Maddison Vallender has just turned 17 and has a burning passion to train, ride and compete to the very best she can in dressage. To say that she is talented in this sport is probably a great understatement. She is one very determined and dedicated young lady.
Modest, polite, intriguing, introverted, hardworking, accepting, organised, humble, empathetic, gifted, focused and – above all – reserved and personable. To see Maddy ride in training or at a competition is simply a joyful experience. Maddy exudes self-confidence and emanates sureness in the horses she rides. There is a real feeling of agreement and harmony between her riding and her mounts. Her horses trust her, they believe her, and they adore her as she does them. There is a real connection that is somehow surreal! They keep her grounded and they bring pleasure, liveliness and a feeling of purpose to her day-to-day life. It’s a true passion she can’t live without. It’s like a drug… a zealous one.
Maddison was born in 2007 and her parents Mark and Rachel were both involved in horses to varying degrees early in their lives. Mark in his earlier days was involved with heavy horses at Centennial Park in Sydney and won every class at Sydney Royal Show in driving with heavy horses in his final year of showing.
Rachel was brought up in Cooma and had two sisters, all of whom rode. There was also a brother, but he didn’t have an interest in horses and went on the hospitality track with great success. Rachel remembers riding 20km to Pony Club, riding there all day and then riding 20km home. Those were the days of dedication. Her sister Ally still rides and is very passionate about the sport of dressage and would love to be more involved.
Mark and Rachel met in 2001 through work connections when Rachel was working as a commercial property manager in Double Bay and Mark had his own locksmith business. They both loved the country and country living and always had the sentiment that they would bring up their children in this atmosphere.
They first lived in Botany and within a week of meeting they bought a 200-acre property in Goulburn and commenced building their dream house. Mark was very involved in owning and breeding Thoroughbreds and Standardbreds on the Goulburn property. Mark and Rachel had some success in producing Thoroughbred horses, breeding a few and racing some, including importing one from New Zealand that won several metro races.
Their first child, Lachlan, was born in 2005, and was never very interested in horses but was a real animal lover and had a keen interest in showing and producing Simmental show cattle. He won champion bull at Sydney Royal when he was 10 years old! He actually took to riding motorbikes and is very competitive and successful in motocross. This enthusiasm came from being on the land and racing around on anything that had a motor.
Maddy was born in 2007 and at the age of five all she wanted to do was put a saddle on everything whether it be a 44-gallon drum, a chair, you name it, and eventually they bought a miniature pony, Tilly, simply to eat grass and which she rode incessantly.
ON A ROLL WITH ‘BABE’
While still only five, Maddy soon had a horse in Sea Breeze Superior (‘Babe’) that was a renowned first ridden child’s mount. Maddy won almost all the showing classes she went in. She was a gem! This mare was the start of Maddy’s obsession with riding; it wasn’t about the winning, it was about the partnership. She was the best in the Tiny Tots Under 6 at SHC NSW Horse of the Year on Babe. Maddy went on at the age of seven to break in two ponies, a Shetland, Nagero Hannah, and a Welsh Arabian pony, Ablue Moon Pianissimo. They both qualified and competed at Grand National competitions. Hannah went Top 10 Ridden Shetland for two years successively!
TL Bravo, a Riding Pony, was then purchased and Maddy won Champion Rider at Bathurst Royal in 2015 on him. When Maddy turned nine years old, she lost interest in showing and took a break from riding.
Mark and Rachel went on to purchase the Criterion Hotel in Crookwell were they undertook a major refurbishment with help from the kids, and then resold then moved to Yass where they purchased another two hotels. Lochy was at this stage very involved in motocross racing and Maddy also took to riding bikes and, of course, as with everything she does, she was dedicated and successful.
Rachel and her sister Ally went to a Ryans Horses auction to find a horse for Ally, and Maddy went along for the ride. She saw Fiji R, the black stallion that Ryans Horses had for sale, and was obsessed with him. He was consequently purchased for Maddy to continue her journey with the horses. After complications with a surgery and a 6-month rehabilitation process, she tragically lost her beautiful Fiji R. Maddy still continues to follow his progeny and loves watching their journeys.
El Versace by Ritual was purchased, and Maddy was keen to compete in dressage. El Versace had competed to Grand Prix, and he was a wonderful first schoolmaster for Maddy but certainly not uncomplicated. She competed him at Advanced gaining over 60% and then Prix St Georges in 2022.
CONNECTION AT FIRST RIDE
They then found Ronan R through Heath Ryan, a beautiful liver chestnut gelding that was trained by Sappho Ranson-Elliot at Ryans Horses. It was connection at first ride. He was bought and is now competing after two years with Maddy at CDI Under-25 Grand Prix level.
Ronan R is dearly loved by Maddy. He was not easy in the beginning for her, being very exuberant, expressive and quite willful. She never gave in and with help from good trainers, she was able to find a way to settle him and has done nothing but get better and better from the beginning of his purchase. Maddy and Ronan started at Advanced level and after a very rocky start they have done the hard yards and are now through to Grand Prix.
Her latest successes with him at Dressage by the Sea in February this year were exceptional, finishing third and fourth in the CDI-U25 Inter II and Grand Prix, and fourth in the freestyle on 68.725%. This was his first ever CDI, as it was Maddy’s, and they took it in their stride like it was an everyday occurrence – remembering it was only two years since Maddy started riding again after her motorbike interlude!
