Singer songwriter Janet Devlin on horses, Russell Crowe and the equestrian walk of shame. By Katie Gilmour.

It’s hard to reconcile the confident, accomplished young woman that fills my laptop screen with the shy, whimsical 16-year-old that filled my television screen in 2011. Gone is the fiery red hair, and the hesitant smile. The woman in front of me smiles widely, talks openly and passionately. Her complexion is flawless and my first impression is that the 29-year-old version of Janet Devlin is a woman that you cannot keep down.

Devlin is not a woman that you can pigeon hole, either. The music she has produced since leaving The X Factor, having earned fifth place and a spot on the tour, is varied. From haunting cover versions of rock classics to her own compositions and now, to country music.

Her voice has gained strength, and its easy to go down a rabbit hole investigating the many videos and clips online from Devlin’s discography. She’s moved with the times; she’s amassed a huge following on TikTok, You Tube and Instagram and shares her battles with mental health openly. Her content is funny, engaging and it makes you want to be her friend. Even more so when you discover that she has a genuine love for horses, and there’s nothing that bonds horse women more than chatting about horses; something that Devlin loves to do.

But it hasn’t been an easy ride for Devlin. Already battling an eating disorder and self-harming before The X Factor, she developed an addiction to alcohol fuelled by the loneliness being a celebrity brought her. She speaks openly in her documentary, Janet Devlin: Young, Female and Addicted, about her suicide attempts and her journey to sobriety. Now diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and bipolar, I get that the sense that the woman in front of me truly knows herself.

The years prior to The X Factor, I’d already suffered with eating disorders and self harming. The X Factor producers didn’t know [I’d suffered with an eating disorder and self harming]; they only accepted me because they thought I was wise for my years. I was like, ‘Yes, that’s the trauma.’ You meet a child that’s been through stuff, and they are very mature. They have to be, and that’s where I was. The show didn’t affect me psychologically that much, solely because I’d already had worse stuff happening before I did TV.”

“After the show, I didn’t know I had BPD, bipolar 2 and ADHD, and all of that chaos and the universe not playing ball was hard. I always get asked would you change anything, and I don’t think I would. I learned so much through all of the awful things: the eating disorder, being an alcoholic and a drug addict, and experiencing awful things in the industry, like being robbed of all my money at one point, and all of those things happened and if anything, I am resilient and stubborn and it set a benchmark where I can say, I got through that and I think I can get through sending this email.”

Devlin’s self-reflection crops up intermittently throughout our conversation, but there’s no sense of self-pity or self-indulgence; more a desire to understand and keep moving forwards.

I still feel like the 16-year-old girl sometimes,” Devlin says. “I sometimes get nervous [performing]. But I guess it’s like exposure therapy: You survived last time, you’ll survive again. I do get the excitement and the fear, and I tell myself that excitement and fear are very close in the brain – I’m not scared, I’m just excited. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.”

I think one of the most useful things I got from horse riding is that even if you’re afraid and scared, you can’t tell your body,” She continued, a keen rider since she was a child. “Because if you tell your body, you tell the horse and then he stops, and you have to say, ‘Oh, that was me’. It’s the same as a singer; you can’t let yourself tense up.”

Horses have been a big part of Devlin’s life since she was very young.

I took every single book out of the library about horses, I watched every single show: I was obsessed. I started learning to ride at 10, and within three months I was jumping and within six months I had my own pony and within two months of that I was competing [in show jumping]. It was the first time in my life that I did something, and was just good at it.”

Devlin’s face lights up when she talks about horses, particularly her first horse.

A My first pony was called Spangle, and never to this day have I met a horse more trustworthy. She was such a lovely horse. She was just the best. I competed her for a couple of years, and the first time I saw my Dad cry was the day we sold her.”

Devlin took a break from riding post The X Factor, but returned to the sport a year ago. She is sharing a Chestnut TB mare, and riding at a private yard in London, where they keep Shires, Andalusians and Fresian horses.

I had to make a choice before going on TV: Do you pursue the horses or do you sell the horses and pursue the music thing? At the time, I had one day off a week to do my homework. I had Saturday school, I was a sporty kid, I was horse riding… I never stopped. So when I went to TV Land, I was used to that ‘we’re going, we’re going: We don’t rest, we just go’.”

Anyone who has been a 16-year-old girl knows how hard it is to be a 16-year-old girl, let alone having the general public say, ‘Yeah – you did look fat today and yeah – your voice did sound rubbish today.’ I found those people easier to relate to though, because at the time, I really didn’t like myself at all. I wasn’t even really shy either, the reason I came across as shy was that I didn’t really think I had anything to offer in a conversation.

“It [the shyness] all stemmed from that place, so whenever people gave me abuse – and I was also dating a really toxic guy at the time who also gave me abuse – to someone who really doesn’t like themselves. you think ‘Oh thank god,’ because you think they see the truth. So whenever people would hate on me, I’d think, ‘You don’t even get it: I agree.’”

“It was just tough,” Devlin continues. “I did struggle. I didn’t have the horses anymore, and they were my therapy, so I ended up getting medicated. I asked for help, and I was in Harley Street the next day. At that point, I’d made it onto the tour. I went on the radio asking people not to vote for me because the other girls did a better performance. It was very different from my life of living in the middle of nowhere, unknown and then suddenly everyone knew who I was.”

Bringing horses back into her life has been good for Devlin. As a child, she successfully competing in show jumping, but riding now is very much for fun.

Currently I have a good thing going: I’m sharing one horse during the week – a 15.3 chestnut TB mare. She’s more bombproof than most people, and I ride her in an indoor [school], which is good for work, as I can go straight to work after and not be a drowned rat. But I also put an ad up to say I was looking for a share and I stumbled on a gold mine. The yard’s groom replied and they have Shires, Fresians and Andalusians and I get to just gallivant around the streets of London on these horses.”

Sounds fun? Like any equestrian, Devlin understands that horses are great levellers. None more so than 18.3hh Shire Ollie, who wasn’t so cooperative in filming content with her.

I was filming content the other day, and all I wanted was an over-the-ear shot cantering over the woods. As we were approaching where I was going to film, this woman with a wagon and three children appeared. Now, I was getting the heebie jeebies and I’m a human! I can’t imagine what was going through his [Ollie’s] brain, with that and the smell of fires and barbecues…

“They were standing still as statues, but the closer we got, the deeper his breathing. I know he takes his confidence from his rider, so I was like, ’It’s okay, let’s go, let’s go..’ and it was all fine until it wasn’t. In a feat of agility for a Shire horse, he spun round and bolted. And my legs were stuck out in front of me as I was yanking him in. This is 120lb me against 2000lb Ollie. I wasn’t panicking at all, thinking he’s worth more than any savings I’ve ever had! Eventually, I managed to get off him and I did the equestrian walk of shame home. That yard are so lovely; the rule is: treat them as your own, but if you fall, you have to buy cake.”

Janet didn’t fall, and she didn’t have to buy cake, but the incident happened so quickly that she couldn’t even film an outtake!

Isn’t that the rule of being an equestrian? It doesn’t matter what happens, as long as somebody is filming!” she quips.

“I’m trying to be sensible,” she says with a wry grin when I ask if she’ll buy a horse again. “It’s so hard; do I buy a property in Ireland, or do I buy a horse? I saw a good video the other day of a girl saying you always need to put money aside for an emergency, and the next slide is the horse in the field and her saying there’s my emergency money.”

Keeping Devlin off the subject of horses isn’t easy, especially when, like her, I’d rather just talk about horses too. We move onto her music and her charity work. Before we spoke, I watched many of her You Tube videos and her repertoire is varied. A particularly spine tingling version of Aerosmith’s I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing is now on my playlist. Devlin has written with Newton Faulkner, Jack Savoretti, Lauren Aquilina, Ben Earle and David Sneddon and collaborated on tracks with Gareth Emery, Schiller, Leo Stannard and Engelbert Humperdinck.  

It’s really difficult to say [who has influenced me the most] because the influence comes from what I grew up listening to. I was the youngest for four kids and we had cousins who babysat us. They had very different music tastes. My whole family loved country music, and I can remember going to show jumping competitions at the weekend and my brother would burn me a new CD to listen to in the car. One brother loved rap, another pop and one country, my babysitter liked heavy rock so I had an early exposure to a lot of different music. It’s a complete melting pot of different genres. I grew up with all different types of music so there are no rules for me.”

“The album I’ve just recorded has different styles of country on it, then there are a few curveballs that I don’t know what to do with,’ she continued. “There’s three songs that aren’t country, but were recorded in Nashville. The thing I love the most is story telling. If a song tells a story, I’ll love it.”

Devlin’s latest single Emotional Rodeo is a catchy, upbeat country song. It’s an autobiographical track written about Deveins own experience of Borderline Personality Disorder.

The title came to me because it sums me up with BPD. It’s hard to describe to people [what BPD is like], because you sound like a special snowflake. I don’t want to be a special snowflake. It feels like you were born without the extra layer of skin that everyone else has. It makes you so sensitive, and you feel everything in a way that nobody else does. If I get sad, it’s like the world was ending. Even if it’s a minor thing, it would send me into an episode.”

“With BPD, you lose emotional permanence, so every time I felt sad, it would feel like the first time I’d ever been sad. So, think back to your first break up compared to your second. I don’t have that [ability to compare] so when a bad thing happened, I truly thought the world was ending. You also have the quick cycle of emotions; so on medication, I would go from a 4 to a 7 [out of ten] in a day, whereas, with BPD, you can go 0 to 10 multiple times in a day. It just means that you’re always emotionally exhausted every single day.”

“I didn’t realise how bad it was until I was medicated every day,” Devlin shares candidly. “I’ve hit a sweet spot with medicating where I can feel all of my feelings, but they don’t own me or sit on top of me and stop me functioning. I still have episodes every now and then, and the thing with episodes is that nothing is going to make it better. You’re aware you have blown it out of proportion and you know nothing will change for the next few hours until you cry yourself to sleep. The meds, I can take a tablet and stop the episode and keep myself and everyone else self and my goodness, the hours I’ve got back in my life being able to say, ‘Okay I’ve adequately felt my feelings, I’m taking my meds and opting out of this breakdown.’”

“Emotional Rodeo came about because I was searching for a song about BPD and bipolar, but for it not to be miserable. I wanted something really fun, and I couldn’t find it so I DIY’d it. I wrote the song I’d want to hear. It’s about being a lot to handle and how relationships with BDP can be awful. They’re all consuming and exhausting. I like laughing at something that tries to own you.”

A chance tweet from Ed Sheeran led to Devlin heading to Australia to support Russell Crowe’s band, The Gentleman Barbers, and the two have become friends with Devlin due to support Crowe on tour again.

He [Crowe] is a horse lover and always has been. One of the horses he had for years, he used in numerous movies. I was out in January of last year [before I supported him on tour] and I was told, ‘Oh, he’ll try and get you out on quad bikes,’ because he has the most beautiful farm – it’s a pocket of heaven. Someone mentioned something about a horse and I said, ‘Horses?’ I asked him about them, and he let me take his horse out into the bush. He has a stable master that looks after his horses. He doesn’t ride them, but he keeps them.”

“I tried to convince him to get a Belgian Draught. I asked him over dinner, I said: ‘Do you know what a Belgian Draught is?’, he said he didn’t think he did, so I had a video on my phone of a Belgian Draught stallion with muscle bulging everywhere. I showed him, and I could see the thought processes in his brain. I said to his stable master that he needs to keep the pressure on!”


“I was speaking to him over text the pother day, and I sent him a photo of one of the Shires that I ride. I was like, ‘Hey, if you want to go for a hack in London, I’ve got the man for you. There’s enough to shires to go round if his whole crew want to go.” Devlin has promised that if she can persuade Crowe to go for a hack with her, she’ll let us know.

Devlin has worked with numerous charities since finding fame on The X Factor, but one based in North London has piqued her interest. The charity Strength & Learning Through Horses offers life changing mental health and education services to young people aged between six and 25, using equine therapy to provide an alternative psychotherapeutic treatment.

I went to visit their facilities and meet their horses. I’ve worked with lots of charities in the past, but for me, I know how much help horses give my mental health and if I can help anyone to experience that too, then I will. Working with this charity was very natural. I went to meet everyone – and they are all professionals, including psychiatrists – but they are all fundamentally horse people. It makes such a difference. Hearing the stories of how they take some of these kids that can’t get out of bed and haven’t been to school for a year, what they get out of the regularity of being around horses is amazing.”

“It’s a therapy without therapy. A lot of these kids have been to professionals before and they’re probably fed up, so having therapy that isn’t a traditional therapy gives them much more. They’ve been white coated out, and it’s a case of get the white coats off and your wellies on. The horses are very characterful which helps. The work they do is just phenomenal. In the summer, I’m going to volunteer for a week and do what I can. I know how much this can help the kids that go.”

I came away from our interview uplifted. Devlin is buoyant, and her raw honesty is refreshing. With the imminent release of a new single and an album to follow, the future looks bright for the quiet girl from Northern Ireland, who captivated the nation on a Saturday night TV show.

Find out more about Janet Devlin on her website, or follow her on Facebook and Instagram as Janet Devlin Official. Janet’s single Emotional Rodeo is available on iTunes now.

Katie Gilmour is the host of Poles, Piaffe & Prosecco: the podcast for riders that love to train, laugh and drink prosecco! The podcast is free to listen to on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

* Additional reporting by Tania Grantham.

Interview by Suzanne Ashton

Here we interview Nomi Bontegard, one of the biggest talents behind the largest teen horse adventure video game, Star Stable.

Hailing from Axvall in Sweden, Nomi Bontegard was discovered by the Star Stable Music record label, which is part of Star Stable Entertainment (which boasts over 25 million registered users across 180 countries), where she works as a 3D game artist and animator modelling, designing, and creating assets for the game.

At the beginning of December 2022, Nomi performed at the Sweden International Horse Show in front of an audience of 14,000, the biggest performance of her career to date.

In this interview, Nomi opens up about what it felt like to perform in front of such a large audience, including her preparation and more about the performance itself. Nomi later delves into her life as Star Stable, talks about game dynamics, and opens up about her own interests in horses.

• You performed at the Sweden International Horse Show, can you tell us a little more about the performance and how it went?

It was an amazing experience! As a teenager, I dreamt about riding in the big arenas at horse shows, and during the performance, that dream came true. I got to ride in on a 13-year-old grey P.R.E Stallion called Aragorn. He looked like a horse from a fairy tale with his long white mane. There were 14,000 people in the crowd, so I was a little nervous since I haven’t performed on such a big stage before. The crowd was so amazing; every time I waved, I got huge applause back!

• How did you feel leading up to the performance? Were you nervous, and is this something you’re used to doing?

I’m not used to performing for such a big crowd. The nervousness came and went randomly depending on what I was thinking about. When I thought about the stuff that would go well, I wasn’t nervous, but when I started thinking about what could possibly go wrong, I got nervous. 

• How did you prepare, which songs did you perform, and what was your favourite one?

I was in Spain for 10 days, and I came back just in time for the rehearsals at Friends Arena. Before my vacation, I also went into the office to rehearse my body language. I prepared by relaxing and disconnecting for a little while. But then, when I came back to Sweden to the snow chaos, I was fully charged and ready to roll. I sang the songs in the car on the way to the stables; I met the makeup artist and the stylist and prepared the outfit. I got to know the horse I was going to ride on during the entrance of the performance. 

I sang “Ride With Us” and my favourite song “Fire”.

• How did your musical career begin?

I’ve been singing ever since I was very young because of my parents, who are very interested in music. We used to sing at home, so it was an interest that has been with me from the very beginning. When I was 13 years old, I started working with different music studios and then it has just kept on going from there.

• Who, or what, are your musical influences? 

Big artists like Christina Aguilera, Mariah Carey and Ariana Grande. But also bands like Faun and Big Money (a small band from Sweden that my dad used to play in the car). I especially love their song “Snowman”.

