Since I began riding as a child I was always in awe of the top top riders and aspired to be one of them. I was not born into a wealthy family and have always scrimped and saved to ride and have a few lessons when I could afford them. One day out of the blue I couldn't see properly out of one eye and it turned out I had a detached retina and after a 5 hour surgery I was lucky my sight was saved but I was told I shouldn't ride as a fall could leave me blind. My passion for horses was too strong. I could not give up riding but I did stop jumping where the likelihood of a fall was so much greater. 

There started my journey as a dressage rider.

At first I thought it was boring in comparison to galloping across country but as I progressed through the grades with my eventer turned dressage horse I was hooked. I wanted every step the horse took to be perfect every move to be absolutely correct and for a little while it was to my detriment as I was trying too hard, I had to relax and let it flow. At that time my aspirations were to be like Nicol Uphoff and Rembrandt and I would watch her religiously whenever I could. We didn't have the internet in the way we do now!!

My mother bred appaloosas and one was sold to a lady in Switzerland who wanted me to train and compete her which I did and we blew the appaloosa world apart getting to Grand Prix and at that time I was living in NZ I travelled to Australia to compete in the Australian Championships and went on to be the first person in the world to ride an appaloosa at a CDI and the Pacific League World Cup Final in 2003 in Werribee placing 8th. We were written up in articles in American magazines and I was longlisted in NZ for the Athens Olympics . Sadly the marriage of the owner broke down and the mare was sold in the divorce settlement. I thought my lifelong dream had ended. I was devastated. 

Not letting my lifelong dream go, I picked myself up demonstrated my resiliance after adversity and started again from the bottom and have trained 3 further horses through the grades Eloquence was not Talented, Darjeeling was absolutely amazing and she bought me back to Australia forever but unfortunately could never produce her best as was unable to stay sound Limitless is Grand Prix but not an international quality so spends his time teaching young riders. 

I accidentally found the horse that has really put the sparks back into my eyes and my dream is again raging through me. Zippo Naeldeborg or Mr Zippo to me, came as a project with a reputation as a fire breathing dragon. He is bright, sensitive, and with such superstar talent and we just hit it off and our partnership is growing daily. He trusts me and my endless patience even on days when things don't go according to plan. He doesn’t get nervous in big atmosphere in fact he actually seems to show off when at a competition. With my age ascending my yearning to achieve my international dressage goals have had me thinking of nothing else but to find a way to make it happen before it's too late - don't worry I have many years left in me yet - but I don't ever want to rue the day I didn't try. 

I was spending my evenings watching international dressage riding and training and I had been following Christoph Hess as I had become addicted to his quiet training methods. I loved trying them as they really suit Mr Zippo’s sensitive nature and I had a question or two so I boldly searched and found his details and sent him an email - To my surprise he responded almost immediately and wanted to see me and Zippo. We set up an online lesson with my Pivo and at this first meeting he said "you sit really well and I really really like your horse" He asked me what my goals were and when I told him he offered for me to go to Germany to train with him. Not just the riding but take me to coaching and judging seminars that he gives also. I was stunned at first but WOW such an opportunity I definitely could not turn down. We will be the trail blazer creating a path that others may be able to tread as it is something Christoph has not done previously.

So that is how this path has been created I will be in on the cutting edge of training and judging with a master of dressage. I would love for you all to be a part of this journey with me. I love to coach and judge and foster and cultivate young and/or aspiring riders and judges, to mentor and support them to achieve their own ambitions. My current students will tell you how I give them my all at every session and even now we have set up to continue training via online so they can take advantage of my further knowledge gained immediately and on my return so many more participants, competitors and judges will be able to benefit from my learning. The travel and training is very pricey so if you would help me prepare to be my best for the world equestrian games and realise my lifelong passionate dream by making a tax-deductible donation, it would be absolutely amazing!