Amelia Douglass tells us how it feels to compete against the world’s best show jumpers in Qatar while taking a break from the action at CHI Al Shaqab Presented by Longines 2024.

While Amelia Douglass has been a familiar sight on the Australian show jumping scene for years, the 23-year-old’s career is really stepping up to the next level. Her year has got off to a galloping start with a stint in the Qatar capital of Doha, representing Australia in a series of events at the highest level of international competition, including at CHI Al Shaqab Presented by Longines – ahead of a busy year straddling the Australian and European circuits.

She spoke to Equestrian Life about the close relationship she has developed with her new horse, 11-year-old gelding Quel Filou 16 (‘Phil’), and the challenges faced by young Aussies competing internationally.

“He is actually a lot more
cheeky than I ever thought!”

EQ LIFE: Amelia, how does it feel to be competing in Doha, representing Australia?

AMELIA: It feels a little surreal. It’s definitely the coolest thing I’ve done in my career so far. Last year, I was lucky enough to take another horse from Australia (Upper Class Z) and compete in the three stars at Oliva in Spain. That was very eye-opening and made me want to keep coming back overseas. I actually got my new horse, Quel Filou 16, last year at Oliva, and I was able to take him home for 10 months and get to know him before coming back to jump with him at this high level.

Obviously, buying a horse off one trial is never easy, as you get them home and you don’t really know what you’ve got, so the fact that I was able to get on him and form such a quick partnership was very special.

There’s six weeks of shows [in Doha], so three weeks on, two weeks off, three weeks on. It’s almost like living here!

EQ LIFE: You’ve brought only Quel Filou to Doha. That must be quite an intense experience for both of you.

AMELIA: You put more pressure on your results on that one horse due to the fact you don’t have a second round that day to rely on. I think it’s good to learn the partnership with that horse but it’s also good to deal with that pressure. I’m normally riding five at a show, so if I make a mistake with one horse, I know I have another.

Once they come to Doha, they can’t return to Australia for six months [due to quarantine laws], so it’s a big decision. It’s a lot on the horses and some of my ones at home aren’t ready to do this – maybe next year.

I have really got to know Phil more as a character in the stables. He is actually a lot more cheeky than I ever thought and having him one-on-one, he’s more spoiled. His name actually means ‘rascal’ or ‘cheeky boy’ and he definitely lives up to it! He was formerly ridden by Christian Kukuk, who is here at this show. He saw me on him and recognised me and him and that was definitely a very cool experience. He said he had been watching my videos, which I would never in a million years have imagined that someone at that level would take time out of their day to watch a video of me.

EQ LIFE: The Longines Arena at Al Shaqab is known for its impressive size and high-level facilities. How have you and Quel Filou found competing here?

AMELIA: We’ve actually had an amazing run. But, in the first couple of weeks – I never normally feel nerves with Phil because I trust him and know him quite well – but here, cantering into a stadium all alone, you feel small in a big ring. But as the weeks have gone on, it’s started to feel more and more comfortable and he’s been amazing.

[The facilities] are world-class, second to none. The footing is perfect, the stables are air-conditioned to keep the horses super comfortable. I’ve actually never been to a show where the horses are so relaxed.

EQ LIFE: Also, the field of international competition?

AMELIA: Yes, you’re warming up with the best. The warm-ups are a space you need to learn to ride in compared to Australia, as we have a six-cap limit. That’s probably the biggest change to get your head around over here – learning to ride and shout for your fence. In the first week, I found the warm-up more intimidating than the show jumping in the ring, but I’m now quite relaxed.

It’s definitely a show that Australians should consider coming to on their calendar if they want to bring a horse to Europe – to plan to come here first on their way – if they’re willing to spend six months afterwards in Europe. The weather is perfect, and I believe you come out with your horse even stronger, spending that time in one arena.

EQ LIFE: This is the first time we have seen such a strong Australian contingent competing at CHI Al Shaqab. [Amelia competed in Doha alongside Edwina Tops-Alexander, Amber Fuller, and Jamie Kermond]. How does it feel behind the scenes?

AMELIA: It’s a really nice experience to have other people you know in the stables and to bounce off. We’re very lucky to have Edwina and Jan Tops for guidance – Edwina started her career at Chatham Park, so it goes back a long way. And Jamie Kermond is a very good friend of ours and lives very close at home. We’re all based at Stal Tops in Europe so it’s like we’re our own little team within the Australian team.

EQ LIFE: You’ve previously described Amber Fuller and your coach George Sanna as role models. Who else do you see as role models?

AMELIA: An obvious one is Edwina, as she grew up in Australia and did the same program I’m doing with George Sanna. She was an Australian girl who won overseas and did very well and obviously she’s a massive idol to all Australian showjumpers.

Amber is my rock and my role model because she puts in more hard work behind the scenes than a lot of people realise and she’s really one in a million with her horsemanship. It’s really important to know your horse on the flat as well as jumping them, and she really disciplined me into making sure that I know that too.

EQ LIFE: What would you consider your biggest professional achievement so far?

AMELIA: Coming here and feeling like I actually fit in, because there’s always a fear that you’re actually not good enough. In Australia, I had a very successful young rider campaign and that’s fantastic but to come here and ride in the warm-up with some of the biggest riders in the world and be respected by them, and they say ‘hi’ to you, that makes you realise that, yes, you’re meant to be here. Coming here and jumping clear rounds.

EQ LIFE: What’s coming up next for you?

AMELIA: I am heading back to Australia for a month and will be competing with a seven-year-old that I bought last year with [Edwina and Jan] in Europe. Balian D/N Hop Z – we call him Ben in the stables – has all the talent to go to the top of the sport and it will be exciting to see what he does as my next big international prospect. I have another newer one on the team called Yalambi’s Key Largo. I will go back and compete those two at the Sydney Royal Easter show; it’s another stadium event with a big atmosphere. I also have Quidessa VG, another seven-year-old who I believe will be a very talented horse of the future.

We’re still talking and signing contracts for the shows we’re attending, but two that are super exciting that I will be riding at are LGCT Doha (March) in the CSI3* classes, and also LGCT Stockholm (June) in the Under 25s. For me right now, it’s getting a bit of a feel back in the European shows and maybe jumping on some Nation Cup teams for Australia. My ideal future plan is to aim for the World Championships in 2026 at Aachen, and then on to LA.

And for Amber, it’s the road to Paris so it will be very cool to be a rider on the side, following what the protocols of that are and how you qualify.

EQ LIFE: Are you planning to go to Paris to support the Australian Olympic team?

AMELIA: Yes. We booked our accommodation for Paris yesterday so I’m excited! Obviously, we have to book accommodation in advance and that’s not a guarantee we’re going, but to have the opportunity to see it before doing it will be a big advantage if my time comes.

EQ LIFE: What are your main professional goals this year?

AMELIA: This year will be figuring out how to balance the Australian team and the European team and making the right calls with what horses to base where. I believe Australia is a perfect place to develop horses up to a 1.60m level and Amber has just proved that. We bought her horse (Nopal Van Tallaert) as a six-year-old in Europe with Stal Tops and she has done everything with him in Australia then come here and jumped double clear in her first CSI5* 1.60m Grand Prix, which is amazing for the Australian show jumping scene.

And I got to know Phil and came here and jumped in my first CSI5* 1.50m jump-off class and I jumped double clear as well and ran fourth. We both proved that it’s possible and that’s really exciting for future up-and-comers in Australia.

Dawn Gibson-Fawcett was flown to Doha by Qatar Airways as a guest of CHI Al Shaqab Presented by Longines 2024, staying at the Rixos Gulf Hotel Doha. EQ

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