Man From Snowy River Bush Festival.

It will be his first time in the event.

"I went to it last year with my family and watched it," he said. "I also watched a few Youtube videos of people doing it."

Kian and his eight-year-old mare Rosie will be taking part in the horse riding and horsemanship challenge, which is for children aged between 10 and 14.

The connection between the two is strong.

"His Grandma breeds horses so Rosie is one of our home breeds," Kian's mother Ronel Blanchard said. "We've had her since she was a foal.

"She was broken in as a two-year-old and Kian started on her when she was three or four.

"He has pretty much trained her from day-dot."

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The Stripling Challenge is a watered down version of the Man from Snowy River Challenge, which Kian's father Tony is competing in.

In that open division competition, there are six separate events that the riders have to complete.

There is stockhandling, which involves using your horse to move three cows through a set course within seven minutes.

There is also horse packing, which is when the participant has to evenly balance their horse with different bags and then lead them through a set course without dislodging any of the items. 

Whip cracking is another challenge where competitors have to do 30 seconds of freestyle whip cracking while on their horse, as well as hitting targets with their whip while riding their horse at a fast canter.

The final challenges include completing a course while riding bareback, shoeing one hind and one fore hoof within 30 minutes, and a cross country course.

The Man from Snowy River Bush Festival coordinator Jenny Boardman said the main horse event tested the competitors' endurance.

"It's exhausting because they have to be good at everything," she said. "It's usually only the good all-rounders that end up in the top ten."

Those who reach the final on the Sunday then have to do a brumby catch and complete a ride on a wild, bucking horse.

Kian's father Tony, 46, has competed in the event for the last couple of years.

"I just find that it's a real challenge," he said. "Just having so many different events at the one competition and trying to master them all."

This year will be his third year participating at the festival. He has had varying degrees of success in the last two years, although he has never made it to the final ten.

"I don't think he wants to make it to that day," Mrs Blanchard laughed.

"I would rather not ride a bucking horse," Mr Blanchard said. "But I'm only a couple of years off the senior section so I'll wait until then." 

Mr Blanchard is a farrier by trade so he said the shoeing challenge was his strongest event.

"Working with cows and the whip cracking are definitely my worst events," he said. "Kian shows me up a lot of the time in those challenges."

Mr Blanchard said he has continued to compete in the challenge, and has encouraged Kian to take part, to continue the tradition of Australian horsemanship. 

"I grew up riding horses and doing stock work at my Grandpa's farm," he said. "And really that's the beauty of the event.

"It's about keeping those old traditions alive before they are forgotten by the next generation."

"The fact that I can do it with Kian is also a great side to it because we get to do it together. We practise together and bounce off each other."

Kian said he was competing in the challenge both to bond with his father but also because there was some competitiveness between the two. 

"He wants to see if he can beat his dad," Mrs Blanchard said.

Kian trains with his horse Rosie almost every day and said he was confident he would be able to compete well in all of the events.

"Some horses just have it naturally and others are not so good," he said. "But you just need to practice.

"Rosie's alright but she's just not very fast. She's a bit fat."

Festival coordinator Jenny Boardman said the Stripling Challenge was a great way for younger riders to get a taste of the main event. 

"Obviously it is not as tough or has as many components," she said. "But the Striplings still do some amazing things.

"It's a huge week of showcasing the talent in our younger riders that we are keen on cultivating.

"Some of the contenders in the main event started in the junior events and just continue to win."

Kian said he definitely wanted to keep progressing through the challenges until the open division.

He already has experience competing in other events, including the Victorian tri-series last year.

"They didn't tell me what I came," Kian said. "But I got a prize so I would have come third or fourth."

The twelve-year-old has also mastered the C-grade state show jumping championships. He participated in that event in Gladysdale a couple of weeks ago and finished first. 

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"He's done smaller local challenges but nothing as big as the Stripling Challenge," Mrs Blanchard said.

"There's going to be crowds of tens of thousands of people so that is going to be a challenge in and of itself for the horse.

"She has never been in that environment, but Rosie is a really good, quiet horse. She'll be right and if not we'll just wing it."

The whole family will be heading to the Corryong Recreation Reserve for the festival next month. They have attended the four-day event for the last few years but this will be the first time they see both father and son competing side by side. 

"My husband's family are all into horses so most of the horses we have are family bred and trained by Tony and now Kian," Mrs Blanchard said.

"So it's just great to see the horses go from foals to doing what they're expected to do in the challenge," she said. "The whole family is really proud of them both.

"They will all come and watch and cheer them on," she said. "It's a big family affair."

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