From Pony Club kid to the Junior showjumping circuit. A mother, a coach, and the journey to competitive showjumping
There’s a moment in every young rider’s journey when things begin to feel different. The ponies get bigger. The courses get more technical. And the sport starts asking more of both horse and rider.
Our daughter Willo has been riding in the Junior (1.20m to 1.30m) showjumping ranks in Australia for a few years now.
But this season feels different.
At seventeen and a half, she’s stepping into her final year eligible for Juniors, and together we’ve decided to join a prestigious competition stable in Queensland with her horse Sammy, to give the season a proper shot.
Not because she’s just arrived at this level.
But because she’s returning to it with a new kind of maturity.
The Long Road to Here
I’ve been Willo’s coach for more than ten years.
Which means I’ve seen every stage of her riding journey.
The pony club days.
The wobbly early lessons.
The confidence highs.
The first canter.
And the inevitable setbacks that come with growing up in horses.
Like many young riders chasing competitive showjumping, Willo stepped into the Junior division early and spent several seasons learning the ropes — riding courses, travelling to events, and discovering just how competitive the Australian junior showjumping circuit can be. She did very well.
But as life sometimes does, the path didn’t stay straight.
There was a chapter where horses quietly stepped out of the picture for a while.
For a horse kid, that kind of pause can feel devastating.
And for parents, it can be just as hard to watch and witness.
Mac and I learned a lot in that season.
Mostly about letting go.
About trusting that young people sometimes need space to find their own direction.
And about believing that if horses truly belong in someone’s life, they tend to find their way back.
One of the beautiful things about horses is that they don’t rush anyone.
They simply wait.
And eventually, riders find their way back to the saddle — often stronger, clearer, and more determined than before.
That’s what we’ve seen with Willo.
She rode in the Junior ranks earlier in her teens, but stepping back into the arena now at seventeen feels very different from the fourteen-year-old rider she once was.
She’s stronger.
More thoughtful.
More patient with both herself and her horse.
The kind of rider who understands that good showjumping rounds are built from partnership and preparation — not just talent.
A Family That Has Done the Miles
If you raise horse kids, you quickly learn that competitive showjumping in Australia involves a lot of kilometres.
Mac and I have done some very serious miles in the truck over the years.
The kind where, somewhere around hour eight of a road trip, you start questioning your life choices … before remembering exactly why you’re doing it in the first place.
There have been early mornings, dusty warm-up arenas, and a long list of expenses that horse families know all too well.
Lessons.
Entries.
Fuel.
Feed.
Equipment.
Horse people understand this life.
But the miles become part of the story too.
Because the real journey in horses isn’t measured in ribbons.
It’s measured in years.
The Next Step: Going Out On Her Own
Competition barns aren’t new to Willo — she’s spent time in them before.
But this season marks the first time she’s heading into that environment more independently, with Sammy, to focus fully on her final Junior year.
Joining a professional showjumping training stable offers exposure to experienced senior riders, structured training, and the rhythm of high-level competition that helps sharpen both horse and rider.
For young riders chasing the showjumping pathway in Australia, this kind of environment can be an important part of development.
And for Willo, it feels like the right step at the right time.
It also marks another bit of a shift for our family.
For the first time in years, Mac and I won’t be the ones planning every competition trip, every schedule, and every kilometre in the truck.
Which, if I’m honest, removes A LOT of pressure here at Hiddy & Co as things continue to grow.
Now we get the privilege of turning up, standing on the sidelines, and cheering her on — occasionally enjoying the competitions without quite being in the trenches organising every detail ourselves.
A new season for all of us, really.
The Reality of Junior Showjumping
The Junior showjumping division in Australia is incredibly competitive.
The courses are technical.
The riders are determined.
And the standard continues to rise each year.
It’s a space where young riders quickly learn that talent alone isn’t enough.
Consistency matters.
Horsemanship matters.
Mental strength matters.
And above all, partnership with the horse matters.
Because no matter how big the arena becomes, the job remains the same:
Ride the horse that shows up on the day. One fence at a time.
Whether Willo wins ribbons this year or simply gains more experience in the Junior showjumping circuit, the goal is to give it a red-hot go!
To become a more thoughtful, resilient rider who develops horses well and rides with confidence under heaps of pressure.
Because the real aim isn’t just Junior results.
It’s the long game.
Young Rider showjumping classes (18–25 years 1.30m to 1.40m) come next.
Then the senior competition.
And maybe one day the bigger arenas where Australia’s best riders compete — including the World Cup showjumping events that inspire so many young riders watching from the sidelines.
For now though, it’s about this moment.
A young junior rider.
A good horse.
A new environment.
And the courage to return to the arena and give it another go.
At Hiddy & Co we talk often about the idea of a “safe little paddock” — a place where growth happens quietly, over time, without pressure or perfection. Watching Willo step into this next chapter reminds me that those years matter. The steady lessons, the setbacks, the pauses, and the returns all build something deeper than results. That’s the real journey with horses — and it’s one I feel incredibly grateful to witness and be a part of.
And as both mum and coach, I couldn’t be prouder to watch it unfold.
With heart (and horses),
Hiddy 🐴💛
👉 Got questions you’d like to ask? Book your FREE consultation with me and let’s chat. I’m here to help.👉
Please note: For the safety and well-being of both riders and horses, participation in ridden sessions is subject to individual assessment, current health status, and physical suitability. All sessions are offered at the coach’s discretion. A pre-booking FREE consultation is strongly encouraged to ensure the experience is safe, supportive, and appropriate for everyone involved.
