At 13 years of age Jamie Goldsworthy is an eager young sportsman who really enjoys his involvement in junior rugby, football and cricket but also competes in tetrathlon, which utilises his talents in running, swimming, shooting and riding his horse over a cross-country course that has the daunting challenge of clearing 19 fences!
 
It is something of a family sport because Jamie's older brother Jack had won highest placed senior at the prestigious Wales and the Borders competition, and mum Frances has always been a keen horsewoman - as well as being an excellent taxi driver in taking Jamie to train and compete in his wide range of sports!
 

Born to ride horses

Because of his mum's love of horses, Jamie has grown up with them and she told us that he was astride a pony almost before he could walk - and soon learned that if you fell off you got back on as quickly as possible!
 
He has also been taught by Delyth Phillips and Andrea Phillips at the South Pembs Pony Club, where Jacqui Morgan is also district commissioner.
 

Competing from an early age

"I took part in my first competition in Brecon when I was eight," said Jamie,” and I was a bit nervous about jumping all the fences in the riding part of tetrathlon but I did really well and was delighted when I received my first rosette.
 
"Last year I came third in a tetrathlon in Llanelli which would have qualified me for the Wales and Borders but my horse 'Maggie' was quite new and we thought it wouldn't be fair to test our partnership at this high level so early..
 
"She is a smashing horse but is quite strong and so I have to make sure that she knows I'm her boss in our partnership," admitted Jamie with a chuckle!
 

Other components of tetrathlon like running and swimming . . .

Jamie does plenty of running in his regular training with his rugby and football and currently completes the required 1.5 kilometres for tetrathlon in between six and seven minutes - and he also practises his swimming by regular attendance at the local leisure centre.
 
"The tetrathlon swim takes place indoors, rather in open water and the test is to swim as many lengths as possible in a given time.
 
"I'm better at long distances and before Christmas I swam a mile quite quickly as proof that my training is paying off."
 

. . . And shooting too!

The shooting component of tetrathlon involves the use of an air pistol at targets usually set seven metres away, with only one hand on the weapon so that a good hand/eye coordination and a steady grip is paramount.
 
"I use a target at the back of our shed and for competition I am allowed five practice shots with my Hammerli air pistol before shooting two lots of five shots at two separate targets, so that's what I try to copy at home."
 
He also attends Go Sport Shooting Club in Carmarthen to further his shooting expertise.
 

Future aims

Jamie and Co usually complete in triathlons of running, shooting and swimming from January through to March before the riding component is added to make a tetrathlon in April, when the ground is usually a little firmer.
 
"My birthday is in September and so under the rules I am always the youngest in every age group, but I still enjoy taking part," Jamie told us.
 
Jamie not only watched brother Jack in tetrathlon but also gave him great support when Jack completed in Iron Man - and one of Jamie's ambitions is to try the long course weekend in Tenby once he reaches the minimum age next year so that he can test himself in the swimming, running and cycling components.
 

Jamie enjoys cricket . . .

In the summer months Jamie is kept busy with his cricket involvement at Narberth and with the Pembrokeshire team for his age group as a wicketkeeper/batsman where Jordan Howell is coach for both, assisted by his dad Richard Howell.

"I started out playing for Ryan Lewis at Cresselly but they stopped having a team at my age and so I joined Narberth, where I was made really welcome and have also played for the club at under 15 and 17 levels."
 
So far his top score is 33 (players at that age have to retire when they reach 30) and he has already taken his share of catches and stumpings as proof of the way his glove work is improving.
 

. . . football and rugby

Jamie also plays football for Kilgetty Juniors at Kingsmoor, where John Davies is his coach after he first started out as an under 9 player, playing on the right wing, and in his last two games scoring two goals against both Milford United and Neyland.
 
But if pushed Jamie would probably say that his favourite ball sport is rugby, where he plays as a hooker with Narberth RFC juniors, and in his preferred position of flanker for Ysgol Dyffryn Taf.
 
"I started when I was six because I used to love watching Jack take part and we used to throw the ball around in our garden before I joined Tenby under 7s and then went to Narberth with friends like Lewys Gamage and played in a team coached by Lee White, Simon Phillips and Martin Rogers.
 
"In school we are coached by Mr Corby and Mr Evans and so far we haven't lost a game."
 

And finally . . .

It is easy to see how busy Jamie's sporting schedule keeps him, especially since it all has to be tied in with homework and other school commitments.

"On Monday and Tuesday evenings I often do some swimming or shooting practice, followed by football training on Wednesday and rugby practice the next night. Then I try to bit more shooting on Friday evening - and the weekends are tied up with rugby and football until my tetrathlon starts.
 
Pretty soon now there are also going to be indoor cricket nets for Jamie to enjoy and it all adds up to sporting participation by a young man who gains so much enjoyment from all his sports - and long may Jamie Goldsworthy continue to be involved because he is a modest and pleasant young man who represents all that is good in Pembrokeshire Sport!