For nine glorious days, the eyes of the equestrian world will be on Herning, Denmark, for the 2022 FEI World Championships. From 10-14 August, the top show jumping combinations from around the world will fight it out for individual and team glory – including four Australians.
For the team event, these championships will also be the first qualifying event for the 2024 Olympics in Paris. In the show jumping arena, 122 riders from 33 countries will enter the Stutteri Ask Stadium. Representing Australia (in first-name alphabetical order) is: Billy Raymont riding Black Jack IXE, Hilary Scott riding Oaks Milky Way, James Arkins riding Eurostar 1, and Katie Laurie riding Django II. What a team! Packed with talent and riding incredible horses – one Australian-bred – meet your 2022 World Championship show jumping team…
BILLY RAYMONT & BLACK JACK IXE
For Billy Raymont, the World Championships (formerly the World Equestrian Games, aka WEG) is familiar territory. In 2018, Billy produced incredible rounds at WEG in Tyron on Oaks Redwood to finish 25th as an individual and sixth place for the team. These Championships, the 42-year-old Queenslander will have his eye on the prize once more. In Herning, Billy is riding the 11-year-old stallion Black Jack IXE, owned by Janelle Whalley and Darren Wilson.
EQ LIFE: How did it feel when you were told you’d made the team?
BILLY: Obviously my wife Tesse and I, along with our owners, were really excited when I got the call to let me know I had been selected to compete for Australia at another World Championships. Campaigns like this take a massive effort from a lot of people that are behind us, so when it all takes shape and goes to plan it’s very rewarding.
EQ LIFE: You’re based in Weert, the Netherlands – is there anyone in particular you are based with or training with there?
BILLY: We are based with Yves Houtackers, as we were in 2018. Yves has a huge amount of experience and great knowledge of the sport at the highest level so it’s fantastic to have him guide us in our management and planning and, of course, training.
EQ LIFE: Who else from Australia is there with you?
BILLY: My wife Tesse is also here with her horse Allwynds Valerro, Georgia Price has been with us for three months, and Bronte Huchison and Rosie Oliver have also just joined us.
EQ Life: Tell us about 11-year-old stallion Black Jack IXE – he is French-bred and came to Australia through the Langbeckers, with you taking over the ride in 2021?
BILLY: Yes, that’s correct, Black Jack IXE came to me in January 2021 and we set about campaigning him straight away with a plan to bring him back to Europe with the Championships in mind. We only decided to really go for it after the Shepparton and Werribee World Cup Qualifiers in March, where he jumped twice clear to gain two of the three necessary MERs, and also won the Werribee World Cup.
EQ LIFE: How has his campaign in Europe been so far?
BILLY: The campaign in Europe has been exactly as we had hoped so far. First, he needed to do a few shows to see if he would step up to the required level, followed by gaining his third MER, which he did at his fourth event, jumping a clear round in the CSI4* Grand Prix at Sentower Park in Belgium.
He was originally entered in two more shows following that, however, we decided to rest him from competition for five weeks to let him freshen up. He then jumped very well again at Ommen CSI3* two weeks ago, right before the team was selected. He is now preparing for the Championships and I think feeling the best he has while he has been with me.
EQ LIFE: You had a big campaign in 2018 with Oaks Redwood, competing at WEG and the World Cup Final – what did you learn that has helped you to prepare for another major championship?
BILLY: For me the biggest thing is having enough time here to step up to the level required; maybe it’s not that easy to see it from the outside, but the sport here has absolutely gone to another level since I was here in 2018.
HILARY SCOTT & OAKS MILKY WAY
Being selected for Herning 2022 is a double win for Hilary Scott, who has been working hard on the European jumping circuit since relocating there many years ago. Not only will she be representing her country on a massive international stage, she will be doing so on a horse bred by her family in Australia.