• What part of the performance did you enjoy most and why?

The entrance, of course. To ride on a beautiful stallion to the soundtrack of South Hoof Penisula, which is one of my favourite soundtracks in Star Stable.

• Where do you plan on taking your music career in the future? 

I’m working with Star Stable’s music label and hope that that collaboration will develop more. We had a band in the Eurovision Song Contest last year, so maybe that could be a possibility for me sometime. I also want to make music more continuous and find more collaborations with musicians who want the same. I also want to record some Christmas songs and other ballads that I have and collab with people who can play classic instruments. The songs are very dreamy, magical, and timeless, and the world deserves to hear them.

• You currently work as a 3D game artist and animator modelling, designing, and creating assets for Star Stable, can you tell us a little more about this?

Working with game development is so much fun! It comes naturally to me to create horses and creatures in a computer that can be part of a big open world. It comes with its technical challenges sometimes, and I always learn new ways to improve my workflow. My goal with the horses is to make them as personal and individual as possible. The animations are inspired by real-life horses, not just how they move – but also how they yawn, blink and show different emotions with their body language. We study horse behaviour a lot to make the horses feel as much like real-life horses as possible.

My life is surrounded by horses, from the moment I wake up I’m staring at digital horses all day long until the afternoon when I go out to my own horse, Runestone – an Irish cob youngster. 

• How did your career/opportunity with Star Stable come about?

When I was little, my favourite game to play was Star Stable, and when I found out the studio was from Sweden, I got the idea that maybe I could work there someday! Work with games, that sounded cool. So I went to a game development school in Stockholm for many years. I fought hard, I fell asleep on the school bench and was there almost 24/7 to learn all the software and combine my creative veins with technical software like Maya and zbrush. 

• What are your external interests in equestrianism?

I’ve been around horses since I grew up. Our home was surrounded by stables, and therefore I couldn’t resist interacting with them more closely. My family wasn’t so interested in horses, so getting my own horse was my life goal ever since I was little. And finally, after getting hired by Star Stable, I could save up enough money to buy my own first horse. I named him Runestone after my favourite horse in the game. My goals with him are to have an adventure horse to go for hacks in the woods. I’m doing trick training, reward-based training and western riding mixed with some all-round. But the main focus is trick training and western at the moment. So we’ll see! It depends on what Runie thinks is most fun in the end.

• How do you feel Star Stable fits in with future goals?

I think it fits in nicely. Since my life is all about animals, horses and creativity it’s a perfect mix. 

• What is your favourite musical piece in the Star Stable game and is there a meaning behind it?

My song, Fire. It has a lot of meaning behind it; it’s a song about anxiety, doubting yourself but still trying to fight to reach your dreams. The song is a lullaby/folk/pop song about a little girl and a troll walking in a land of fire. The troll is a metaphor for something old, wise, and ancient, almost like an old soul. While the child represents the young version of yourself, your inner fragile child. Together they struggle through the fire to reach their dreams. 

• How do you feel the characters fit in with equality? Are there any further changes coming as a result of player feedback?

The characters will be completely updated, and we have a whole team working solely on that project. We continuously gather and consider player feedback. That’s very important and valuable for us. We want anyone to be able to play the game and feel represented. Everyone can play the game, and with a wide variety of hairstyles and body shapes that are coming, the character creation will be a lot more versatile than it’s ever been in Star Stable.

• My daughter, an avid player of the game, says her favourite horse is the Star Stable Arabian; which is yours and why?

Oh that’s so fun! I actually made the Arabian horse among others. My horses so far has been the Jorvik Wild horse, and it’s foals, the Gotland pony, Heidrun, The Arabian, The American paint horse, Appaloosa, The Haflinger and now the new Tennessee Walker. My favourite out of these is still the Jorvik Wild, it was the first horse I made for SSO, so it will always have a special spot on the favourite list, but it was also so fun to create a breed that didn’t exist in real life. The horse got lots of extra detailed work on the facial expressions with a new face rig.

• If you were talking to someone who had never played the game before, how would you describe it to them? 

Star Stable is an open-world adventure game full of missions where you get to ride on your own horses, play with friends and live out your own equestrian dream. The world has its own spirit in a way, it got magic, dark powers, kindness, horses and other cute animals. Everything I would ask for in a game.

• Do you play the game yourself?

I used to play everyday. I went for hacks in the woods with my club or went to riding lessons in the game. And sometimes, I still take my own Irish Cob Runie for a hack inside the game or give him some digital carrots. So, I don’t play as often as before, but it’s good to play sometimes to see what the players want and stay connected to the product you develop.

Guess what?! We’ve been lucky enough to interview international dressage rider (and the undeniably glamorous), Gemma Owen. Following her time on Love Island, we were keen to learn more about Gemma as an equestrian, away from her busy schedule as an influencer, ambassador, savvy businesswoman and daughter.

As a rider at the top of her sport, we wanted to find out more about Gemma’s history in equestrianism, what she’s most proud of, her current horse Sirius Black, and what her plans are for the future (on horseback of course).

First of all, a huge thanks to Gemma for taking time out to answer our questions.

• Following your time as a contestant on Love Island 2022, have you been able to spend as much time as you’d like with your horse?

In the first few weeks after returning home, things were totally manic, but now things are more settled, I am able to ride again most days which is great.  I’ve started to get back out to some competitions too, which feels amazing.

• What level do you most enjoy riding at?

I’m currently training at PSG / Inter 1 level and Siz has been an amazing schoolmaster for me to learn at this level, although he’s not as straight forward as some people think! He has a genuine heart though and really is a horse of a lifetime.

• What’s your favourite dressage movement, how long did it take to perfect and why?

Probably tempi changes because Siz finds them so easy so it was quite easy to pick up. Worst, is definitely canter pirouettes! Siz is a very big boy and doesn’t find them easy so I was always going to struggle.  I’m getting better at them though, but it’s definitely a work in progress.

• As an equestrian, what is your biggest achievement to date? 

Definitely the European Championships last year.  Since I made the GB u16 squad when I was 11 years old, competing at the Euros has always been a dream. I’ve worked hard for many years but fallen short a few times so to have finally achieved my goal felt amazing.

• What do you have planned for 2023 in the saddle? Can we expect to see you competing at many local, national, or international events?

The plan is to get out locally as much as possible – I think that’s important to not get ‘ring rusty’ and then I have earmarked a couple of high profile shows so hopefully will get those in too before the Premier League season starts in March time. I would love to get out to another international at some point next year too at ‘small tour’ level, but I will have to wait and see.

• If not dressage, what other discipline would you choose and why?

I’d probably say show jumping.  When I first started riding, I wanted to do show jumping but I had a couple of falls and knocks to my confidence so that’s when I started to focus more on dressage.  I don’t think I have the nerve for eventing, I really have absolute respect for riders in that discipline! 

• Who is your dressage hero, and why do they inspire you?

There are so many riders that inspire me to be honest I couldn’t pick just one. We have such amazing talent in this country with Lottie Fry and obviously Charlotte Dujardin to name just a couple and then I also love to watch riders from across Europe like Catherine Defour.  To be honest, I love watching so many riders at top level and they all have their own individual style, and you can pick up a lot from just watching the best.

• Can you tell us more about your horse, Sirius Black? 

So, Sirius Black is’ Siz’ to us.  He’s a 17.1h Hanoverian by Stedinger and we bought him back in 2018.  Everyone that meets Siz or has anything to do with him falls in love with him.  He is the most well-mannered horse on the ground I’ve ever owned and is literally like a big Labrador.  Like any horse, he does have his quirks though and when I first had him home I had real difficulty getting to grips with him.  He’s not an ’easy’ ride like most people assume and if you put too much pressure on him he really gets upset.  I really took my time understanding him and had a lot of help from Peter Storr (who previously owned and produced him) and my trainer Sarah Higgins. He’s quite a strong boy and is obviously big – I’m 5ft2 so that can be challenging at times but riding him has taught me so much.  

• Where do you train, and who is your coach?

I’ve trained with Sarah Higgins for the last 3 years or so. I’ve known Sarah for years and her mum actually used to teach me when I was tiny doing pony club-level stuff.  Sarah and I have a brilliant relationship and share the same sense of humour which makes training and competing a lot of fun.

• What equestrian item could you not live without?

My NAF products and supplements for Siz.  He’s getting on a bit now and so I’m using supplements a lot more than I have done with previous horses.  The main ones I use for Siz are SuperFlex Senior, Muscle Power and Pro feet.  I also put him on NAF Gastri-Aid for when we’re travelling or away at shows for a few days.

A good riding outfit is a necessity for me, so I am so excited to be working with Holland Cooper Equestrian. I have been shopping the collection for years, and I love that they share my passion for the sport, so when the Founder, Jade Holland Cooper approached me, it was the perfect fit.

Products above: Holland Cooper Equestrian Heritage Sport Base Layer (Mulberry) £79 and Heritage Sport Leggings (Mulberry) £79

Having been riding as much as possible since leaving the villa, comfort and durability are essential, and style is also crucial for me. The Holland Cooper Equestrian collection reflects this perfectly. I wear their products daily. I couldn’t live without their leggings and base layers. The leggings have a super flattering high-waisted fit, and they are made from quick dry fabric, which is ideal for training and are not at all see-through! The base layers are designed to keep you cool whilst training but also provide an insulating layer during the winter, and of course the design is gorgeous. I’m a huge fan of gold so I absolutely love the gold detailing!

• How do you juggle being a businesswoman, ambassador, influencer, AND an equestrian?

It can be quite challenging to fit everything in but I’m so grateful for all the opportunities that are coming my way at the moment and I’m loving every minute of it. I have an amazing support network which I couldn’t do any of it without.  My management, trainer and family (in particular my mum) support me massively and help keep me organised so I can fit everything in.

• What do you enjoy/helps you to relax in your down time (if you get any)?

To be honest at the moment just being at home and doing the simple things like going out for something to eat with family or catching up on a series or something like that.  As many of you may already know I love the sun so a few days away in the sun is always the best way for me to properly relax.

• What’s your favourite childhood memory on horseback?

I can’t think of one particular memory, but I always think back to brilliant times when I was around 7 or 8 and at the time I was riding my pony Flash (who is now my little sister’s pony and still going strong!)  He was the best confidence-giving pony and literally could do everything.  I had so much fun with him and he has a big personality.  He must be about 30 years old now and is still the biggest character on the yard.

• Could you ever imagine a life without horses?

No never.  Having spent such a long time away over the summer from Siz – training and competing – it made me realise more than ever that horses and dressage will always be a part of my life.  Obviously, I have a lot of things going on in my life right now and to ride at top level you need to live and breathe it, day in, day out.  I’m realistic and realise I probably won’t have the time to focus on trying to get to another European Championships for a while, but I definitely still want to compete at the highest level I can and at the biggest competitions I can and who knows for the future.

• Do you get involved in your dad’s endeavour into horse racing, or are you strictly dressage?

Dad has tried many times to get me on a racehorse.  I’ve had a go once up the gallops on one and it’s obviously so different to dressage and uses different muscle groups.  I have considered taking part in a charity race depending on if my schedule will allow the training.  It’s something I can definitely see myself doing but just need to make sure I have the time to fit in a lot of training – I’m too competitive to do it and not prepare properly for it!

Written by Louise Parkes 

He is young, talented, ambitious and has a superb string of horses. Could 22-year-old Harry Charles become only the third-ever British rider to claim the coveted Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ title when the 42nd Final gets underway in Leipzig (GER) next week?

In the space of a few short years, he has rocketed to the top of the sport, but he is realistic and level-headed, perhaps not surprisingly since his father, Peter Charles, is his guiding light.

Peter was riding for Ireland when he won individual European gold at St Gallen (SUI) in 1995 and European team gold at Arnhem (NED) in 2001. He reverted to British citizenship to win historic team gold at the London 2012 Olympic Games and has passed on his passion to all of his three children who are now making their way in the world of showjumping. He is also passing on his wisdom about the ups, and downs, they will experience on their journeys.

The hardest bit

“I got a proper taste of the top level of the sport in 2018, but my Dad said ‘getting there isn’t the hardest bit – the hardest bit is to stay there’ – and he’s right!”, Harry says.

He enjoyed a good run in 2019, but with the onset of the pandemic he, like so many others, was out of top-class competition for more than 18 months. However, once he picked up the reins in earnest again in 2021 his career went into orbit. “I did my first 5-Star show again in May and it went from there really. During Covid my focus had been on really working on my riding and getting a great team of owners and horses around me, and I came out swinging last year and got some great results. At the end of the year, I was on the first page of the world top 30 – it was quite crazy and it all happened so quickly!”, says the athlete who continues to hold that number 30 slot and who also leads the FEI U25 rankings.

His meteoric rise in the sport was aided by a new association with America’s Ann Thompson who he first met “around the end of 2020”. It would be a very significant turning point. “She was my first real owner and I was very fortunate, she gave me Romeo to ride”, Harry says. The now-13-year-old horse had previously been very successful with Ireland’s Darragh Kenny in the saddle.

“When he arrived at the stable he was already established at top level and the aim was to get to the Tokyo Olympics. Ann has been an amazing supporter of mine and owns one of my other amazing horses, Aralyn Blue, who is this year’s candidate for the World Championships.

“I have a lot to thank her for, kick-starting my career, once Romeo came into the stable I got access to the big shows, and the rest of the team has been built around him”, Harry explains.

Tokyo

And he did indeed make it to the Tokyo Games last summer. “It was incredible, the best experience of my life! The whole journey there was special, and being on that team with Ben when he won the gold medal and to see what it took to win it was really cool!”, he says.

He is filled with admiration for team-mate Ben Maher who emerged to take the individual Olympic title with Explosion W. “Of course he’s got what I think is the best horse in the world, but he’s worked incredibly hard and he’s one of the very best riders in the world. He put all his life into that gold medal. For the past few years he knew he had the horse to win it and in Tokyo the pressure on him was huge. To go there, to plan so that your horse will perform on that day, and to succeed – all credit to Ben and his team, it was incredible!”, he says.

From Harry’s own perspective, another of the great highlights of last year was his performance with Romeo that clinched the Challenge Cup for Great Britain at the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Final 2021 in Barcelona (ESP) in October.

“Nothing compares with competing for your country on a team”, he says as the memories come flooding back.

“That was such a great night, we jumped the only double-clear in the class and the horse jumped amazing, Ann (Thompson) flew over specially to see him, it was her birthday so it was an absolutely perfect weekend!”, he recalls.

His father was a proud man that evening as he placed the winner’s sash around his son’s shoulders. You could sense the strength of the relationship between the two in that moment. “He’s been my trainer my whole life – no one is going to want better for me than my Dad!”, Harry says.

Peter is completely devoted to supporting his family now instead of competing himself and Harry’s sisters Scarlett, aged 21, and Siena who is 19 are both also progressing up the levels.

Huge influence

Their father has been a huge influence on them all. “He stopped his career early to support us and says he enjoys the sport more now than he did when he was riding! He’s passionate about it but he doesn’t put us under any pressure. We can very much choose our own paths, and he has encouraged us to do that, but by the time I was 16 I realised that this was what I wanted to do,” Harry says.

“I got the taste of success in ponies and juniors, and that winning feeling – well you just can’t beat it!”

says the young man whose first big success was taking the Pony Showjumper of the Year title at the Horse of the Year Show riding Scoubidou back in 2014. He remembers it all like it was yesterday…

“The pony I beat was Tixylix who was probably the most famous pony ever in England, she was in the lead and I went in on Scoubidou, and actually I hadn’t won anything with him before that and I did a crazily fast round and it was amazing – a video of our round went viral afterwards!”, he says with delight.

He’ll be hoping that another video will go viral at the end of next week in Leipzig and he’s relishing the excitement ahead of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2022 Final which kicks off on Wednesday April 6. However, if he is to follow in the hoofprints of the two previous British title-holders then he has very big boots to fill….