Showing her cool and calm attitude for her first ever Freestyle at this level on Ronan, when the music began it was the incorrect music. It was the music for her other horse. She put her hand up and explained it was the wrong music! Instead of being concerned she walked around and spoke to the judges, was very relaxed and understanding of the problem. A few minutes later the problem was resolved. She raised her hand and did an amazing test as if nothing had gone on. Her ability to remain calm and never nervous is quite incredible. Despite poor Rachel taking on the nervous mother role it never fazed Maddy at all.
After a year of searching for a second horse, they found the mare Rubinell who was trained, owned and ridden by Hayley Gilbert. In the search Maddy had looked at many horses but had never gained a real connection with any. She did with this mare and clicked immediately.
“She wanted to learn
about what made Ruby
tick from the inside out.”
The beginning of the partnership was not easy as Ruby was not straightforward, yet she was super trained and talented. Maddy went about gaining her confidence and trust, was never fazed by any of the problems that faced them and believed that when she got on the right side of Ruby all would be well.
Maddy was in no hurry and competing wasn’t her priority. She wanted to learn about what made Ruby tick from the inside out. She spent hours riding her on trails and getting to understand her inner being. She was patient and positive and very understanding. She accepted that Ruby knew a lot more than her and wanted Ruby to help her learn.
VICTORIAN YOUTH CHAMPS
They set off to the Victorian Youth Dressage Championships in January this year and Ruby won all three tests at FEI Junior (CDI-J) level with scores just over 70%. At this competition they were awarded the very prestigious Deb Hamid & Kevin J Hitchins Award for the highest combined percentage results in FEI classes, an award that Maddy feels humbled to have won amongst other wonderful riders. The brooch encrusted in diamonds is proudly worn on the lapel of her jacket.
After only an eight-month partnership, they went to Dressage by the Sea at Willinga Park and won all the CDI-J tests with the two compulsory tests (Team Test and Individual Test) gaining 73% and 72% and the Freestyle 75.575%, including scores of 79.175% and 75.925%. Maddy was never concerned about any of the marks; she was ecstatic with the mare’s performance and the partnership that they had formed. Winning or losing was not important to her. What was important was the fact that they were both on the same page and produced a fabulous test that she loved and enjoyed.
Not to be outdone by Ruby, Ronan (as mentioned earlier) also put in some amazing performances at Dressage by the Sea. Full of expression and naughtiness Ronan has learnt to draw confidence from Maddy and whilst Maddy was the youngest in the CDI-U25 Grand Prix group at just 17 years of age, they showed immense composure throughout each of the tests. It was inspiring to watch them perform so well in such a quality field.
Maddy says this is why she loves dressage riding so much. “I feel dressage is a very rewarding sport that allows you to form amazing partnerships with your horses. The harder you work and the better the bonds you build with your horses, the better they perform day in, day out for you.”
AT HOME IN YASS
Maddy lives in Yass on a small boutique property with her parents. The property is being slowly renovated to improve the stables, tack room, tie-up and wash areas, feed room and day yards off the stables. The indoor arena is set on the top of a hill with a great airy aspect and has a synthetic surface and a short side of mirrors.
“Building friendships, partnerships
and working your way through
the levels is very satisfying.”
Maddy is a quiet and intelligent rider who keeps pretty much to herself. Her motivation to train and compete is more self-driven than pushed along or inspired by any other influence. She is a worker and has always been there to muck out stables and all the work that is associated with a dressage career.
Mum Rachel is the eyes on the ground, grooms at all the competitions and is also truck driver, cook and her biggest supporter. She is a great motivator and she and Maddy get on like best friends rather than a mother and daughter relationship. To hear the banter it is always so respectful and Maddy the most modest, and she would never be heard talking down anyone.
She takes the bad marks with the good and is one to always be very honest and analytical about the feedback from the judges on the tests. She is only too quick to agree with where the marks were lost. She is always looking to the negative comments so as she can find ways for them to be improved.
On asking her what she thought was her greatest moment so far in dressage, Maddy says, “Riding Grand Prix at age 16 and equally receiving the very prestigious Deb Hamid & Kevin J Hitchins Award for the highest total percentage for the FEI classes in the Victorian Youth Dressage Championships.”
And what would she say to other young riders to encourage them in the sport of dressage? “Dressage is an incredible sport that allows anyone to compete, train and work towards any level they choose,” she says. “Building friendships, partnerships and working your way through the levels is very satisfying.”
Maddy Vallender is a special young lady! She is a dressage rider with an innate ability that she accepts and is modest and humble about. She produced amazing performances in the CDI classes at Dressage by the Sea and is well and truly in the sights of the talent squads. For Maddy it’s truly about the training and the rapport with her horses in their day-to-day wellbeing. She leaves no stone unturned when it comes to her horses. She attends to their every need and with attention to detail in every way. Their welfare is of the utmost importance. It’s rare to come across such a talent and she would be humbled to hear this… but the fact is she is a real talent!
Watch this space! She is only just 17. EQ
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE TO READ:
What Does Horse Welfare Really Mean? – Equestrian Life, March 2024