In Herning, 34-year-old Hilary will be riding Oaks Milky Way, bred by her family’s Oaks Sport Horses and owned by her mother, Alice Cameron. It’s not the stud’s first progeny to compete at championship level: as mentioned earlier, Billy Raymont rode Oaks Redwood at the 2018 WEG, and Jamie Kermond rode Yandoo Oaks Constellation (who is out of the same mare as Milky Way) on the Tryon team as well.
EQ LIFE: How did it feel when you were told you had made the team?
HILARY: It was very rewarding and exciting. It has come after a lot of hard work, time and effort put in by many people along the journey so far. Therefore, to have the opportunity to represent our country at this level on a horse that was bred in Australia, by my mother, is something very special.
EQ LIFE: Alice, as a breeder and owner what does it feel like to see a horse that you bred nearly 15 years ago now make an Australian team?
ALICE: Very rewarding! She’s always been special, but we had to harness her boundless energy. It’s an absolute credit to Hilary and her training and fitness program as well as genes. I’m very proud as the rider’s breeder as well, I have to say!
EQ LIFE: What was she like as a young horse in Australia?
HILARY: Milky was very strong-willed and sure of herself, but with that came a very playful attitude with a great work ethic. She was always very balanced with a great canter; the difficulty with her was her spookiness of things around the arena, never the jump itself, as well as her high flight mode tendencies and sensitivity. She always had a lot of energy, so learning how to use that to our advantage has taken time. You just had to think “go forward” and she was already well and truly going.
EQ LIFE: Hilary has had a long partnership with Oaks Milky Way, competing with her at FEI level since 2015 overseas. When did Hilary first head overseas to live and train? How did the decision come about to send the mare over to compete with her?
ALICE: It was Hil’s decision to learn and ride in Europe, the most traditional and most competitive heart of jumping. Milky was always Hilary’s shining star since she broke her in, but she was too young to send over. Amanda Madigan rode her for a year as a young horse in Australia – she was quirky but such an exuberant jumper! I can remember Helen Chugg wondering if she was big and tall enough to send overseas. She grew an inch and a half after that. To be honest, Milky’s fineness is her big advantage – she has so much spring and is easy on herself because she’s so light on the ground. She’ll go for years yet.
HILARY: As a foal I already really liked her, she was extremely confident and always was interested in everything that was going on. Once we free jumped her as a two and three-year-old, I saw how light she was off the ground, with so much natural push from behind and she just loved it – I knew then this was a horse I was hoping we would keep. I always believed she should and could compete to the highest level, so to give her that opportunity felt like the only thing to do.
EQ LIFE: Hilary, who do you currently train with and where are you based?
HILARY: I have an independent training relationship with Denis Lynch; his mentorship and eye for detail is second to none. We have a property in Valkenswaard where I operate my business from.
EQ LIFE: What’s Milky like in terms of personality?
HILARY: She is like that friend who is up for anything at any time. No matter if it’s raining, snowing, hot or windy – she’s the one who will happily go for a walk with you, wash the car with you, or run a marathon with you! Milky has a fantastic zest for life and a fighting spirit, she never gives up and I think that is what I love about her the most. If she does something the wrong way, she’ll always come back again and try to do better no matter what.
EQ LIFE: Does Milky have any offspring?
ALICE: Milky has quite a few offspring! She carried one, Oaks Come By Chance (Cassiago), who is competing in the US with Dave Cameron. She has another six via embryo transfer. Hilary is riding three young ones here in Europe: Espionage (Emerald) and Q (Quintender) are looking particularly promising. And of course, Hil has caught the breeding bug and has her own program in Valkenswaard, and has a very interesting Milky x Chacoon Blue yearling.
JAMES ARKINS & EUROSTAR 1
It has been a busy year for James Arkins, who left Australian shores for America late last year with the World Championships in his sights. Unlike many top equestrian riders who were born in the saddle, James didn’t start riding until his early teens. That hasn’t stopped him from chasing his dreams, with James even being shortlisted for the Rio Olympics in 2016. Now, the 30-year-old from NSW has the bit between his teeth and a great appetite for international competition.