The legendary Yorkshireman, John Whitaker, won the first of his two back-to-back titles with the magnificent Milton in Dortmund (GER) in 1990 at the age of 34 and, difficult as it is to comprehend, he will line out again for Great Britain next week alongside his 20-year-old nephew Jack Whitaker and Harry.

The only other British winner of this most prestigious of trophies is now-retired Rio 2016 Olympic champion Nick Skelton who steered Dollar Girl to victory in Gothenburg (SWE) in 1995 at the age of 38.

Steps of giants

But Harry isn’t intimidated by the prospect of tracing the steps of giants on his World Cup Final debut. He’s talking the day after returning from Saut Hermes in Paris (FRA) where he posted a good win with his mare Stardust and he says he’s taking the next two weeks off to prepare for Leipzig where Stardust, winner of the Western European League qualifier in London (GBR) in December, and Romeo will both compete. He means business.

“The reason I’m taking the two horses is because they are both super-consistent. Stardust has an extremely high clear-round rate at 1.60m and Romeo has so much experience behind him”.

So who will be his biggest rivals when it all comes down to it? Swiss superstar Martin Fuchs who won team gold and individual silver at last year’s European Championships and who finished second at the last Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final in 2019, and his compatriot and defending World Cup champion, Steve Guerdat, are the first two that spring to mind.

“Martin has probably some of the best horses in the world in his stable at the moment. He’s on very good form and very motivated for it this year. And Steve has a bit of a magical relationship with the World Cup Final. He’s always one who will be there or thereabouts I would say”, Harry points out before adding, “but I’m not going there just to make up the numbers!”

He’s looking for more of that winning feeling he enjoys so much, so watch this space…..

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Being more Jessica (von Bredow-Werndl)

Written by Louise Parkes

With two Olympic and three European gold medals all collected over the last eight months, Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and TSF Dalera BB look hot favourites to take the FEI Dressage World Cup title when the 2021/2022 Final gets underway on home ground in Leipzig (GER) in just over two weeks’ time.

While driving her lorry full of horses home from CDI*** in Ornago (ITA) yesterday where she steered the ever-improving 13-year-old gelding Ferdinand BB to win both the Grand Prix and Freestyle and where her student-rider, Raphael Netz, won three U25 competitions, she talked about the path that has taken her to where she is now in her career, and her future plans. But when it comes to predicting results she won’t be drawn. She doesn’t take anything for granted.

“Of course you have to have a clear vision and you must set your goals, but over the last 20 years there were times when I didn’t believe in myself anymore. However I always tried to push myself and I held on to my dreams and hoped the opportunities would come”, says the 36-year-old based at Aubenhausen in southern Germany who holds the No. 1 spot in the Dressage World Rankings.

Key to success

Jessica says that the key to her success was the decision “to stop trying to be someone else”. By the age of 19 she had already earned six gold and two silver medals at European Championships, but it all went wrong in her early 20s. “I had some difficult years with hardly any success and I struggled a lot. I had been Junior and Young Rider champion many times so I dreamed of it at Senior level. But for more than five years it didn’t happen”, she says.

It was a light-bulb moment during which she decided to just “be more Jessica” that turned everything around.

“I stopped trying to imitate other riders and began to focus on doing things my own way – the way I always loved to do it, going back to being the little girl who loved to play with her horses. The horses began to enjoy it more and I don’t ever want to lose that joy again!”

she explains.

She describes herself as “very lucky” that Beatrice Bürchler-Keller entrusted her with Unee BB in 2012. This was the horse that would turn her life around. In 2015 the pair were on the bronze medal winning team at the FEI European Championships in Aachen (GER) and they finished third at three FEI Dressage World Cup™ Finals in Las Vegas (USA) that same year, in Gothenburg (SWE) in 2016 and again in Paris (FRA) in 2018.

“Unee was one of the most important teachers for me”, Jessica says. “He wasn’t interested in me when he first arrived so I had to find a way to make myself interesting to him. He was nearly ready for Grand Prix when I got him and I really wanted to win his heart but I couldn’t do it the way I used to do it because I always grew up with the horses I’d ridden before. He already knew what he was doing and had his own way, so I had to learn his language before we could both learn a common language. I learned that it’s not just about the horse doing things my way but about doing what is best for each individual horse and being more flexible”.

Top trainers

Along the way she worked with many top trainers including Paul Elzenbaumer, “a very patient, loving and calm man” and then Stefan Münch, compatriot Isabell Werth who will be defending her title at the 2022 Final with Weihegold, then Jonny Hilberath, Morten Thomsen, Andreas Hausberger and Monica Theodorescu. “However I always have my own ideas, and I rely also on my brother Benni (Benjamin Werndl) who is very important to me – it’s our goal to be in the German team together some day!”, Jessica points out.

Now of course her career at top level revolves around the brilliant 15-year-old TSF Dalera BB who she has been riding since the mare was eight years old. “It was when she was 10 and we won the Louisdor Final in Frankfurt that I realised she could be very special, and when she was third in the Freestyle in 2019 (at the FEI European Championships in Rotterdam) that was the day I thought everything is possible. Then two years later (at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and FEI Dressage European Championships in Hagen) we proved it!”

And making their prospects even more exciting is the fact that Jessica believes Dalera has further room for improvement. “She feels she can give even more and when I enter the arena I always know she will try her heart out and give her best. I think she loves me and the life she is living. She loves travelling and she’s a real showgirl! But we both enjoy cantering through the forest as much as competing. She’s grateful for that, and so am I”.

Many talents

Jessica is a woman of many talents. During lockdown she wrote a book – “Heaven on Horseback” – about her life, her struggles, her inspiration and her positivity, and she’s currently working on a second publication, a children’s book. She says a near-death experience, when she almost drowned, changed her view on life and helped her become more reflective and to move forward. She wants this latest book to be “a nice story, with a lot of learning”.

Her five-year-old son, Moritz, may be a little too young to enjoy it as yet because it will be aimed at children aged 10+. Moritz travelled with her to Ornago and it was the first weekend Jessica was without the support of her husband or parents, but it worked out well thanks to the help of grooms and riders. With another baby on the way – due in August and therefore negating any possibility of a tilt at the World Championship titles – she knows she’s going to have even more on her plate in future. “I’ll have to manage my life even better and I’ll need more help for sure. It’s really important to have a good work/life balance”, she says. However she’s aiming to return to action as quickly as possible after baby number two arrives. “I was competing four weeks after giving birth to my first son, so hopefully I can do that again!”, she says with a laugh.

For now however, the FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2022 final has her full attention. For Dalera the preparation will be kept very simple – “nothing special, just keeping her motivated, healthy and happy, hacking in the forest and if the weather is good then going on the gallops”, she explains.

And as for preparing herself, it will be about focusing on the reason she does what she does. “Sometimes we need to remind ourselves why we started in the sport – because we love horses. So many people focus too much on the outcome – the success rather than how to get there. I try to focus on how to get there, rather than the outcome”.

Being more Jessica….that seems to work…..

More information about the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final 2022 

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British Equestrians for Ukraine: week one update

This month we were thrilled to interview David and Louise Simpson, quizzing them all about their training and success. Revealing very different training approaches, David and Louise discuss how their riding styles benefit horse’s training, as well as their own performance in the arena. The duo also gave us an insight into training and competing together as husband and wife, as well as a young family to consider!

Why were you both drawn to show jumping and at what moment did you decide that riding was the career path for you?

David: My parents show jumped at an amateur level, but I wasn’t that big into it, I actually loved hunting more than anything. I was out in the field one day with dealer Peter Smith, who approached my parents saying he needed someone to ride his 12.2 ponies for him. He lived about an hour away from us so every holiday I would head to his yard to stay with him and ride every day. I was with Peter until I was out of ponies, I rode horses at home for a bit but quickly realised I didn’t want to be in Ireland. I actually had a place at veterinary school when I decided to defer for a year and go to America, but before I got there I got chatted to Shane Breen and diverted to Sussex instead! I was only meant to be at Shane’s for a year – but stayed for seven!

Louise: My mum, auntie & grandad were big into show jumping, so you could say it’s in my blood! My first pony, Charlie Brown, really sealed the deal for me though, I rode him at HOYS when I was 6, and came 2^nd in 128 championships, and it went from there!

You have both worked through Pony and Junior squads. How did this prepare you for competing at a 5* international level?

David: Honestly when I look back, I’m not sure it did really prepare me. I guess it gives you first-hand experience of the mentality needed to ride on teams, but I was lucky enough to ride without feeling the pressure. I just rode ponies, and it was a case of just trying to do as good as possible, no major stress! Lou will probably say different – she was a winner from a young age so probably felt the pressure far more than I did! We both rode ponies, juniors & Young Riders, but were very different ends of the spectrum, Louise took a lot more seriously.

Louise: [laughing] That’s probably why I won more!

At the beginning of your career, you were both mentored by top names in show jumping. What was the number one lesson you learnt from your mentors to develop into the athletes you are today?

David: Shane taught me that hard work and discipline is key; you have to get stuck in and make the most of every opportunity. It’s down to you to get the best out of your horse.

Louise: I learnt that to be successful you have to really plan and organise, set goals for yourself and achieve them.

As professional athletes in the same discipline, you are regularly competing against each other, however as husband and wife. Does this work to your advantage?

David: We both know each other’s horses better than a lot of people would normally know their ‘opponents’. We’re able to give each other more insight if we’re in the same class for sure. If one of us if first to go in a course, we’re able to give better to directed advise to the other knowing their horse so well. There is no horse on the yard that we haven’t both ridden.

It helps on a personal side too, we both understand the lifestyle and that you have to be on the road, have to be pushing hard all the time, it would be very hard to be married to one of us!

You not only compete in the same discipline but run a yard together, training and sourcing horses for yourselves and clients. How has collaborative working benefitted your work?

Louise: We rely on each other’s judgement a lot. I’m forever the pessimist and David is forever the optimist, so we balance each other out. He pushes me forward and I steady him up. When it comes to producing horses, it definitely helps to have each other on side, being very different riders, we can often bring something to a horse’s training that the other can’t.

Do you both have different approaches to training and competition?

David: Yes! I‘m a lot more structured in my training and do more on the flat. I like a plan and to tick all the boxes.

Louise is way more relaxed. She just plays around with her horses and gets to know them in a more casual way – but it seems to work! She’s always liked to win and it seems to come very naturally to her, you could say I’m more driven but Lou is more talented!

Louise: Now that we have three boys, I don’t like to be away from home as much as I used to be so my competition schedule will generally be a lot smaller than David’s. I try and compete more in the UK where possible.

You’ve got some great horses under your wing! Who should we be keeping our eyes on over the next year?

David: Definitely Carleyle for me, our 10-year-old stallion, he’s got so much talent and is only just getting started, he’s definitely going places.

Louise: Starouge for me, I’m hoping to step him up to 4* Grand Prix next year feel really excited about him.

Finally, what’s next for your careers in show jumping?

David: We always want to get more Grand Prix wins under our belt. To break into the top 100 in the world jump a in Championships is the next step.

Louise: To continue with the amazing string of horses we have at the moment and get them all out to jump as much as possible, last year was a strange year for everyone, so it will be making the most of being out and looking to add more wins to the tally!

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As we all return to the equestrian competition circuit, we thought it would be the perfect opportunity to catch up with and interview elite dressage rider and trainer, Amy Stovold.

Discussing all things training, competing and life after lockdown, Stovold gave us an insight into her principles of ‘kindness and understanding’ in everything she does with horses and clients and her future plans.

Hi Amy, for our readers who may not know you, can you tell us a bit about yourself? Your riding history, achievements, and where you are at now?

I am an international dressage rider, although it feels like forever ago since I rode internationally! I have competed up to Grand Prix really successfully for Great Britain, on a horse called MacBrian, who I also competed at Olympia in 2010 and was 5^th.

I was selected as part of the World Class Programme, where I had help from them to encompass everything; training, sports psychology, nutrition, physiotherapy. From this, I was then selected as part of a group who got to go to the Olympics as an athlete, seeing it backstage. Taking a select few from their team, it was a chance to prepare for quite a daunting experience. It was pretty amazing and something that will never, ever leave my memory. I am forever grateful for everything they helped me with.

MacBrian unfortunately sustained an injury when I was in Biarritz but I did get to compete him at GP again, so that was quite an achievement. I went to the Nationals and won two titles.

I had a baby three years ago, so it’s taken me a couple of years to get my body strong again and get back to it. But now I’m in full swing again, trying to get the horses back competing.

So not only are you a rider, but a very established coach as well! How do you approach your own training and the training of your clients?

With my training, I’m very much about the horse understanding what it is he is required to do. I don’t agree with putting loads of pressure on the horses – it just goes against everything I believe in! I want my horses to ‘want’ to work. I want them to feel like it’s fun. That they are listening but at the same time enjoying it!

I have a very varied routine with them so they don’t get bored. So they go hacking, every horse of mine goes out in the field in the day, they go on the walker, they do pole work, schooling, lungeing, in-hand training. If it’s not varied, work can become very regimental.

With my clients, I try to give them the tools they need so that they don’t have to rely on me. I try to put a building block system in place, where if something goes wrong with their training when they are riding on their own, they can go back to the previous step and try to build from there. We begin with simple things, such as transitions, changes in the pace, balance, rhythm, and one of my primary focuses is that they stay working on the hindleg. I change training throughout the horse and rider’s development, but I really want riders to start thinking about their progression for themselves. It is the way that I was trained by Kyra Kirkland and her husband, Richard White. They trained us in a way that we could think for ourselves and I think that is very, very important.

What are your key training principles?

I use a lot of positive reinforcement including using food. I’ve been clicker training, with a friend of mine, which I met in South Africa, for about 7 years now so I do a lot of positive reinforcement including food. With a click tends to really secure that they know what they have done right, especially with the high-level movements.

We start using this technique on the ground with clients. It starts from mounting. So, all our horses, and I encourage all my clients, to ensure their horse stands by the mounting block, we get on the horse’s, and wait there until they are given a treat. We will give them a treat when we get on, position them to the mounting block followed by a click reward and treat when they stand still. Then we get on, click reward, and they take a treat from our hand. It’s not until we ask them to go, that they are allowed to move off. In the end, I can usually get on without a contact. Kyra Kirkland was also one that encouraged that on the mounting block, as the worse thing is when you’re at a show and trying to get on, especially if you are on your own, and you can’t! I always say that training starts from the minute that you get on the horses.

We also use this positive reinforcement technique on the ground to encourage leg yielding, walking forwards to halt, relaxation, training all those things until we begin with a rider.

When I ride, I use a voice command like a click (a ‘t-s-a’ sound) and then reward. So when I ride a flying change and it’s clean, I will instantly make the sound and reward, so they know that they have done right. It works from the very basic things to the very technical, such as piaffe and passage. It definitely reinforces positive behaviours in horses, instead of negative. It also gives horses a way to relax, which we always teach before we do anything else too.

Relaxation give a horse a place they can go; if they are worried, they can put their head down and relax, rather than run. When horses have their head down, naturally when they are eating, endorphins will be released. When they spook, normally a reaction to a predator, their head will come up, adrenaline is released, and as they are flight animals, they’ll run. So that’s the ethos behind the technique; we try to keep the adrenaline down as much as possible. Also, with their bodies are relaxed, their muscles are relaxed, their minds are relaxed, and they learn much better like that, rather than having tension all the time which could lead to injury.

I helped so many people with things like loading as well – I’ve become a little bit of an expert in loading troubled horses! I’ve helped with horses who don’t like the horse shower, clipping, spooking, leading – I do all my training from the ground up using the same principles as I do and teach in ridden work. It enables the rider and handler to be precise and reward, as with pressure and release it is very easy to not release the pressure at the right time. But with my training, I try to make the rider or handler more aware of timing and rewarding at the right moment so it’s much clearer. In the beginning of training, you have to reward one-for-one but now I probably reward every fourth time my horse does something correct.

