Moving to the United States at just 25, Australian eventer Ryan Wood has enjoyed success at the elite level while building a successful equestrian business. Fifteen years on, he and wife Lillian have purchased a farm in Pennsylvania and not only is Woodstock Eventing continuing its upward trajectory, but Ryan has also just competed on his first Australian team.

“He’s a jumping machine,” says Ryan Wood of 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Cooley Flight. At the final FEI Eventing Nations Cup leg in Boekelo, the Netherlands last month, the pair were pathfinders for the Australian team and the first out on cross country from more than 100 combinations. Ryan says the European-style course was definitely a change from what he is accustomed to back in the United States, but that didn’t stop him and Cooley Flight from jumping clear and clocking just 3.6 time penalties. It was a terrific effort on a course that went on to cause plenty of problems for combinations with far more experience at the level.

“We drew the short straw being first out, but it was kind of good in a way as we didn’t have anything to really question yet. I just had to react to what was going on, and it all worked out!” laughs Ryan. “The course, it was different to what we’re used to [in the United States], it came at you a bit and I wasn’t used to riding a course like that. Everything worked out for me, not necessarily plan A that I had, but we were still able to make it happen.”

Ryan was complimentary of the Adrian Ditcham-designed course. “I think that is the sign of good course design; it had lines set up that could be done in different ways… you had options, depending on how your horse read the jump in, to how you could jump out of combinations. I thought it was really well done.”

Cooley Flight (Plot Blue x Making Moments, by Laughton’s Flight) has always been reliable in the show jumping phase, and at Boekelo he once again jumped clear. “It’s his second year at the Advanced (four-star) level and he wants to jump clear. It was nice that he recovered well after the cross country and then we had [Equestrian Australia’s eventing team coach for show jumping] Nelson Pessoa there to warm us up and he had some great little exercises that we did in the morning; it just got the horses thinking a little bit more collected and reset them from the galloping the day before. Cooley Flight went in there and tried that little bit harder… he wasn’t going to touch a rail.”

The pair ultimately finished on a score of 42.6 in 31st place, a fantastic effort from a very competitive field of more than 100 combinations. In the end, it was only their dressage score of 39 holding them back from a higher placing. As the very first combination into the dressage ring on day one, it was no easy task, and as Ryan explains, the atmosphere at Boekelo was electric.

“The dressage was disappointing; we had warmed up and he was feeling as good as he’d ever felt. The ring there, everything is really close; the spectators are quite close to the edge, and there are lots of decorations, flowers and flags. It was a little bit electric. We were first out, and he felt that. We had a couple of costly mistakes, which was a shame, but we picked ourselves back up and finished well.”

Ryan and Cooley Flight travelled to Europe with the sole purpose of competing for Australia in the Nations Cup event, joining the team alongside Bill Levett and RNH Tom Tom R, Sammi Birch and Jutopia, and Kevin McNab with Miss Pepperpot. It was Cooley Flight’s first overseas trip and Ryan’s first Australian team appearance.

“It was a great opportunity to represent Australia. It is something that I’ve always wanted to do… to don the Australian flag and ride down that centreline. It was pretty cool. It’s a different environment riding for a team and considering the other riders as one, rather than riding as an individual. It was a different feel, but that was really great.

“[Cooley Flight’s] owner Linda Ledray came over and watched, and my mum flew over to see it as well. It was a really cool vibe there and it was great catching up with some of our guys I grew up with in Australia, such as Sammi and Kevin. And then Megan [Jones] too, who rode as an individual.”

Ryan also enjoyed learning from the experienced Australian-born, UK-based eventer Bill Levett. “I’d met Bill once before, but I hadn’t had much to do with him before the event. He’s a really great guy and it was really good walking the course and getting his insight. He’s got a really nice horse too, that he’s excited about!

“Our chef d’équipe Erin O’Neill [Equestrian Australia’s High-Performance Eventing Manager] was fantastic as well, getting everyone together and organising for the horse to fly from America, as well as getting accommodation sorted for everyone… and making sure we were on time for everything!”

COOLEY FLIGHT

“He’s a great horse,” says Ryan of Cooley Flight, who stepped up to four-star level last year. “He was bred by Julie Graham in Ireland. I’ve had him since he was a five-year-old and we have a really good partnership. He’s back home now and enjoying a little holiday. We’ll give him a month off and then bring him back in and focus on the dressage over the winter, and then get a plan for the spring.”

