From dominating the Young Rider circuit in Australia to working up the young horses at the exquisite stables of Jan Tops and Edwina Tops-Alexander in the Netherlands, Jacob Wells is still pinching himself.

Back in late 2017, EQ Life ran a photo shoot and interview with some talented young up-and-coming show jumping stars: Joel Pearce, Nina Griffiths, Izabella Stone and Jacob Wells.

It appears that Jacob has become the “over-achiever” of the group, as was evident when EQ Life caught up with him at the Valkenswaard Global Champions Tour in the Netherlands where he is now based at Stal Tops with Jan Tops, Edwina Tops-Alexander and the Stal Tops team.

After two days of the event and watching Jacob ride six rounds, all clear but one, Jacob agrees this is one of the most amazing and magnificent purpose-built equestrian centres in the world. It is the brainchild of Dutch Olympic gold medallist in show jumping, Jan Tops.

The facilities here are beyond compare with an enormous 125m x 85m grass arena the focus point, four sand arenas used for competition and warm-up, two indoor arenas that can be heated for the cold Dutch weather, lunge arenas, exercise/walking machine, wash and grooming areas, forest hacking tracks and over 500 stables (aside from the private stables). Then, when a competition is on, there are permanent grandstands for thousands of spectators, and seating for VIPs, as well as a shopping village, catering and food area, bar and entertainment area. Then there are the raised wooden walkways that allow visitors to walk above the action and have great views without crossing paths with horse or riders and the gravity-defying judges boxes that provide eagle-eyed views of each arena.

All of this just a five-minute drive from the delightful small village of Valkenswaard and 10 minutes across the border from Belgium.

Jacob knows he is very lucky to be working here in such a spectacular environment, but having known this quietly spoken and hard-working young man from Gippsland in Victoria since he was at Pony Club, it’s not luck that has got him here.

ALWAYS COMPETITIVE

Prior to 2019, Jacob took in horses to train and ride in his own business along with Michelle Strapp, between Beaconsfield and Modella, and he continued to compete on the Young Rider circuit in Australia, always staying competitive in the placings:

• 2nd in the Young Rider Championship at the 2019 SA State Titles
• 2nd in the Young Rider Championship at the 2019 VIC Country Titles
• 1st in the Young Rider Final at the 2018 Willinga Park Jumping Grand Final
• 5th in the Young Rider Championship at the 2018 NSW State Titles
• Selected for the VIC Young Rider Team and finished 3rd at the 2019 Aquis Champions Tour

In 2019, Jacob’s long-term coach, Michelle Strapp, was in the Netherlands with Edwina Tops-Alexander and showed her a video of Jacob riding one of their horses that had been imported into Australia. Edwina clearly was impressed with Jacob’s riding and his coach’s recommendations and offered him a chance of coming over to Valkenswaard for one month to “get a feel for the sport” and try the lifestyle in Europe and “see if I liked it”.

That month turned into three months as both Jacob and the Tops team were mutually happy. To organise a move to the Netherlands, Jacob went back to Australia quickly for five weeks to organise his horses at home, sort out his business and arrange to permanently come back to Stal Tops. “It was always something I wanted to do,” he explains. “I always dreamed to ride in Europe and this was a fantastic opportunity that they have given me.”

That was over three years ago and Jacob is clearly loving it as he is not only still in Valkenswaard, but is now living at and working for Stal Tops full-time.

Jacob’s role is to get straight into riding, get to know the horses, flatwork, then some shows with the younger horses. He and the team work to produce the young horses up to the higher levels. His main focus is to bring the younger horses up the levels. “Jan is breeding quite a few horses himself, so we have a lot of young horses coming up and also we buy some horses to have enough to keep them coming,” says Jacob.

“Hopefully we jump the big classes in the future. Most of them are owned by Stal Tops and we work quite a bit with Athina Onassis as well with her stables. We are very grateful to have her involvement in the stables. I’ve been lucky to ride quite a few very nice horses,” says Jacob in his understated way.