You are obviously a fantastic coach, but you are also a very established competitor in your own right! So, what are your future competing plans? Do you have any exciting prospects in the pipeline?

I have one horse who is nearly at Grand Prix and I’m hoping he will be my next contender at this level. Then I have a 5yo, which I bought five weeks ago, who I’m very excited about. I’ll train at home and get his confidence, build up trust and go from there.

Before COVID came, I thought ‘I’m going to do all the premier leagues’ etc. etc. on one horse, the progress it onto two (horses). But then with COVID, I have sort of gone ‘lets get the horses out a little bit’.  I’m not going to take my 5yo out yet, as I really want him to get to know me and trust me 100%. I’ll take him to different venues, because even loading and riding in a new environment can be really stressful, so I try to put all that into place before I start taking young horses out competing. Ensuring I have the breaks, they are relaxed, and I know that they are going to be okay.

With my more advanced horse, I did a competition last week in Inter I and got 72%! I’m competing next week doing a PSG and Inter I, just to get him out again. Then, I’m going to keep working on the GP stuff so that I can hopefully do an Inter II either at the end of this year or the beginning of next!

Are you planning on returning to the International stage?

Oh, I would love to! To be honest, after I lost MacBrian, he had a tragic and freak accident, I don’t make too many plans for all that stuff. I put a lot of pressure on myself when I was younger with him for the Olympics, for team GB. I was so devastated and so heartbroken when I lost him, I had to re-evaluate things.

Now that I have a daughter as well, I don’t want to put myself under that immense pressure again and be disappointed, because it actually effects my entire life. I really have to evaluate; why am I doing this? What do I want to do this for? Do I want to do it to compete for Great Britain? Yes, of course I do, but I really enjoy it and I really enjoy training the horses, I enjoy training people, and I enjoy competing.

So, for the moment, I’m trying to keep the enjoyment in it and see where things go! If my horses are good enough and I can compete internationally, then brilliant; it would be my ultimate goal! But if not, then I can’t have it that it’s the ‘be-all or end-all’! Hopefully we will be out on the international circuit again, as it is one of my dreams. But as I say if it happens it happens, if it doesn’t then I’m just happy doing what I’m doing and passionate about training horses with kindness and in an understanding way.

What top tips would you give for any rider trying to reach your heights of success, especially as we come out of ‘Lockdown’?

It takes a lot of work. I would say you need to make sure your horses are really strong in their body before pushing them to do too many things that they are not capable of.  But, you need to be surrounded by like-minded people that encourage you and support you; that is one thing I had. I had a lot of people around me that were 100% behind me, like World Class. If you are good, then I think the World Class Programme and other programmes for younger people are definitely worth applying for. If you have a horse that’s potentially a medal-winning horse or with that background, and you’re a potential medal-winning rider, I would definitely, definitely encourage to go down that road.

Go out to shows. Try to figure out warm up times. Grand Prix riding is very different. With Grand Prix, someone told me; ‘you need a year of getting to know how to ride Grand Prix and the next year you ride in it’. Grand Prix, there’s so much in it but you need to have a good horse, trainer and network of people around you, like your home team of farriers, physio’s, dentists, in place too. That’s what the World Class Programme taught me.

Work hard and stay focused, working on yourself as much as your horses! I was personal training to keep getting stronger in my riding, especially after having the baby. It’s not just about the horse, it’s also about you as a rider. Eating well and sport psych really helped me, especially at big-level shows with helping me to focus. Look at it as a whole; two athletes doing one thing.

To get more from you, as I’m sure you won’t want to reveal all your trick of the trade, riders can attend your clinics and bootcamps – What can they expect?

Clinic-wise, I can help anyone, with any horse, in any discipline. I’ve helped eventing riders, show-jumping riders; I’m not just a dressage trainer-rider. I think you can improve any horse; I think you can improve any rider. I do exercises to help the horses with the discipline they are doing. Some have the opinion of its ‘dressage’ but it’s not it’s just flatwork – it makes your horse supple, yourself straight, and it does help every discipline.

Bootcamp-wise, we haven’t got it all nailed yet. However, I really want to have physio’s come in, and sport psych’s, so riders can really work on themselves. Then, horses can have vetting’s or physio sessions, so the combination can get the whole experience about riding. Then, I think the group could get together in the evening and have some fun, making it more of a social thing!

And you’ll be launching online tutorial sessions soon too? How these will be hosted and do you think this may be the future of equestrian training?

So, we are just finishing my website and now we are looking at doing the clinics. Again, the online tutorials are still in the works!

There are opportunities now for people to have lesson’s online, it can be done! So, with my tutorials, I want to give an insight into the exercise’s I’m doing. Short clips which people can log onto and have a look at. I’m embracing the moment and using a bit of everything; people don’t realise that there are so many tools to training!

I think it’s an option for the future, that if you can’t get to your trainer then you can do online training. It does work! It could be one-on-one, with headphones in as you ride, that could be another option (for the future of training). Trainers should do everything to help people, especially if they can’t get to you. I think, going forward we have to be more open about how we do training.

However, I personally love to teach one-on-one, so I can see what’s going on! Also, getting the chance to sit on the horses so I can feel what’s going on, because somethings how it looks and how it feels are two different things!

What would be your top tips to surviving another ‘Lockdown’?

That’s a good question! Well, my lifestyle changed completely because obviously my daughter has been home from nursery, so she was with me all the time. Initially, I was not upset but frustrated that I couldn’t go to the stables and ride, but then I just embraced it! And I think everyone ended up embracing it eventually with whatever situation they found themselves in – some still manged to ride. Although it wasn’t in my normal routine, I actually really enjoyed being with my daughter, Florence, as I didn’t have that much maternity leave. I thought to myself, actually, this is my maternity leave and changed my mindset.

It’s difficult though. I think keeping in touch with friends and family is important. I kept in touch with old friends. We used Facetime a lot, so that we didn’t feel completely isolated.

At the end of the day, we all got through it and it was all fine for myself and those around me. But it’s so difficult when something like this happens. No-one has a clue how to deal with it. Let’s hope we don’t have another Lockdown!

Where should we keep an eye out for you over the next year?

Events-wise, I’m not sure. I have a couple of up-coming shows but my social media channels are probably the best way to keep an eye on what I’m up to! My new website will be also be live in the next couple of weeks.

You may also like to read

Isabell Werth on Heroes, Influences, Horses and Friendships

Magazine ⇒ Everything Horse

Equestrian Journalist, Louise Parkes, continues to make the most of lockdown by speaking with sporting stars during their time at home. Here she interviews German dressage gold medalist, Isabell Werth.

Nothing is worth more than our health….Isabell Werth

by Louise Parkes

During their long and successful career together, Germany’s Isabell Werth and Satchmo claimed team gold and individual silver at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Isabell is planning a 26th birthday party for the happily-retired Hannoverian gelding next month. (FEI/Kit Houghton)

She’s fun, focused, fabulous and sometimes a little formidable. The most medalled athlete in the history of equestrian sport, Germany’s Isabell Werth looked set to add yet another title to her very long list at the FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2020 Final in Las Vegas, USA before that was cancelled due to the pandemic.

“I try to take the good things out of all this”, Isabell said when we spoke recently (Saturday 18 April). “I have more time to concentrate on my young horses, more time for the family, for all the horses, for the whole stables, especially now that spring is here and there is so much to do”.

Like everyone else she’s had to adapt in order to keep everyone safe at home. “We have three generations living here on our farm (near Dusseldorf), and my parents are still really well and I hope we can keep the virus away. We try to go on like normal but keep a distance. At the beginning, it was quite hard for my son (10-year-old Frederik) not to visit my parents, but now he’s a bit more used to it and so it’s fine”.

My Q&A plan goes a bit astray from the outset. I’m taken aback when I find out that the great Isabell Werth, known in the sport as “The Queen”, is just like so many of the rest of us – girls in particular – who are so passionate about horses and horse sport.

She too was a pony-mad kid, and in a way she’s still just living that dream….

Heroes

When I ask Who were your childhood heroes? she tells me “well it all started with the Bille and Zuttel books about a little girl and her pony. I loved to read, and Bille was my first hero and I wanted to be like her! Today my son (10-year-old Frederik) is playing with an iPhone and an iPad, but when I was his age I was reading those books” she explains. “It’s a different world now”, I comment, and Isabell replies, “yes – although for sure it’s not better!

She continues…”when I got more serious about my riding I looked up to all the big names like Reiner Klimke and Margot Otto-Crepin (sadly 1989 FEI Dressage World Cup™ winner Margit passed away on Sunday 19 April), and when I started with Dr Schulten-Baumer then Nicole (Olympic gold medallist Nicole Uphoff) was in the stable. It was the time of Christine Stuckelberger and Anne-Grethe Jensen – so many great riders”, she says.

So how does it feel to be the hero for others now? “To be honest I don’t think about it. It’s lovely when kids come up and ask me questions – I’m really touched by that but I don’t think about why they are doing it!”

Influences

The person who influenced you most? “During my career for sure it was Dr Schulten-Baumer (world-famous dressage trainer and coach, nicknamed Der Doktor). He taught me how to build up a horse and about management. He was always thinking about the future and how to deal with unexpected things so I was quite well-prepared for what happened later in my career. When I eventually had my own stable all this gave me a strong basis.

“And then of course the second person is Madeleine Winter-Schulze (a great patron of German equestrian athletes including Isabell). These two people were, and are, the most important during my riding career next to my parents, my partner (Wolfgang Urban) and my family”.

Who is in your back-up crew? “My family, my life-partner and my parents always have my back. I can discuss everything with them in and around the sport, and even though he’s not experienced with horses Wolfgang has management experience because of his business and profession so he has helped me a lot. When we come to the daily work in the stables first of all it’s Steffi (Steffi Weigard) my groom, she’s really close to me when it comes to what happens with our show horses…she has a very good eye and feeling. The stable staff, my riders and then Mary (her right-hand woman) of course. I’ve been working with most of these people for more than 10 years and it’s a close partnership”, Isabell explains.

Horses

What do you like best about being around horses? “Being in the middle of them, working with them, just sitting on them and being in my own world. I love it!”

Anything you don’t like about being around horses? “No, only in the horse business sometimes it’s difficult to deal with the people! You have to learn not to say everything you want to say, to know when it’s better to keep your mouth shut! Sometimes that’s hard for me and sometimes I can’t do it, but I have learned to be better at it!”, she says with a laugh.

The horse you liked the most? “Gigolo, Satchmo and now Bella Rose have been the most important horses in my life. At the moment I have Weihegold, and of course I love her and we’ve had great success together, but it is something different with Satchmo for instance”. There is real emotion in her voice now……

“Today he was in the field when I was riding back from the racetrack with Weihegold. I was talking to her about the fact that we should actually be in Las Vegas doing our Freestyle today when Satchmo walked up to remind me that he was there with me 11 years ago (finishing second in the 2009 FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final).

“To see him grazing with the little pony Kelly, coming over for a chat and then going down to eat more grass without a care in the world, and to feel Weihe passaging under me because she was so awake and so keen, that’s something special for me personally. She is still enjoying the sport, he is so happy in his retirement, and nobody else sees that moment but it makes me feel so good!”

Have you retired many of your top horses at your farm? “Yes, all of them! Satchmo is the oldest now, he is close to 26, he will have his birthday in May so we will celebrate – maybe have a Corona-party for him! First Class is still here, and Fabienne and Anthony and Gigolo were with us for such a long time, until they were 25, 26, 29 years old and it was really great to have them. Also to keep them until the day they died, that was, and is, for me also important – they were much more than just successful Grand Prix horses.

“Most of them had about 10 years in the field after 10 years of top sport. Also Whisper – everyone knew him as my “doping horse” (Isabell was suspended in 2009 when Whisper tested positive for a prohibited substance) – but nobody asked later if he’s still alive, and he is still alive (now aged 21) and he is also with my retired horses in the field and we take great care of him in the same way as all the rest. And that’s also something that’s in my heart but nobody sees it!” she says.

Outstanding

Are there some other top horses you would have liked to ride? “Margit Otto-Crepin’s Corlandus. He was such an outstanding horse and Totilas – it would have been great to feel how he was to ride – and of course Valegro and Mistral Hojris too. They were all fantastic!”

The best horse you have ever ridden? This answer comes as no surprise….”Bella Rose! She’s the best I’ve ever had, the one able to do everything, and you can feel always there is something more possible – that makes her so outstanding!”

When you are competing you have a gift for working up a crowd – do you think you could have been an actress in another life? “Not really! To be an actress you must be flexible so you can jump into different kinds of roles. But my role is simple, it’s riding dressage, it’s horses, and I love what I do!”

How do you like working with the media? “You learn to have confidence in answering questions, sometimes with more humour, it depends a bit on the emotion at the time. But (and I think I know what’s coming here), when you are asked for the 120,000th time when are you going to stop riding because now you are 50…and you know they are still writing about 10 other riders who are 60 and older but they never ask them when they are going to stop…..”(let’s just move along here then…)

A bit of a joker

If Johnny (Don Johnson), Emilio, Weihe and Bella were talking about you in the stables, what would they say? “Johnny is a bit like my son, he would say let her tell me what to do but I’ll still do what I want! But when it comes down to it we are a team. He’s a bit of a joker, but in the end we really love each other!

“Emilio would always be a bit more like a little boy, a little less confident but trying to give his best. Weihe – she would always be saying, Ok just tell me what I should do and I’ll do it! No horse is like her, she can be so quiet, but she can switch from being a nice little mare to a serious competition horse in an instant.

“Bella is proud, she’s a real lady. She knows how good she is and how much I love her. The only thing is that she always wants to do more. She might say – why won’t she let me run like I want to run, because I could go so much faster! You take her out for a hack and go for a little canter but it’s never enough, after a few metres she wants to gallop!”

How do you handle your emotions under pressure? “It’s a question of discipline in the moment, and I had a really good teacher in Dr Schulten-Baumer. You’ll find a lot of photos of me crying in successful moments, but I’m sure you won’t find any of me crying from disappointment. When I’m really disappointed I work it out on my own. And it’s not because I’m older now, I’ve been like this since I was 20”.

A hard time

What do you say to people when they tell you how worried they are about the pandemic and the effect it’s having on us all? “I think it’s a hard time but I’m sure we will get through it and it won’t be as much of a disaster as some people think right now. But for sure it seems to open the gap more, even in our little horse world, between the rich and the people who are not so wealthy. I think everyone is going to lose in some way, and this puts more responsibility on those in the driving seat.

“Maybe we will go back to some kind of competition life in September or October, but that will depend on how quickly a vaccination can be found. This is a very infective virus and it’s making everyone very scared. I’m hoping that by the end of year we will see light at end of tunnel.

“For the first time in 30 years the Himalayas are visible from a long way. It seems the earth is taking a bit back from us, nature is telling us something important. So for now we have to calm down and know that life is possible without planes, without cars, without a lot of business. Life will go on – with the virus, without the virus – it’s just a question of how we get through it”.

Tokyo

How do you feel about the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games? “For a lot of athletes who wanted to end their career in 2020 it’s huge. In my personal case I say it’s bad luck, maybe the horses were in top shape this year but OK now we have to adjust and prepare for 2021. All three of mine are young and fit enough to go next year, but I’m long enough in sport to know anything can happen between now and then.

“In the end I hold onto my dream of going with Bella to the Olympics, but we have all learned something very important over the last few months. We can have our hopes and dreams…..but nothing is worth more than our health”.

In this feature, equestrian journalist Louise Parkes interviews showjumper, Steve Guerdat, as he puts life into perspective after global sporting activities, and everyday life is put on hold while the world deals with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Article and Interview by Louise Parkes

He could be forgiven for being down in the dumps right now….his chance of becoming the first-ever four-time FEI Jumping World Cup champion blown out of the water and no opportunity to chase down a second individual Olympic gold medal either this year. All sport has ground to a halt and his personal life has also been affected because his wedding to fiancee, Fanny Skalli, which was planned for next month, has also been postponed for the foreseeable future due to the pandemic.