Ryan was long-listed for the Rio Olympics in 2016 and was a reserve for the 2018 World Equestrian Games in Tryon with his previous top-level horse, Woodstock Bennett (Shannondale Sarco St Ghyvan x Donail Belle, by Beau Royale). Ryan explains that the 16-year-old chestnut Irish Sport Horse retired from elite-level competition last year and is now enjoying life in the slow lane with his owner, Curran Simpson. “He’s actually still getting worked most days with Curran. He’s been doing some dressage shows, and he’ll come out next year and do a couple of little events as well.”

When asked if the Paris Olympics are on the radar for Cooley Flight next year, the enthusiasm in Ryan’s voice is undeniable – but he’s also pragmatic. “That’d be awesome! However, I need to knock a few points off the dressage first. We’ll look at what to do leading up to Paris in the spring and pick out a few events, possibly in Europe, to prove that it’s possible to get the dressage score down.”

LIVING THE DREAM

Ryan began riding at age eight in Australia, with his first horse purchased through a local newspaper for just $1,500. Countdown was a Thoroughbred x Stock Horse, and together they moved through the Pony Club levels and eventually made it to five-star level when both were 19 years of age.

Following his achievements with Countdown, Ryan also competed successfully with several other horses he brought up through the levels in Australia and achieved top placings at numerous events, among them Adelaide CCI5*L, Melbourne CCI4*L, Sydney CCI4*L and the Warwick World Cup CCI4*S.

“We’ve been steadily progressing
over the years, and we just want
to keep on that trajectory.”

After completing school in Australia, Ryan furthered his riding knowledge by spending a year working under the instruction of eventing champion Guy Wallace while also gaining valuable experience starting youngsters and galloping racehorses. Always eager to grow and develop as a rider, Ryan made a number of trips during his youth to train and ride in Germany with Olympic dressage trainer Norbert van Laak, and with renowned show jumpers Ludger Beerbaum and Ernst Hofschroer.

In 2008, after substantial success in his home country, Ryan moved his business, Woodstock Eventing, to the United States. He originally worked for American eventing legend Bruce Davidson before making a home for himself at fellow Australian native Phillip Dutton’s True Prospect Farm in Unionville, Pennsylvania. Ryan continued to run Woodstock Eventing out of True Prospect Farm for nearly 15 years.

Recently, he and his wife, Lillian, made the exciting move to a property of their own 10 minutes down the road from True Prospect Farm. “We’ve set up stables, and dressage and jumping rings… we still have a lot of work to do, but it’s all coming together. It’s right next door to an international event venue called Plantation Fields, so it’s right in the middle of eventing country. It’s incredible for hacking and galloping, with plenty of hills. It’s a really awesome place to be based.”

Ryan, who still trains with Phil, has up to 30 horses in work – as does Lillian. Combine that with young horses and broodmares, and there are around 70 horses on the property managed by up to 12 staff. Ryan says on average he rides 12 horses per day, finishing up between 3 and 4 o’clock before commencing coaching. As trailblazing American football coach Vince Lombardi once said, the only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary!

“At the moment, we’ve got two or three of every age up to five, and then we’ve got six in foal for next year… so a lot of young horses,” explains Ryan. “I’ve then got five nice six-year-olds about to step up to two-star level, and then two three-star horses: Cooley Continental and Check Point.

“Cooley Continental, he’s an eight-year-old Irish Sport Horse (Tolan R x Woodview Douglas Cruise, by ARD VDL Douglas) owned by Curren Simpson, who remains a big supporter of mine. Check Point is a Hanoverian (Calido x Contendra, by Contendro I); he’s also an eight-year-old and he’s owned by a syndicate. He’s pretty experienced at the level and will step up to Advanced (four-star) next year.”

Ryan and Check Point competed recently in the CCI3*L at MARS Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill; adding just 1.2 cross country time faults to their dressage score, they finished on a total 35 penalties and within the top ten. It was a fantastic result in a class featuring many up-and-coming stars.

“Lillian, myself and the team here at Woodstock Eventing are excited to keep pushing forward. We’ve been steadily progressing over the years, and we just want to keep on that trajectory. It’s great, we’re living the dream!” EQ

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