In Herning, James is riding the 10-year-old stallion, Eurostar 1, owned by the Arkins and Douglass families and groomed by Ali Winton.
EQ LIFE: Late last year you relocated to North America with Eurostar and Joevaro to pursue international experience and hopeful World Championship selection; you must be thrilled with the outcome?
JAMES: We left hopefully with the intention of getting on the team for the World Championships, but really unsure of what the outcome would be. I am absolutely ecstatic with how well we’ve been going. Both horses have really stepped up and jumped better and better as we have progressed, and we’ve gone to some bigger and bigger shows. To be jumping at CSI5* level at Spruce Meadows (Calgary, Canada) and Thunderbird Show Park (Canada) was amazing, especially being right up there. As the commentator said, we’re going out and playing with the big boys and really getting results, so that was very exciting.
EQ LIFE: What have been your highlights in North America so far?
JAMES: The whole trip has been great. It’s been a fantastic group of people. Firstly, the Nations Cup in Wellington (Florida), was my first time competing on an Australian team, and I think we all went out and put on a pretty good performance and learnt a lot from being there. It was great being in a team environment and I think it really put us in good stead this World Championships coming up. Then I went up to Kentucky – I was third in the CSI3* Grand Prix there, which was one of my best results so far at that stage.
From there we went up to Thunderbird, and to jump a double clear in the Nations Cup there was probably the biggest highlight. There was only myself and Andrew Bourns that jumped a double clear. So, we put on one of the best results of the day in a CSI5* Nations Cup – I think that’s a pretty incredible result. Obviously going over to Spruce – it was just an amazing facility and one of those bucket list opportunities. So, to go and jump there for five weeks I think it has really put us in good stead to perform well at the World Championships, because there are a lot of big jumps and a lot of strong horses… it really sorts them out there at Spruce!
EQ LIFE: Tell us about 10-year-old Eurostar? You’ve had him from a very early age and brought him up through the grades?
JAMES: A mutual friend of mine suggested the owner send him to me; they imported him as a two or three-year-old and I got him rising four, so he was broken but really green and he had never been to a show or anything like that. I have produced him from the beginning, but he has just been the most amazing horse to work with. He’s got the most amazing temperament; he’s quieter than most geldings and super easy to deal with and he’s got a huge personality.
He has pretty much won every major competition that he has stepped up to in Australia. He was Champion of Champions at the young horse show in Sydney – he was a four-year-old having to compete in the five-year-old division because of the age rule – and then he went on to win his first Futurity and he won the Mini Prix final at the Australian Championships and then stepped up to Grand Prix. He was fourth in his first World Cup. Every time I have asked the question, he has really stepped up. He has got all the scope, and is very careful, as brave as they come, and super rideable… I couldn’t really ask for a much nicer horse, to be honest. I think he is a fantastic horse to be going into my first championship on.
EQ LIFE: You’re about to leave for Europe – what are you plans between now and Herning?
JAMES: I am flying to Luxembourg then flying across to Belgium and staying near Antwerp with Tiffany Foster – Eurostar will have this weekend off. Next weekend we will go and do a small show in Lier and we’ll probably do a couple of 1.45m classes there just to get him in the ring and have a little jump around, because it would’ve been a few weeks since he has jumped, and I want to do something before the World Championship. And then we head up to Denmark.
EQ LIFE: Is Joevaro going to Europe as well? Do you plan to do any more with either horse post-Herning or will you be heading home with both horses following the Championships?
JAMES: Joevaro is not coming to Europe; it was just too expensive. My plan is to come back after the World Championships to Canada to the Spruce Meadows Masters, which we’re trying to get an Australian team together for the Nations Cup there. There is also a $3 million Grand Prix which I believe is one of the richest in the world. I’d like to come back for that, so I have left Joevaro in North America. He’s actually with Australian rider Matt Williams who is going to keep him ticking over and do a show or two on him before I come back.