‘Sport is about adapting to every situation‘.

Steve Guerdat

It doesn’t sound like a recipe for a good mood, but the man who has been holding court at the top of the Longines Rankings for 14 of the last 15 months is staying positive.

Halfway through our interview last Friday (April 17), Swiss star Steve Guerdat put the current situation into perspective with his trademark passion.

“Nobody talks about the millions of kids around the world who don’t have clean water to drink and are dying of hunger every single day. We only think about how am I going to get to the shows, how am I going to pay for my Mercedes, how am I going to buy my new car and buy my new truck and buy my new horse. The poor face a crisis every day of their lives. Now we in the rich countries have to face this problem, but there is no reason to be afraid. It’s an experience, and for once it’s the same for everyone. So we have to look forward and maybe think about doing things differently – but there will be a way out of it”, he says.

Steve Guerdat on Heroes

Our Q&A interview began with a simple Who were your heroes when you were a child? Steve doesn’t hesitate in answering…

“Michael Jordan (the world-famous basketball star who made several memorable come-backs during his extraordinary career). I’ve always been a sports fanatic, and his story is an inspiration. Normally a superstar is really good over a short period of time, but with him you were never disappointed (each time he made a come-back). It was like a lesson of life and sport, about not giving up, and as a kid he was someone I was crazy about.

“As a rider my hero has always been John Whitaker. I like him for much the same reasons. With John everything is easy. I think he doesn’t even know what he’s achieving because he does everything so naturally. Horses respond to him and it’s just natural for him to ride and win in a very natural way with a completely natural attitude. That inspires me as a rider”, Steve explains.

It takes him a bit longer to reply to the next question though. So what’s it like to be the hero now yourself? There’s a bit of a silence, I can imagine him shifting from foot to foot, he’s clearly not comfortable with this one….

“I really don’t feel like that, I don’t see myself as really good. I trust what I do but I still have so often the feeling that I am so bad at it, so many mistakes, so many things I’d like to do so much better. I’m not even thinking about being a hero, being someone who inspires other riders….”

So I say – “but so many people look at you and say “gosh if only I could ever be as good as Steve”….but he quickly comes back with “well for sure they can, because I could get so much better!”

Steve Guerdat on Influences

We move on to the person who has influenced you most, and his response is instant….

“My dad (Philippe Guerdat). He was never pushing himself forward, always letting me be free to do what I want and that’s why I respect him so much. In the sport he was the most influential person since day one. And of course, in recent years Thomas Fuchs has also been an influence on my career”.

Who is in your support crew? “My longtime grooms Heidi and Emma, my rider Anthony, we have 10 people at home and they are also very important to me. My family, from my parents to my cousins, and I have a close relationship with my owners too. The blacksmith and the vet – there are so many people and they don’t just work with me and support me, they are also my friends. And of course now for a few years I have my girlfriend, who will be my wife soon, so I’m very lucky in the situation I am in – to have so many great people around me”.

Why do you enjoy being around horses? “Because they give so much and they don’t ask for anything back. We try to give them as much back as we can, but they are not asking for it! They are so loyal, and they never cheat on you”.

What do you like least about horses – all the hard work? This question provokes a tone of outrage…..

“It’s not work! If you think it’s work then you are doing the wrong job! Maybe a groom can say that, but definitely not a professional rider – what we have is an amazing life. It takes a lot of time but it’s very far away from being hard work!!”

Steve Guerdat on Horses

Which of all the horses you’ve ridden was/is the one you’ve loved the most? Not the slightest hesitation here as his tone becomes much softer…. “Jalisca, because she’s basically the horse that made the biggest step in my career. I don’t want to say she saved me – I was riding, I was healthy but I was in a complete hole in my sporting career when that mare brought me into the spotlight, winning the Cup in Geneva (in December 2010) and giving all the time 200% for me. She was the kindest horse you would ever find. She was always there fighting for me, she was the best horse that has ever been around for me!”, he says.

Is there a horse that you didn’t like at all? “I’d be lying if I said I’ve never been frustrated with a horse. But the truth is as soon as I’d be annoyed I’d be thinking no, it’s you that’s to blame, you made the mistake of having too high hopes for this horse, or you didn’t educate it the right way, or you put too much pressure on it or, or, or….in the end if a horse doesn’t work out it’s only yourself to blame. It could be riding wrong, or buying wrong and having the wrong expectations of the horse who couldn’t do what you would like him to do. It’s not his fault, we are all born with some qualities – there are some things you can do and some things you cannot do so well – but there is only so much any of us can do.”

Is there a horse that you would love to ride? “No, because I already rode the best horse in the history of showjumping, Tepic La Silla! I only rode him for three or four months and I won my first medal in the European Championships in Donaueschingen (GER) in 2003 and a couple of Grand Prix. He was a horse from Alfonso Romo and I would have liked to have him longer, but I feel privileged I could ride him in just a few shows because he was unbelievable. He had absolutely everything. For me, he was the very best!”

The horse who gave you his personal-best? Steve laughs as he replies “Nino, and he’s standing right in front of me!” Now 19 years old, the gelding that helped him to individual Olympic glory in London in 2012 is in happy retirement at Steve’s lovely farm at Elgg in Switzerland. “What was so good about him is that when I wanted to be clear I was clear 95% of the time. We also had some bad rounds, but from the time I really figured him out we had very few fences down. I didn’t jump him a lot, but most of the time he was double-clear in Grand Prix”, he says fondly.

And last but not least, friendships

Your strongest friendships in the sport? I don’t have many, but the ones I have are very, very close. Alain Jufer, he was on the team in Calgary when we won (first-ever Swiss Nations Cup victory at Spruce Meadows in 2016). We grew up together and started riding together as kids. Gregory Wathelet, for 15 or 20 years now, same with Daniel Etter and I could mention Eric Lamaze as well. They are my closest friends. I can’t say why they are all very different people and came into my life at different times, they are good friends and get along together very well but it’s not that they are each best friends with the other – they are just people I know I can rely on, and they know it’s the same the other way around”.

Cares and worries? “My biggest worry right now is I employ 10 people who’ve been with me a long time. They’re not just employees but friends and part of the family, and I want to have them around me. But I know that if I can’t keep some of them they will find another job and they will survive as well. Two or three times in my life I’ve had to start from nothing and I’ve no problem with doing it again. I’m not worried that tomorrow I have to muck out myself and drive the truck and work more because I love what I do. When you like what you do the only motivation is not just adding more and more money, it’s about enjoying life with your friends and family.”

One silly thing you’ve done during your working life? “Maybe the first show I did when working for Tops….there was a show in a place called Heikant and I drove the truck for about three hours with the groom and eight horses, but when we arrived we couldn’t find the showgrounds. There was no navigation system in those days and we drove around for a long time before I realised that I’d taken us to Heikant in Belgium, and the show was in Heikant in Holland! Luckily it wasn’t too far, maybe another two hours drive, and we only missed a couple of classes!”

How are you feeling about the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games? It changes things for sure, it will be one year later and we don’t know what will happen between now and then. Horses will be one year older, but some that would have been too young this year will be ready for it. It’s different to anything we’ve faced before, but this is what sport is about. You have to be able to adapt to many different situations and make the best of it. There’s nothing we can do about it, and it was the right decision to move it. We’ll deal with this, and somehow we will move on.”

We’ve followed international dressage rider and worldwide clinician, Stephen Hayes, for many years. From a young man born in Liverpool to the renowned coach he is today, Stephen has thoroughly immersed himself in international equestrian culture, and sport.

Recently Stephen has been quite the talk after embarking on his biggest World clinic tour to date. Reaching further and wider afield each year with his Dressage clinics, Stephen also manages to juggle seasonal locations when during the winter months he competes in Wellington, Florida and during the summer he is based in The Hamptons, New York. This month we were lucky enough to catch up with Stephen to see what else he’s been up to…

Earlier this year you arrived back from a world clinic tour in Australia, New Zealand, Cape Town South Africa, Singapore and Malaysia all in the space of 2 weeks, that’s insane, how did it go?

It was an AMAZING trip, and one heck of a schedule, I was literally flying through the night to the next country and then going straight to clinics. The turnout was amazing and I felt so welcome from all. But this was purely a business trip, not much sightseeing or touristy stuff occurred, the horses and riders were the priority and they kept me very busy. However, I did get the chance to experience all of the beautiful cultures and their FOOD!’

You travel a lot, how do you manage balance horses in training and conducting clinics?

‘It’s a big balancing act, but I’ve been doing this for a while now so I have a system. Normally my week consists of five days at my base ‘Perfect Harmony Dressage’ and then I’ll spend two days at a clinic or a show. And sometimes, just sometimes I manage to book a free weekend off. I love being on the move during the weekends but I enjoy having somewhere concrete for the horses during the week. I’m lucky that I am able to travel as I don’t like to sit still for too long. I could never be a trainer who’s tied 7 days a week to one barn. Some trainers can’t stand travelling to clinics, it’s exhausting, but I like the change of scenery’.

It seems that you are also selling a variety of top quality horses, how are you finding that part of the industry?

‘FUN! I’m very happy to have teamed up with ‘Perfect Harmony Dressage’ in selling horses, we go out to Europe at least two to three times a year and bring back some beauties. It’s hard work finding them, driving all over Europe looking for unicorns with x rays that look like they’ve been drawn by god, but we do a good job in getting as close as we can to finding these ‘perfect’ horses. I look for trainable characters, confirmations that enable the horse to naturally find Dressage easier and comfortable for their rider, three correct quality gaits with a great vetting to match. Sounds like a unicorn right? We won’t just settle, as a team we hand pick them out just as if we were buying them for ourselves. Thank you Perfect Harmony Dressage for going into this venture with me!’

“It’s hard work finding them, driving all over Europe looking for unicorns with x rays that look like they’ve been drawn by god, but we do a good job in getting as close as we can to finding these ‘perfect’ horses.”

Name one thing you love about your job, and name one thing you dislike about this job?

‘Ok let’s start with the positive! The horses are such a big part of my love for the job, I genuinely like to be around them. They’re such a transparent animal, and so forgiving. It really is a gift that they allow us to build a partnership with them. I will be forever in their debt for them allowing me to build a career on their expense.

Ok, now the bad thing. I’ll keep it short and sweet. Just like any industry, there are good people and not so good people. Unfortunately, dishonesty is a big rule breaker in my book. Especially when selling horses, there are many out there who are as honest as a day is long. And then there are some who won’t quite give you the whole story in order to make a sale. I have a very strong circle of acquaintances throughout Europe and the USA who I return to time after time, as I know they tell the truth. That’s so important. I only like good surprises!’

Describe the perfect horse for you in your mind, what would he/she be like?

Tall, 18hh (I’m very tall), any colour, big swingy trot, gigantic walk and an uphill scopey canter, super trainable mind and a confirmation that makes life easier for her (yes she’s a she). I love a mare who’ll fight for me.

What’s been your biggest ‘takeaway’ from industry knockbacks so far?

Hmm, it was probably an email from a big trainer I wrote to ask to be her working student. I was 17 years old, I poured my heart out on this email, told the person I’ll work extremely hard and for FREE, and begged for the trainer to give me a chance. The person replied (I won’t mention the name), ‘there is no position for you here, you are not a good rider, I doubt you’ll make it past the lower levels’. If someone said something similar to my 28-year-old self now, it would be like water running off a ducks back. But at 17, full of hopes and dreams and willing to work extremely hard to learn, it hit me quite hard. I think it’s ok to say I proved to MYSELF, not her, that I can do whatever I put my mind too.

What is your most used word or phrase while teaching riders in a clinic?

‘Love it’, ‘pat him’ or ‘again, your nearly there’

What the biggest WHITE lies you tell your clients?

Hmm, that’s a tough one, you know I think it would be ‘one last time’ (laughs out loud), they might be nearly there but it’s probably not the last time I’m going to ask them to do it…

On a more serious note Stephen, you were recently involved in a head on car crash in Spain, tell us more about this?

Yes, unfortunately, myself and two of my lovely clients/friends have been through a lot during the past three months since the accident. We were in Spain travelling around the country looking for horses to bring back to the USA. Two days before heading back to the USA we were hit, head-on by car at 50 mph. We all were rushed to a hospital near Seville, we all suffered multiple fractures and we are all extremely lucky to be here to tell the story. At the time while lying in a hospital bed it’s very easy to sink into a dark place mentally, but once you get through that and see some light you have a whole new appreciation for life. I feel blessed to be welcoming a brand new Florida season through the doors, I’m feeling strong, I’m riding again, this accident could have meant a very different outcome for all of us. The icing on the cake is we did actually buy multiple horses to bring back to the USA, and we can’t wait to welcome them into the team’

Thank you, Stephen Hayes, for your time, we wish you and your team a great winter season in Wellington, Florida. And we’ll look forward to catching up soon.

This month we catch up with Alltech brand ambassador, Lara Edwards, where she talks about her current team of top horses, her passion for breeding and her hopes for the future, all of which she juggles with bringing up her young family.

Tell us about your yard set-up and your current horse line-up.

At the moment I am based at my parent’s yard which is half shared with my brother and his family and my horses. We have our own separate areas and grooms.

My two top horses are, Jazzed up (Felix), who is by the British bred stallion Jazz and Bodyguard Moorland (BG), KWPN Approved stallion by Gribaldi. Felix is currently competing at Small Tour level and BG at Medium Tour.

I have a couple of exciting four-year-olds including, Toute Suite (Mia) who is half-sister to Felix and by Totilas, and Kiki a homebred by Bodyguard.

Huge congratulations on your success during July’s CDI Deauville competition in France. Jazzed Up went so well for you, getting better as the week went on! Can you tell us a little more about the horse and your hopes for the future with him?

Felix was given to me to ride as a six-year-old and I was under the impression that he was rather tricky to break in and being by Jazz, exceptionally sharp. I fell in love with him and spent a few months doing natural horsemanship with him and he is now one of the best horses I have ever ridden. Every day he puts a smile on my face. Although still sharp, he always feels like he lets me tell him it’s ok and he just gets on with it.

How many members of staff do you have and what do they all do?

I have two members of staff and they deal with the day to day running of the yard and all the tacking up, untacking etc. On my days off they will hack or lunge the horses, although not Felix he’s my baby!

When days are tough, how do you motivate yourself?

Enter another competition! Competing gives me a real buzz.

Over the past decade the industry has seen a steep rise in home breeding for competition, how do you feel this has changed the shape of the industry? Are horse and rider relationships now stronger?

I think this is the case because the price of buying a good quality horse has just rocketed, which no one can afford, so they feel they need to breed their own. I still have a bug bear about people paying for semen from Germany or Holland as they feel the quality is better, but they don’t realise there are Dutch stallions standing in the UK.

Predominately your business has focussed on breeding for many years, how difficult is it running a stud and competing professionally?

It isn’t too bad for us as we don’t breed a lot, just a couple a year and to date the ones I have bred have been a bit quiet or small for me so I have had to sell them on, although this year we have three that will be staying with me.

What is your favourite aspect of breeding?

The first sit on a horse you have bred yourself, especially when it is by your own mare and stallion, is extremely rewarding.

How do you feel British breeding is different from European breeding?

In Europe they are more stringent about which mares are allowed to breed, concentrating on those with good breeding themselves or those who have shown themselves to have been successful, which is why generally the quality of horses are better on the continent however, this isn’t the case for my little breeding plan.

What are your professional goals for the next three years?

I would love to secure international selection at senior level at Grand Prix with Bodyguard and the same with Felix, plus being competitive with the young horses coming through. As well as set up a little team of horses and owners.

Which noble steed would you say is the most able to take you to where you want to be and why?

Felix, because of his ability and how he is always with me. It makes him such a fun horse to ride and train.