There are a couple of other show riders employed by Stal Tops who do a similar role to Jacob; they go to the shows and do flat riding and help keep the horses worked when people are away. It takes a big team to keep the stables operating.

Having the GCT at home in his backyard at Valkenswaard is “fantastic for the young ones,” says Jacob. “It’s convenient but still has the atmosphere of a big show and gives them the same training as travelling to a show.”

IN FOR THE LONG RUN

Jacob has now been at Stal Tops for three years and is looking to extend his visa if possible, as he is very happy and plans to renew his position as the opportunity is available to him. “I plan to stay at Stal Tops and enjoy working with Jan and Edwina. It’s a nice atmosphere and we get along pretty well. It’s a very nice place to work.” He says he and Jan Tops work well together, they both say “very little” but understand each other well!

On the winter weather being cold and wet? “It does rain a lot,” says Jacob, “and sometimes there is snow, but there are two indoor areas which are heated and in the winter we are very spoilt, so we can train all year round. I actually stay warmer here than I did back home!”

Do the horses ever get to be just horses? “We have the woods behind us so we take them sometimes for a hack in the woods,” says Jacob, “and we have as well a racetrack so sometimes it’s nice to let them be free and canter a bit. It’s great for the mind to not always be in the arena and we have a nice grass arena for training, which is also fantastic for the horses.” The majority of the training is on sand in the indoors and two outdoor arenas, but Jacob explains that especially before a show on grass the team likes to train them on grass to get them to feel comfortable and get their balance.

Where are horses sold to? “A little bit everywhere, Australia, USA, all around Europe; demand is everywhere. There is always a shortage of good horses.”

Jacob works six days a week. “My day off changes to whenever is convenient. More often than not I’m down at the stables on my day off too. Most days in the stables I’m riding, some days at shows and looking at horses. I like to start a bit early to give each horse enough time that you don’t have to rush, that’s the best for their training.” This shows, with soft, quiet, balanced, well trained in flatwork and going-softly young horses. “Ideally the end result is they’re well trained in the flatwork, everything goes smoothly, they jump in a nice balance, there’s always room for improvement,” says Jacob. “In the end we want everything to be simple and easy and correct.”

TRUSTED JUDGEMENT

As well as riding many horses each day – 8-10 depending on what needs working – Jacob is also often on the lookout for new horses for the stables to acquire. He attends shows in nearby countries such as Belgium and Germany, often competing while also looking for talented young horses for acquisition. This says a lot about the confidence Jan and Edwina obviously have in Jacob to put such trust in his judgement.

Where is home now? “My main focus now is in Europe and focusing on my career here. When it’s possible I love to go back and visit my family and spend time with them, it’s difficult being so far away.” Jacob’s family had made the trip over to visit him during the Global Champions Tour at Valkenswaard, so they saw his European ‘home’ and work environment for the first time.

How’s Dutch life as an Aussie? “They ride bicycles everywhere, which I’m not too keen to do! In general, it’s a nice culture and they have a good work ethic – it’s just the language I find is a bit difficult for me.” After three years, Jacob says he can start to understand a little bit of the language, but will take a long time to speak it. “Luckily generally everyone speaks English and in the stables English is the common language, which makes it easier.”

Jacob’s long-term goals? “Big picture is the LA Olympics in 2028. Hopefully the opportunities will come and at that time, if I have the right horses, and see how things go. There’s always that bigger picture of slowly progressing. I have great support behind me.”

With the work ethic of Jacob, the European experience he is gaining and the support network he has around him, it’s likely he could well be representing Australia at Los Angeles in 2028. We wish him well. If a Global Champions Tour is on your wish list, Valkenswaard is certainly a spectacular venue. EQ

You can find out more about the Global Champions circuit here and Tops International Arena here.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE TO READ:

Jumping@Willinga Raises the Bar – Equestrian Life, October 2022