EQ LIFE: What do you feel you’ve learnt from the process of travelling overseas to campaign?
JAMES: I’ve learnt a hell of a lot, to be honest. Just the level of competition over here is a lot stronger, the horses are tougher, the times are tighter, there are obviously more competitions, so I have really had to sharpen the pencil a little bit. We’ve got them pretty good with the time now – I still need to be a bit faster in some of the jump-offs to be really up in the top three. But it is just great jumping such international level horses. I have jumped on some of the most amazing rings in the world, so there’s just so much opportunity for exposure and there’s so many shows that you can get the horses going at.
It’s quite expensive but the prizemoney is very good; I think I have done well with the prizemoney, as I’ve pretty much covered most of my expenses. The horse market over here is really strong and the prices are really high, so there is also opportunity to make money selling the horses that you produce. It’s just a really big business here – and knowing the right people and getting contacts, I have learnt a lot and just continue to learn a lot.
KATIE LAURIE & DJANGO II
For Katie Laurie, international equestrian competition is in the blood. Katie’s father, Jeff, represented Australia in jumping at the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Games, and her mother, Vicki, also competed for the Australian team. Katie has previously represented New Zealand, however began competing internationally for Australia in 2019. In Herning, Katie, 36, is riding the 11-year-old gelding Django II, owned by her and Jackson Laurie, Linda Southern, Vicki McVean, Mike and Carissa McCall and Jeff McVean. Brooke Greening will be their groom.
EQ LIFE: How did it feel when you were told you’d made the team?
KATIE: It’s such a huge honour to be named to represent Australia at the World Championships so we are very excited. It also makes it even more special to be on the half-brother of Delphi, who I went to WEG on in 2010, both bred by our family in NZ out of a Thoroughbred mare.
EQ LIFE: You’ve been in Canada since 2019; do you feel that being based in North America helps when it comes to campaigning for team selection?
KATIE: For me, it’s amazing to base here; we have a great life here but can also access the best shows in the world without spending so much time away. Being able to jump five CSI5* shows during the year at Spruce Meadows while also being at home every night is amazing.
EQ LIFE: You have many shows to choose from around North America – although from Canada there is still a lot of travel in some cases?
KATIE: If you wanted you can be on the road showing all year. I have done small tours in Ontario, California, Michigan, Florida and also shown in Texas since I’ve been here. I often choose to only do a few weeks and come home, keeping the horses a bit fresher. I also like to be home producing the younger horses and keeping our business here going.
EQ LIFE: After the disappointment the team falling apart at Tokyo and you and Edwina Tops-Alexander only being able to compete as individuals, you must be thrilled to have another shot at competing with a great team around you?
KATIE: I’m really excited to be there with the rest of the team, it was nice having so many Aussies around at Spruce Meadows this year. We have all had a great build-up and are now just looking forward to getting there and putting our best results forward as a team!
EQ LIFE: Tell us about Django II?
KATIE: We bred Django in NZ. He’s out of the same little Thoroughbred mare as Delphi was. He wasn’t the easiest guy in the world as a young horse, and I have to admit there were times when I wasn’t sure about him – but over the years we have built a very strong understanding of how to handle each other. He is one of the scopiest horses I have ever sat on, plus he does everything he can to be careful. He has come from strength to strength over the past year, and he really thrives on the big ring courses.
EQ LIFE: He’s been in great form – how do you think he’ll handle Herning?
KATIE: He has been in super form the past year, he’s jumped clear in many CSI5* Grand Prix classes, under lights, and on grass rings, sand rings and indoors. I am so excited to ride into the ring on him in Herning, as I know he has the scope to jump anything in front of him. EQ
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE TO READ:
Making Their Mark in Denmark (our dressage team) – Equestrian Life, August 2022
Leaping for Joy at the Worlds (our vaulting team) – Equestrian Life, August 2022
From Half-Halt to Herning (our para dressage team) – Equestrian Life, August 2022