Since having your second child you’ve bounced back as fierce as ever, how do you juggle motherhood and equestrianism?

Now, this is the side people don’t see of me, with one child it was really quite easy as she just came with me but with two it’s very different and I really have struggled with guilt! I rely heavily on family to help with the girls and can’t do anywhere near as much competing as I would like to, as it involves been away for too many nights.

My husband also works away a bit so it is certainly far from easy and a daily juggling act, believe me!

Where did the equestrian line start in your family? Have any of your relatives been successful in the saddle and/or with breeding?

My brother started riding when he was about seven with a donkey that we loaned off Cleethorpes beach and it started from there.

My brother and my sister, Nicola, both did Pony Club and were very competitive, with my brother going on to event up to advanced level until he started a family. They all still ride now including my five nephews and nieces. Breeding is more my father’s hobby and something he loves to watch, as they turn into my next future stars.

Why dressage? Do you focus on other disciplines at home too?

I have always loved dressage. I had a difficult pony so I had to have numerous dressage lessons over four or five years and then when I moved on to a horse we were quite successful at it so I just carried on from then. I do jump and hack all the horses for fun but I don’t see myself as an eventer again anytime soon.

What has been your biggest learning curve with horses to date?

Enjoy a win! At any level and anywhere, as with horses one day you are winning at the nationals and the next they can roll in the field and cut open a leg and be off for months.

How would you say having children has changed your career and will you encourage them to take up the sport?

I wouldn’t really say it has changed my career just maybe slowed it down a little! I won’t be pushing them as I was never pushed but if they are anything like me it’s in their blood so I don’t think it will take much encouragement. Judging by the last year or so with Annabelle, she has definitely caught the bug as she wants to do it more than time allows!

Who is your best friend and why?

This is a really hard one as I have a handful of really close friends, some I don’t see for months due to our busy schedules but I know they are always there. I also know if I ever needed anything those handful are only a phone call away. I confess I am not the best of best friends as there just aren’t enough hours in the day.

Are you able to tell us more about your ‘mind coaching days’ how did they come about and what do they involve?

This came about from my eventing days when I was so close to hanging up my boots and giving up completely. I lost confidence show jumping at intermediate level eventing and just decided I was no longer enjoying it for fear and nerves. When I said I was taking a break, I was encouraged to go and see a Mind Coach, and it all started there. He was totally amazing and we got on so well and I responded to his advice he thought I should become a coach myself so an ILM level 7 qualification later, that’s what I did.

My coaching days are a chance to share my experiences and techniques to others in a similar position.

In a recent social post, you talked about your ‘toolbox of techniques’, what’s in your box of goodies and how do you find each tool helps you succeed?

This would be telling, come on a one-day programme and I will show you! Basically, it is made up of a lot of NLP, emotional resilience and cognitive behaviour all rolled into one.

What coaching tips do you feel are the most important to a new horse and rider combination?

Firstly, don’t be frightened to ask for help from your trainer. In the early stages of any new partnership it’s important you get off to a good start. Set realistic goals about what you want to achieve and have a plan.

How is the remainder of 2019 looking, where can we expect to see you next?

Busy, nationals in September, a couple more internationals before the end of the year, and Annabelle is keen to get involved as much as possible with The Pony Club, as well as Emily starting at nursery, and Gary has just had a promotion at work too! It never stops.

While it really seems to be onwards and upwards for Lara, we wanted to send a huge thanks to her for taking the time out to answer our questions.

The Lifeforce Range of all-natural, daily digestive aid supplements from Alltech is designed to benefit horses of every stage of life, from breeding stock to pleasure and performance animals.

For further information visit www.lifeforcehorse.co.uk

Sweeping the country from one equestrian event to the other, Piggy French has somehow managed to slot in a quick interview with Everything Horse (EH) this week too. The fresh-faced eventing superstar stopped to talk more on her Badminton win, Vanir Kamira, competing and also took time out to answer a few questions on training too …

So first Piggy, the obvious question, how are you feeling following your 2019 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials win?

It’s been fantastic. The amount of cards, messages, gifts and everything else I’ve received has been really overwhelming. It was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream to win one of the big events and to do it at Badminton in front of such a wonderful crowd and surrounded by some good friends, was a very special moment. We have been busy since so haven’t really had a chance to sit down and enjoy the moment properly yet but we will do when things are a little quieter.

Did you ever think Vanir Kamira would be the horse you’d ride to victory at Badminton?

She is a true 5* horse who thrives on the extreme questions they ask. She’s not easy but she’s finished 2nd and 5th at Burghley in 2017 and 2018 so you always go to a 5* with her hoping to be competitive. If everything falls your way you then have the chance that it might be your day, which it obviously was at Badminton. I’ve had horses who are easier and nicer to ride but she is such a trier that it more than makes up for it. She would do anything for you and keeps fighting right to the end which is so important at that level.

She [Vanir Kamira] would do anything for you and keeps fighting right to the end which is so important at that level”

You previously referred to Vanir Kamira, or ‘Tilly’ as being a difficult mare, is there anything you’ve done differently since taking back the reins in 2017?

I had her as a young horse a long time ago so a lot has changed since then but the fundamentals remain the same: you have to do everything you can to get every horse under your care feeling and performing at their best. She is harder work than some to achieve that, but we have a regime that works well for her so we stick with it and just get her to the big events in the best possible form we can.

Which horse(s) do you have hopes for riding at Burghley?

I would plan to take Vanir Kamira back to Burghley again. She has gone well there the last two years so it would be nice to have another go and see whether we can win it!

Have you had any thoughts on the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing?

It’s a massive prize in our sport so I suppose as soon as you win one of the legs it has to cross your mind. That said, it doesn’t change anything that we would do with the horses because you’re already trying to do the best job possible anyway. Of course, it would be a great prize to win but I have an awful long way to go!

Since Badminton you’ve competed at Aston-le-Walls and Chatsworth and no doubt by now and a handful more, how do you keep going? Do you keep to a healthy lifestyle or is it hard to when traveling and competing so much?

I try to eat and sleep well. I like to be in bed early so that helps and when we’re at home and away I am conscious of trying to eat healthily. However, when you’re at event after event, it can be hard as choice can be limited.

Your son is adorable! Has he found his place in the saddle yet?

He has a pony called Pinky and does enjoy going for rides and I love taking him when I get the chance. He likes jumping and splashing around in the water – the normal things that boys like to do when riding!

You’re consistently on top form! Being apart of the Gold medal winning team at the World Equestrian Games in 2018, and now Badminton with other success in between, what do you consider your reason for success?

Work hard and work with the horses. They don’t need to be amazingly talented but if you can train them well and get them to believe in you then that special partnership can take you a long way.

When you get time away from eventing, what other areas of the equestrian industry do you enjoy?

I enjoy watching the National Hunt racing in the winter and the show jumping on TV. My partner, Tom, has just started breeding some show jumpers so he’s always watching jumping to learn about the stallions and bloodlines. I’ve no idea on the breeding but enjoy watching the horses jump; they’re amazing athletes and it would be great fun to maybe ride a few horses with that ability one day.

Who is your equestrian hero and why?

Mary King was always my hero growing up. She was the best at what she did and enjoyed enormous success at the top level. I used to write letters to her twice a year (my mum wouldn’t let me write any more) and she always wrote back so I really was her Number 1 fan! I finished 2nd at Badminton in 2011 when Mary was 3rd and she started the final press conference with that story which was all very embarrassing!

A few training tips for our readers

What would you say to riders who want to try cross country but haven’t the nerve to do so?

Start small and keep building. Cross country can be intimidating as it’s you and your horse on your own in an open space and fixed fences. Start at a level you’re both comfortable with and gradually step up when you both feel ready. Riding is all about confidence as a partnership so just keep building that and you’ll be going in the right direction.

What tips do you have for riding a difficult horse?

Horses can be difficult but they have to want to work with you. Vanir Kamira isn’t an easy horse: she is hard to get right on the flat, runs with her head down on the cross country and has her own style in the jumping but she really wants to work for you and tries her damnedest to do the right thing which is so important. A horse that just doesn’t want to work for you is a difficult starting point. Eventing, in particular, is so much about your partnership with them and if they don’t want to do it then you haven’t got a partnership, you’re having to make them do it and that doesn’t really work.

For more information on Piggy French (now March), horses and to keep up to date with news visit her website.

Industry Interview: Kate Jupp, Helpline Coordinator Hilton Herbs

As we approach the time of year where school and college leavers start to consider either further education or employment, the team at Everything Horse interviewed Kate Jupp, to give further insight into duties involved in her varied role as helpline coordinator for animal supplement manufacturer, Hilton Herbs. We’ve also been a little cheeky and added a few questions in on common problems, recommendations and top tips too!

Kate Jupp Bsc Hons AMCST , who has recently took the role at Hilton Herbs, has collectively worked in the equestrian industry for over 10 years. Alongside being a professional event rider, historically Kate has trained as a McTimoney Corely Musculoskeletal therapist and is an active practitioner on the RAMP register.

What drove you to take on your current role?

I love helping people and I wanted a role that was more mentally challenging than my previous line of work where I was working training horses and, on the yard full time. A few hours in the warm and dry is a huge bonus, as is a five-day week!

Your current role is rarely discussed, but vital to the workings of the industry. What daily tasks do you need to undertake?

Processing orders tends to be the first job of the day, so they can go to the warehouse where they get produced, picked, packed and sent out.  After this it’s replying to emails, answerphone messages and taking calls on the Helpline. When I get a few quiet moments I use these to work on ideas for marketing and competitions.

Being able to help horse owners choose supplement is a major perk of your job, but what other benefits does your role have to offer?

We like to make our clients feel that we are not here just to sell them products but to listen to them and help solve their problems, hopefully with the help of some herbs.  We have a number of clients who love to call in and place their orders and have a chat, and being relatively new to the company, it’s been so lovely to hear from some of our more long-standing customers who have fed Hilton herbs since the company was founded in 1989.

What do you find the most challenging part of your job ?

Not always knowing the answer! Even with an extensive knowledge about animals, in particular horses, I’m fairly new to the herbal side. In a short space of time, it’s been a steep learning curve about herbs and products (we have over 40 just for horses!) and even about some more unusual ailments. Luckily our Herbalist, Hilary Self, is always on hand to help solve the trickier questions. We also have to abide by strict rules imposed on us by the Veterinary Medicines Directive regarding making medicinal claims for herbal products, so I’ve had to learn to think carefully about my wording.

On competing up to 4* on your own horse, has the experience you have gained within your role proved advantageous to competition?

It’s hard to say as I’ve not had much chance to compete since joining the company as by September the Eventing season is nearly over, but I plan to try the Easy Mare/Easy Mare Plus next season.  I used to give my 4* horse was fed a mix of homeopathic Rhus Tox, Ruta Grav and Arnica which I’m sure helped keep her on the road.

When choosing supplements, what problems do horse owners frequently confront?

Fussy eaters, costs, feeding alongside conventional medicines and making sure the right product is selected.  Some of the herbs like, the seaweed kelp (Ascophyllum nodosum) and the vitex agnus castus, have quite a strong smell but introduced gradually most horses love them.

As we are in the depths of winter, what are the most common queries you encounter from clients?

With colder weather and less turnout, fresh unsettled horses is a common one, we have a great product Calm & Collected that helps many horses during this time.

Sore scabby skin is another common query at this time of year.  We recommend clients, in the ideal world start horses onto our Mud Defender mix before the problem arises, since it takes at least a couple on months for the mix to work its magic and increase the integrity of the skin and its natural resistance to mud – dwelling bacteria.  However, there is no need to panic if it the problem has already arisen, we just recommend the Mud Defender Lotion to soften scabs and calm the condition alongside feeding the Mud Defender powder.

Talking to multiple horse owners a day, is there anything interesting you have taken away from their practices?

In my second week working for Hilton Herbs I took a phone order from a lady and when I checked she was happy with the dose she replied “oh no dear its not for my horse but my pet locusts!”  It made us all chuckle and was a lesson that herbs really can be fed to many species!

Do you have a “must-have” product?

Garlic, it is not expensive to feed and has so many great properties for horses of all ages.  It helps digestion as a natural pre – biotic and the Sulphur in garlic gets eliminated through the skin making the blood bitter tasting – very off-putting off those nasty summer flies.  It’s good for maintaining respiratory conditions.  Until the advent of Penicillin in the 1940’s it was used extensively by doctors in both the first and second World Wars. It’s also anti-parasitic and can be used effectively as part of a worming program alongside worm counts and targeted medication.  And just as a bonus since the herbs we use are all human grade you can even grab some for the cooking!

Finally, what are your top tips for winter horse care and is there anything we can do as owners to prepare for the season?

We all know winter is tough but try to keep a routine and turnout where possible, even if it’s just for an hour.  Use ‘boredom breakers’, apples on string are a great source of amusement and our mini Himalayan salt licks will fit a lick-it holder or try our Herballs in a treat ball.  For the horses in limited work alongside plenty of good quality hay consider feeding a good all- round supplement like our Herb Power or a balancer rather too much hard feed.

For more information on the extensive range of animal supplements Hilton Herbs provide Hilton Herbs.

A London Parade With Some Horsey Action

All The Queen’s Horses are a unique equestrian element to the annual London New Year’s Day Parade which takes to the streets on New Year’s Day to entertain the huge crowds that line the streets along the route through central London. We spoke to organiser and creator of ‘All The Queen’s Horses’, Caroline Marsh (pictured above) to ask her a few burning questions…

HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE PARADE?

With All The Queen’s Horses, it will be nine years in 2019!

HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED?

I got involved via The Donkey Breed Society by a lady named Herdis Churchill. A very influential lady and you never said no to a lady of so much knowledge!

We then represented Croydon via my work with Tramlink (My miniature horses were the mascots for about three years), and then in 2012, All The Queens Horses was born after I pestered the organisers to let us get involved! We have never looked back since!

WHAT IS THE MOST CHALLENGING ASPECT OF THE PREPARATION AND ALSO ON THE DAY

The most significant headache for us is the parking for all the lorries and trailers, which have to fit in a tiny space. Co-ordinating all the team and equines to be on time and in the right place at the right time is also a task in itself!

We found it hard in the first few years, to recruit teams of riders and horses. Many people did not know of the Parade, however in 2012 on its 25th year anniversary the parade had some eight thousand people take part from around the world and was televised via the free channels. From then on, things got much easier for us. Looking back at our first year when there were only three of us looking after the entire horse section to where we are now, with a crew of eight on the day plus a vet, so we’ve come a long way!

TELL US ABOUT THIS YEAR’S PARADE – WHAT IS THE THEME?

Our team of 60 horses will be taking to the streets of London dressed to thrill under this show’s theme heading ‘London Welcomes The World’.

Each year the parade celebrates a particular theme. Last year’s parade celebrating ‘Circus & The Showman’ and the forthcoming parade promises to offer plenty of star quality. The themes are set some two years in advance, as just the preparation for us can take up to six months to put together. Being right in the middle of the show season also makes things quite challenging, as everyone is so busy!!

WHO DECIDES THE THEME AND WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR INSPIRATION?

The main organisers of the LNYDP set the theme, and I have three meetings with the team over the course of the year then in-between regular email and phone updates. It’s crucial that we represent the equestrian community by ensuring our costumes are equally amazing as the non-horsey parade participants. Plus, we have more fun as we can dress up, putting a theatrical twist that goes beyond fancy dress.

HOW LONG DOES THE PLANNING TAKE FOR THIS EVENT

We start talks in March; then the applications begin to roll out along with a waiting list of seventy plus. Even now we are planning 2020!! We have some riders that do year in year out, and I call these my loyal team leaders!

TELL US A FUNNY STORY ABOUT THE PARADE DAY

There are so many to share! But one year, I was getting changed inside the horsebox but not realising that there was a window so I was in full view of everyone having lunch/tea and they could see everything! Then another funny moment that sticks in my mind was back in 2013. We had incredibly wet weather, and the poor girls who did ‘Lady Godiva’ got so wet that their costumes went see-through!

“One year, I was getting changed inside the horsebox but not realising that there was a window so I was in full view of everyone having lunch/tea and they could see everything!”

HOW DO YOU FIND YOUR RIDERS?

We use the power of social media, star spotting at shows and our ever-growing long waiting list to look for our riders. You really have to be passionate about being part of the parade as it’s a significant commitment of both time, energy and also financially as we are not a profit-making outfit, so everyone has to pay their way.

WHAT AGES TO THEY RANGE FROM AND WHICH PARTS OF THE UK

Ages range from our youngest rider at just five years through to seventy!

WHAT BREEDS CAN WE EXPECT TO SEE?

We have all breeds from crosses, through to Spanish, Clydesdales, Mini Shetlands, Ex Racehorses and the Friesian Horse Society are joining us. We love having a real variety because the crowds love it!

DO THEY TRAVEL FROM?

They come from all over England and even Europe. Last year we had riders travelling right from the top of Scotland, battling through the elements to make their way to London!

HOW DOES SOMEONE GET INVOLVED?

The long list of interested parties first sends us a request via email or private message but sadly numbers are strictly limited to a maximum of sixty and places get filled quickly.

IT’S-A PRETTY BIG ATMOSPHERE FOR THE HORSES, HOW DO YOU PREPARE THE HORSES FOR THIS HUGE EVENT?

All the riders that take part have a strict code of conduct, which they have to adhere to, and we ask the riders to fill in a simple tick box form, which gives us an idea of what they feel their horses can cope with. The event is so eclectic, and the whole event is all done at a walk, so you need a calm obedient and bold mount. We also all have a vet inspection before we set off and he has the final word on human and horse. We also request that riders give calmers as a condition. Once the riders have participated once, they always want to go around again, as time goes so quickly!

Preparing the horses for such an electric atmosphere is hard, but training at home, riding at busy local events, riding past schools and competing at the likes of the county shows certainly ensures that you are half way there!

TELL US THE BREAKDOWN OF THE ACTUAL DAY – HOW DO YOU GET ALL HORSES INTO LONDON ETC? GETTING READY/ RIDING THROUGH – HOW LONG DOES THAT TAKE –WHAT ROUTE AND WHAT TIME FINISHES ETC?

We all start around 6 am and I usually have a house full the Welsh crew in my tiny house in South London with the queue for the bathroom always proving fun! They will then go off to my friend’s stables local to me to get their horses whilst my crew of ladies and I will set off for London armed with the tables, radios, crew clothing, rosettes, sashes and list after list as we arrive in London to met the Health & Safety, Andy Morgan and our FEI vet Marikkca from Shotters and Byers,

At 8 am, the lorries then start to arrive, and this is when my crew come into their own, helping to get the trucks parked up and people ticked off lists and settled in. The Sat Nav postcode we always give them is for the Ritz Hotel, which takes them straight into Central London.

It’s always buzzing with general public looking fascinated by the horses as we start to get ready. However, we have to be strict on security despite lots of tourists desperate to come and stroke the horses! Once our costumes are on, and the horses are groomed to perfection and in many cases, also dressed! We have to crack on depending where we are placed in the parade.  Generally, we are in with the first 25 cheerleaders bands section. It’s enjoyable and takes around 45 minutes to get through the parade to finish at Parliament Square. The parade finishes there, and we go back to the horseboxes, via the Horse Guards and ride down the mall towards Buckingham Palace for lots of fabulous photos with the photographers on the route as well.

“All in all, it takes about three hours and around 5km of walking, so not for the faint-hearted.”

All in all, it takes about three hours and around 5km of walking, so not for the faint-hearted or for the leaders on foot, for the unfit! With horses and riders coming from all corners of the UK and factoring the costing for the day: Costumes, stabling sources around the Capital, or coming directly via lorry, food, fuel etc., it works out on average to be a staggering £1,000 per person! So our riders save up all year round to participate. However, to ride round London on such a special day and be involved in such a huge event, is so unique in every sense of the word. As we start to pack up and leave to go home around 3.30pm on the day, the social media goes wild and we are all on a high and already planning next year!

Websites to visit for more information:

www.allthequeenshorses.co.uk

www.LNYDP.co.uk

Are you ready to be inspired?

At the age of 26, Catie Staszak, has already become an essential part in FEI competition coverage. Renewing her contract with the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping North America League, she has also become a spearhead for women in the equestrian media industry, being the only female commentator for this event. Staszak’s expertise have also seen her soar across the world, taking her hand from pen to paper, to the silver screen.

We caught up with the young, globe-trotting media personality to learn more about her journey, and pursuing her dream career.

Interview by Abby Dickinson

Being a multi award-winning journalist doesn’t come easily! How did you begin your journey into equestrian journalism, to become the success you are today?

I’ve been very fortunate to have been steadfast in my career choice for a long time. I grew up in a sports oriented family; my father is a former hockey player, and my mom rode in her youth, though not competitively. I started riding when I was four years old and I spent a lot of quality time with my mom in the barn throughout my childhood. My dad and I, meanwhile, bonded over sports debate.

In high school, I participated in an equitation challenge that involved not only showing over a course of fences, but also grooming my own horse, schooling myself and writing an essay. I won the essay portion, which led to an opportunity to write a monthly column for Sidelines magazine, which was my first experience with equestrian journalism. From there, it grew organically. I studied broadcast journalism, sport administration and photojournalism at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida, which gave me my first on-air experiences. After I graduated, I got my first full-time industry job at Gulfstream Park racetrack, where I was the youngest professional handicapper on a national simulcast in the country. I also spent some time covering mainstream sports with ESPN West Palm. After that, I started getting opportunities to combine my two greatest passions and provide commentary for show jumping events, which led me to working with the FEI and starting my own business, Catie Staszak Media, Inc. I absolutely love what I do!

You cover a wide range of equestrian events. How do you make your work standout from other journalists in the field?

As a broadcast analyst, I pride myself in my research and preparation. I write all my own notes, and I update them every time I go on air. I am constantly reading and soaking in any information I can about the ongoings of the sport, and since I also write, I am also regularly talking with riders, trainers and other professionals in the industry. I am always looking for a new story to tell and striving to educate others about equestrian sports. I especially enjoy introducing and sharing the success stories of up-and-coming horses and riders.

You also take on many roles, including broadcasting, print journalism, and even media management is under your list of endless skills! What is your favourite role to take on during equestrian events?

In college, I was repeatedly taught the value in being a “one-woman band,” as the trend in media across industries is convergence. I focus on being as versatile as possible and offering as many services that I can. However, there’s nothing that excites me more than going on air to commentate on a grand prix. It’s simply exhilarating.

Show jumping is immensely popular in Europe, but the culture is a bit different in the U.S. with the presence of the “big four” sports—the NFL (National Football League), NBA (National Basketball Association), NHL (National Hockey League) and MLB (Major League Baseball). In America, show jumping may never reach the popularity of what is considered to be a mainstream sport, but it is my goal to bring our sport closer to that level of recognition. I aspire to increase the exposure of show jumping in America by sharing the incredible stories within our sport, educating and just plain getting people more excited about it. After all, the United States just won gold at the FEI World Equestrian Games in September, and the last two winners of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Final—McLain Ward and Beezie Madden—have been American riders.

What is the most exciting part of job, and what do you think is the most difficult part?

What is more exciting than show jumping? I can hardly contain my excitement each time I take up the microphone and my director counts down the final few seconds before our broadcast goes live. It is thrilling to watch and study such phenomenal competitions at incredible destinations and share them with others through our broadcasts.

Fitting in all that I take on can be a challenge at times. I am not perfect, and sometimes I can take on too much or wear myself down. I try to practice careful organization and planning! I also am not going to get every job opportunity that is out there, but I am grateful for every opportunity that arises and strive to improve daily. I am incredibly motivated, and if an opportunity doesn’t work out the first time around, I do not let that discourage me; there’s always another chance, and I will try again!

With so many equestrian destinations on your record, which is your favourite event to attend and why?

This is an incredibly difficult question! I am very fortunate to attend some incredible shows! I was in Omaha when McLain Ward claimed his first World Cup Finals victory on home turf aboard HH Azur, and that was a moment I won’t soon forget. That event was also run exceptionally; Omaha was a wonderful host.

My favorite horse show venue is probably Thunderbird Show Park in Langley, British Columbia, where I go for the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping Vancouver and the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup of Canada. It is simply a beautiful area with a tremendous management team.

The Palm Beach Masters, held at the spectacular Deeridge Farms in Wellington, Florida, is another favourite, and I fell in love with Lausanne, Switzerland, when I moderated the FEI Sports Forum. Lastly, the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto, Canada, and the Washington International Horse Show in Washington, D.C., are very special to me, because those venues are held at hockey arenas, and I broadcast from the same booth they use to call games, bringing me full circle with my family roots.

Not only are you jet-setting across the world to cover events, you also find time to ride in between! How do you balance finding time to ride and compete with such a busy schedule?

Riding is what makes me happiest, so I determine to fit it in whenever I can! When I am at home, I am riding every day; I make it happen whether I have to wake up early or go to bed late. I am often driving in my car with several changes of clothes and eating meals in my car, and I’ve done a few business calls while cooling out a horse! When I’m traveling, I obviously don’t get to ride as much, but I’m fortunate to be able to both work and ride at a few horse shows each year. I no longer own my own show horse; however, I am very fortunate to have some great friends and relationships in the industry where I can catch ride, and from time to time I’ll lease a horse.

When I’m home, I prioritize visiting Sobrie, my retired horse, at least once a week. He was my first horse and the only one I still own. I’ve had him for more than 20 years, and he taught me nearly everything I know about horsemanship. He’s 24 now and enjoying life at my friend’s equine retirement and rehabilitation sanctuary. He’s my very best friend.

Being the only female commentator for the FEI World Cup North American League, you are leading the field for female equestrian journalism. What does it feel like to be one of the pioneers of female sports commentating?

To be honest, I hadn’t thought about it that much until recently when someone mentioned it to me, but yes, I’ve always been the lone female in a male-dominated industry when it came to sports television. At the racetrack, I was 22 years old, and my co-host was in his 60s; I found that environment to be much more challenging when it came to gaining respect as a young female professional. In show jumping, men and women have equal respect as competitors, and while all my co-hosts are European men, I am treated with equal respect in the booth and commentary box as well.

When I first started broadcasting in the show jumping industry, I would get the occasional comment that I wasn’t as pleasant to listen to, because I was not an English man. I’m not, and I can’t and won’t change that, but I hope I’m a more familiar voice now as I’ve worked my way up the ladder (with more rungs still to go!). I definitely have a broadcast voice that differs from my speaking voice, and if I don’t switch “off” immediately following a broadcast, my friends will tease me about it!

There have been so many female pioneers in broadcasting who have come before me and had far more difficult waters to navigate in the industry. I hope I can inspire other young girls to pursue their dreams, no matter how wild or unrealistic they may seem at the time.

Where can we see you at work throughout 2019, and is there any events you dream of working at in the future?

You can find me at all 14 legs of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup North American League! I also work at Upperville CSI4*, the oldest horse show in the U.S., along with Thunderbird’s CSIO5* Nations Cup, the Palm Beach Masters series, the Capital Challenge Horse Show, the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival and some boutique shows with charitable components, such as the Franktown Meadows Hunter Derby, which is the only standalone hunter derby left in the U.S. I’m sure there will be more, as I’m always on the go!

My dream is to cover the Olympics, so Tokyo 2020 would definitely be a goal of mine, and I’d love to get an opportunity at some more European events as well as at Spruce Meadows in Canada. There are so many incredible shows and destinations across the globe!

What advice do you have for anyone trying to break into the equestrian media industry?

Don’t give up! There is no set formula or path to success in the industry outside of hard work, so be yourself and forge your own path. If you don’t ask, the answer is automatically, “No.” Surround yourself with a good team: I am so blessed to have the support of some incredible people at the FEI as well as my parents, friends and more—too many to mention without writing a book! Be kind, and never forget why we are all involved in the industry in the first place: a true love for the horse.

Interview: DR Simon Curtis – A Sound Knowledge of the Hoof

What Dr Simon Curtis doesn’t know about the equine hoof, isn’t worth knowing. In addition to his contributions to farriery, he has established himself as an author by writing of four in-depth books and being published in numerous journals.

Simon has also lectured and demonstrated farriery in more than 20 countries on six continents. He is a visiting lecturer at the University of Cambridge and is the only farrier to have been awarded an Honorary Associate by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. Simon is also a Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Farriers and previously Chairman of the Farriers Registration Council. Other accolades include his induction to the International Farriers Hall of Fame; being awarded an Honorary Fellowship of Myerscough College; and gaining his Doctoral degree in Equine Biomechanics & Physiology.

Here, on the brink of publishing another book, we find out more on how he built his career in farriery, learn more on his recent award; The Sir Colin Spedding Award, and learn more on how his new book differs in context from his usual approach. 

Interview by Abby Dickinson.

What attracted you to build a career in farriery?

I enjoyed the outdoor life and working with horses and every day seemed to bring about a new challenge. My family had been farrier’s for many generations in the Newmarket area so I took what I thought was the “easy option”. Little did I know!

What inspired you to further scientific research into farriery practice and the horse’s hoof?

I always had a curious mind. By that I mean a mind full of curiosity! I had a general interest in science. Even at school I used to well at physics and biology; not so good at chemistry. There were so many – and still are – so many unanswered questions about the horse’s hoof. 

Congratulations on your most recent award, the Sir Colin Spedding Award! Do you think the award has elevated your platform and voice, and the importance of farriery?

It was a wonderful day for me and certainly a surprise. I said at the time that I took it to mean that the equine industry as a whole was recognising the role good farriery plays in promoting soundness and longevity in our horses.

You are now the author of four books, ‘The Hoof of The Horse’ being published in Autumn 2018. What was your inspiration for the new book?

I was struck over recent years in how well our young farriers are trained and the extent of their knowledge. They can name every ligament in the leg and tell you in detail the circulatory and nervous system. However, if you ask them how hoof grows they look at you dumbstruck. It seemed to me that our primary knowledge should be the hoof. There has been more science applied to the hoof during the last 30 years but no one has tried to bring it together as a whole work.

Could you tell us some topics the book will discuss? What are your favourite discussion points that you have included?

I have a chapter on hoof shape because we recognise that hoof distortion is closely linked to unsoundness and horses with paired feet do better athletically and last longer. There is a section of The Hoof of the Horse with five chapters which track the developmental changes to the hoof from pre-birth to old age. I call this ‘the five ages of the hoof’ as each age is totally different in the way the hoof behaves and is changed. I do have chapters on trimming and shoeing but these look at the effects that such activities have upon the hoof rather than how to carry them out. In other words, this is not a farriery manual but is rather a hoof-centric book examining various beneficial and detrimental human effects.

I suppose my favourite discussion point is: if foals are born with symmetrical paired hooves, why is that this is a rarity in adult horses? I think that my book answers this important question.

Within your research for writing ‘The Hoof of The Horse’, did you come across any new information that even you did not previously know?

I learned loads of new information from the names of the microbes which attack the horn (which nobody really needs to know!) to how the shape of the hoof of free ranging feral horses can vary according to their exercise and under-foot conditions. The angle of the hoof changes throughout a healthy horse’s life -we need to take that into account when assessing them. Every chapter is filled with new findings and my challenge was to sort out their relevance and explain them in an understandable way. 

How will the book apply to horse-owners, up and down the country? Will the average horse owner be able to put ‘The Hoof of The Horse’ theory into practice with their own horses?

I hope that horse-owners buy it and find it useful. It will explain many things that they have noted with their horses’ hooves. As I said earlier, it is not a manual so it is not trying to teach someone how to trim or shoe a horse. It is a pure knowledge book and from knowledge comes improvement. There are chapters on how our domestic  environment can damage hooves and what type of environment is healthiest for hooves. There are simple things that an owner can do to promote stronger hoof.

What are the ‘must-read’ sections in ‘The Hoof of The Horse’ that everyone, horse-owners and farriers, need to sink their teeth into?

Actually, I deliberately wrote this book for the reader to start at the beginning and work their way through it. My previous three books were reference books where the reader would dip into parts of interest. If you were to just read one chapter out of interest in the horse then I would recommend the chapter on the evolution of the digit. If you were concerned about the way your horse’s hooves looked then the chapter on hoof shape should give you answers. If you wondered whether you horse should go shoeless then the chapter on the effects of trimming will help.

Finally, could you give our readers your top three tips for healthy hooves?

1) Trim monthly during development and then every six weeks thereafter.

2) Keep your horse on wood-chip bedding.

3) Find a good farrier and stick with them.

INTERVIEW Nina Barbour on Combining Work Commitments with Competing

• LGCT London Success for Nina amid planning the 2018 Liverpool International Horse Show

For any business professional, combining work commitments with a passion for your chosen sport and wanting to be the best you can be is never easy.  Here we talk to Nina Barbour, president and founder of both the Liverpool International Horse Show and the Equerry Bolesworth International Horse Show about her recent success at the Longines Global Champions Tour London.

Tell us about the two horses you took to LGCT London?

I took Cushlas Reviro, who is by my multi-award winning stallion Ramiro B and AK’s Culcha Candela, an eight-year-old grey mare I have owned since February this year.

Cushlas Reviro, or Bear as he is known at home, is just a seven-year-old and went really well. His sire Ramiro B is ranked 4th Event sire in the World this year, and set to rise following the success of his progeny this year.

Bear was third and fourth in the CSI** 1.15m on the Friday and Saturday and coped really well with the atmosphere at the Royal Hospital Chelsea.

AK’s Culcha Candela came from Denmark, where she was produced by young rider Konstantin Deeken, and I think she’s a bit of a superstar! I was delighted with her performance, as this was by far our biggest test to date and she was seventh in the 1.40m class on the second day, with a good round in our first 1.45 World Ranking Class on Sunday.

As an organiser and founder of two of the fastest growing international shows in Britain I know what it takes to make them a success and it was brilliant that LGCT London was so well supported over the three days. I am in awe of what Jan Tops has created, and his business and events, together with the media surrounding them, are truly an inspiration.

Life must be incredibly busy how do you fit everything in?

Riding and competing is very important to me and I still have the ambition to keep improving and learning, and to keep in touch with the Sport at every level.

Competing at International level and being fortunate enough to travel to some of the best shows in the World, is so important to make sure we don’t take our eye off the ball, and everywhere I go I try to pick up a new idea or something we could replicate at one of our events (or sometimes even something we shouldn’t do!).

I try to ride before office hours and keep quite a strict schedule that if I want to go out and compete at the highest level then the work at home has to be done, and I have a great team at Bolesworth to support this.

We are now on the countdown to the 2018 Liverpool International Horse Show – how’s it going?

We are so excited to be back on sale after a challenging year, and are planning something spectacular for this New Year, and sales are going well. 

We have many of the old favourites returning including music from Rick Parfitt Junior and the RPJ Band, the Shetland Pony Grand National, Freestyle Motocross, the very best international show jumping and dressage and a soon to be announced spectacular new display, along with plenty of surprises and a stunning finish to 2018 as we see in the New Year in style!

The Echo Arena is a unique venue located in the heart of Liverpool’s Heritage Zone, next to the Albert Dock and the famous Liver Building. If you haven’t been before I can guarantee you’ll fall in love with the city, and of course be stunned by the show that we will be putting on for you. 

To enquire about VIP tickets & private boxes please contact hospitality@bolesworth.com

To buy general admission tickets and for further information about accessible seating and group deals visit www.liverpoolhorseshow.com

5 Minutes with Colin Bramley-Robins, Judge and Chairman of British Palomino Society

Do you love showing and have a Palomino horse or pony? Ever wanted to know what judges look for when you are in the ring? Here we talk to BPS Chairman and judge Colin Bramley-Robins on what he looks for in the showing world.

1. How long have you been a judge and what made you want to become a judge?

I have judged for around 30 years up to county level. I became a judge as a way of giving back the enjoyment which I have had the privilege of experiencing by showing my ponies for many years. I find it very rewarding encouraging people to show their animals.

2. Are you a breeder or have your bred Palominos in the past?

I have bred Shetlands, PBA and pure bred Arabs for many years. I had chestnut pure bred and a Palomino PBA standing at stud as well as different Shetland stallions over the years.

3. What is it about the Palomino and Cream Dilute gene that fascinates you?

I’ve always been attracted to Palominos. You can’t get anything as beautiful on a horse as the sheen they have in the sunlight on their summer coat.

4. So, when in the ring what is the first thing you look for when judging the classes?

When judging I look for quality and substance. Confirmation has to be good as well. Horses and ponies must cover the ground correctly, a lot of this is down to the handler/rider on the way they show their animals.

5. What can riders or handlers do to stand out?

All riders and handlers need to be clean and smartly dressed. Handlers need to wear safe and sensible footwear so you can run your animal out. There is nothing worse than a beautifully turned out horse and a scruffy handler/rider.

6. What are your pet hates?

One of my pet hates is competitors that walk out of the ring if they don’t get placed in the line-up. It is just very bad sportsmanship.

7. Will you be judging at The BPS National Championships in July?

I will be judging at the nationals this year. I am looking forward to seeing new and long committed members showing their animals.

8. Why do you think owners should join The British Palomino Society?

We are a very friendly society. We’ve been running for many years and are very committed to helping people with their Palominos and cream dilutes.

For further information on The British Palomino Society visit the website www.thebritishpalominosociety.co.uk

Born and raised in Italy, transferring to Britain to pursue his professional riding career, Dan Bizzarro is without doubt the one to watch on the eventing circuit for 2018.

We were lucky enough, before the season really swings into action, to ask him a few questions on how British equestrianism differs from that in Italy, how he got on working for William Fox-Pitt and to learn a little about his current team of horses.

How do you think Britains equestrian culture differs from that in Italy?

It’s completely different in Great Britain – you realise that just talking to people. You can go anywhere in Italy and talk about football and people will know and understand. Comparatively, you can go anywhere in England and talk about horses – people either have horses themselves, or they know of someone who rides. Equestrianism is very popular in this country, unfortunately not so in Italy. There’s a lot more history of success in this country that’s been carried on. At the beginning of last century, everyone was looking up at Italian riders who were winning medals at championships, but unfortunately, that’s been lost.

What do you miss most about home?

My family and my friends. Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to go home enough last year. I went back home in January this year but hadn’t been at home for a year at this point. My New Years Resolution is actually to make sure I go home more often. I’m going for 3 days in 2 weeks time which I’m really looking forward to. I miss the food – Italian restaurants in England just aren’t the same!

How was your time spent when working for William and what did you take away from the whole experience?

It was very hard work but so worth it. I was there as a rider, whilst also working on the yard. It was useful to help me improve my riding, I learned from riding with him and watching him exercising. I also had a chance to learn a lot about management of the yard and the horses from him and Jackie, his head girl. The main thing I learned is about the organisation, managing the horses and planning.

Do you have a mentor or coach, if so what’s the most important piece of advice that they have given you?

My showjumping trainer, Paul Hulburd, is my mentor. The best piece of advice he’s taught me is to always be patient and make sure that you focus on the horses way of going and find a way to support and help them to improve it.

Which horses will you be campaigning this year and which are you most excited about?

At the moment I’ve got Digbe, my ex-racehorse (who will aim for the 6 year old championships) and a couple of 4 year olds which will do age classes and hope to qualify for the Burghley Young Event Horse. I sold 5 competition horses last year so am currently looking for my next string. Got a great sponsor who’s looking to buy some horses for me so we’re going to Spain in 2 weeks time to look at some more.

Will you stay in GB or do you intend to return to Italy at some point?

Definitely, still in England, my life is here now.

What do you do out of the saddle to keep fit and do you follow a healthy eating plan?

I do try to go and run as much as I can. I enjoy putting some music on and going for a run around the village on the nice quiet lanes. I don’t have a strict diet but I do pay attention to what I’m eating to ensure it’s balanced. I don’t eat ready made food. I try to cook as much as I can and buy lots of meat, eggs, fruit and vegetables. I do have a diet rich in protein.

What advice would you give to someone who is having problems with a nappy horse?

Make sure he’s in front of the leg, the main thing for any horse is to respect the leg. When a horse is in front of a leg, you’ve got a lot more chance of sorting problems. If a horse is nappy they generally don’t respect and know they can take advantage. Establish the respect, not so the horse is afraid, but so the relationship between horse and rider and the trust is as good as can be.

How do you build a bond with your horses? Is it time in the saddle or on the ground? What advice would you give to others who are having trouble bonding?

For me it’s time spent in the saddle. Unfortunately, I don’t have lots of time to spend with them on the ground. I make sure I have enough time for each horse to work well, I hate to be in a rush. If a horse needs to spend more time under saddle with me I make sure I offer that. I always make sure I give them variety, lots of people just go in the arena and jump and do flatwork, I like to go out into the country, hacking round the lanes and doing hill work. It offers so many benefits. It really depends on what the problem is. The worst thing a rider can feel is the sense of being lost; lost in direction and not knowing what to do or how to feel. Regular tuitions from a good experienced trainer can really help, and don’t rush it. Make sure you spend enough time bonding.

What do you feel is the most beneficial training exercise for young horses starting a career in Eventing?

Spend hours and hours working on a 20m circle – because when you feel that your horse is comfortably walking, trotting and cantering in a 20m circle, everything is working well. Work on both reins so you have an evenly strong and balanced horse. At the beginning, it will feel like you need to support every stride, then the horse starts to become more balanced and is strong enough to support himself. If the horse is not balanced or strong enough, he’s going to struggle jumping course of fences or going cross country.

Follow Dan on Facebook Facebook or visit his website now dbeventing.

Nina Barbour is one busy lady. Heralded for the outstanding success that is Bolesworth International Horse Show, while also ensuring the smooth running of the family’s 6,000 acre estate and the many businesses in the surrounding Cheshire countryside including Harthill Stud.  Read on to find out more about this fascinating, hardworking young woman as we count down to this year’s show – June 14 to 18.

Bolesworth International Horse Show looks set to be bigger and better this year with the new title that encompasses a family feel supported by top class equestrian action.

Here Nina takes time out from her busy schedule to tell us more about a typical day and what drives her to succeed in all aspects of her life.

Nina, can you tell us about a ‘typical’ day?

I try to be on a horse before 8am and ride up to four when I am at home.  Riding is a very important part of my life and I get a lot of satisfaction from producing horses and competing.  After riding I catch up with my emails, can have various meetings to attend for Bolesworth International, Harthill Stud, the estate and now Liverpool International.  In the evening I try to catch up with friends for dinner locally but I am also away quite a lot and the last 12 months have been very busy.

How you do divide your time between the various businesses you are involved in?

It is really just as and when I need to be in a meeting or part of the decision making process that I get more involved.  The overall strategy for all the businesses are in place and the various teams work hard to make it all happen.  Mum is very involved in all aspects and I catch up with her a couple of times a week or when we feel we need to.

Where did it all start when you decided to develop Bolesworth International?

We ran the national show for six years and as I started to compete and travel more I saw how fantastic some of the shows abroad were and what both competitors and spectators wanted from a competition format and venue.

I decided there was a massive opportunity here and wanted to make a big impact.  When I was at Dublin in 2013 I was sat with Daisy Bunn and Nick Skelton who said in order to make it work we had to have an international arena with a surface and from there we started to work with Andrews Bowen who did a fantastic job at Bolesworth.

Where do you get your energy and passion from?

From a Bolesworth International point of view it is the fact myself and the team want it to be the very best show possible.  Also bringing the event to our home at Bolesworth Castle is incredibly special.

How do you like to enjoy any spare time?

When there is time I enjoy running, going to the gym and keeping fit in general.  I also enjoy socialising with friends and going out for meals.

Which other members of the family are involved in day to day business life?

I work closely with mum on all aspects of the business and she is also very supportive with the horses.  My sister Cleo is also involved and is there for when I need to chat decisions through.

To find out more about horse show, and/or to buy tickets for this year’s event, visit the Bolesworth International website here.

Rider Interview: Up Close and Personal with Sam Ecryod

#EverythingHorseMagazine – February 2017 – Rider Interviews

Courtesy of his sponsor, retro surf inspired fashion brand Whale Of A Time Clothing, we caught up with young eventer Sam Ecroyd for a quick fire Q&A

When did you first start riding and who was your first pony?

“I began riding at about three years old on a coloured pony called Diamond, and she bolted with me on the beach when I was around five years old, and I fell off on a stone. I wasn’t a fan of riding then and refused to get back on until I was about nine years old.“

At what age did you know you wanted to become a professional eventer?

“I knew I wanted to be a professional rider as soon as I went to my first Pony European Championships in 2010. I love eventing, but have always wanted to do more show jumping and is something I am planning on pushing more.”

What is your most memorable horsey moment to date be it competition wise or just having fun?

“I remember when I was about 9 I was playing cowboys and Indians on my pony with a friend. I tied it up to a post by his reins with the bridle still on (BAD IDEA) and went for lunch… when I came back out the bridle was on the floor with no pony in sight … I spent about an hour looking for him only to find him stood back in his stable lying down with his saddle on (EVEN WORSE) “

Who were your horsey idols when you were growing up?

“I first watched Michael Jung at the World Equestrian Games in 2010, and he has been a real inspiration of mine since then. He’s an unbelievable rider and incredible horseman.”

Do you ever get nervous before a big competition, and if so, how do you control your nerves?

“I never really get too nervous, but before I go cross country my hands shake, I’ve never understood why even when I feel totally fine!”

What’s been your biggest horsey disappointment and how did you overcome it?

“Last year at the European Championships I was in contention for an individual medal after a clear round on the cross country. Unfortunately I could not finish the competition as my horse had picked up an injury on the course, this was very disappointing, however, is a part of the sport and something you have to accept and just concentrate on the next competition.”

How do you prepare for riding a big cross-country course?

“I make a very clear plan that suits you before setting off, then be ready to do the complete opposite if needed after you have started.”

What are your top tips for training a horse?

“My top tip is to always work with a horse and never against it. It is all about harmony and understanding each other, you can’t force a horse into doing something, it’s a relationship.”

What’s the best piece of advice you ever been given and who was it from?

“The harder you work, the luckier you get, my dad told me this, but he probably stole that saying from someone!”

If you hadn’t taken up riding as a career what else do you think you would have gone into and why?

“A few people have asked me this question, and I genuinely have no idea, I had never thought of a career from horses, and hope I don’t have to!”

Do you have any lucky items or routines when competing?

“I used to have a lot of superstitions before competing and during the competition, but it was starting to get out of control, so one day I decided that in reality, it made no difference, it was only for my peace of mind, so I don’t have any anymore.”

What do you look for in a good event horse?

“For me, the most important things are the trainability, desire to work, and jumping ability of the horse, we spend training so long on dressage I think it’s paramount that they have a natural talent for the jumping.”

What are your goals for the future?

“The goal is to be world number one, I have to hope to be the best otherwise there is no chance. However, I might have to wait until Michael Jung retires first!”

About Sam:

Full name: Samuel George Clive Ecroyd

Date of birth: 28/01/97

Profession: Event Rider

Top horses: Master Douglas, Wodan III

Likes: Football

Dislikes: Dressage

Secret crush: Margot Robbie (Australian actress)

Worst Habits: Biting my nails

Fun fact: Appeared on television on a dating show “Take Me Out.”

For more information on Samuel’s sponsors visit www.whaleofatimeclothing.com