ABOUT JAMIE

 

I began riding at a very young age when I got my first pony at 3yo, I was hooked. My Mum's influence was what drove me to have such a passion for just being around horses. I grew up riding just about anything and everything that was offered to me, and learnt how to adapt to different temperaments, sizes and vices. In fact, riding the difficult ponies was what gave me patience and the skills to handle problem horses. 

 

From roughly 7yo onwards I competed at local gymkhanas, in novelties and jumping, show horse classes, was a member of the local hunt club and attended every hunt. Competed with the local Pony Club at the Zone Championships to win my first rosette in the show jumping on my beautiful old man, Chally Satellite (Mac). I even took my Mum's fantastic horse, Scrumpy to quite a few western shows and did everything from reining, trail classes to barrel racing. 

 

I then spent quite a few years working with racehorses, riding track, starting youngsters and cleaning lots of stables!

 

The dressage bug didn't bite me til quite a bit later in life, not until I went to Hidden Valley as a working pupil and met Maree Tomkinson for the first time in 2009. I was immediately hit by the elegance and skill involved and immediately knew what I wanted to do with my horses. 

 

I came back to Mount Gambier with my handsome TB gelding, "Jayem Unique Enigma" in 2010 to compete. We had a very sucessful year, taking out Novice Champion in the South East Dressage Assoc. series for that year. For our first year seriously competing, I was absolutely stoked! 

 

Since then, I have been back to Hidden Valley in 2011 where I trained one on one with Maree Tomkinson. As her stable manager, I was very lucky to ride some of Australia's best Grand Prix/Prix St Georges level horses under Australia's best coach at one of the most prestigious equestrian centres in the world! I learned so much from my time there, and thoroughly regret leaving (due to family illness). I rode young horses, fresh from the breakers, and with Maree's experienced, watchful eye, I took them right up to being ready to compete Preliminary/Novice. 

 

This year I am ready, more than ever, to get back into competing and training full time and with the fantastic support from my sponsors, I am sure this year will be our best and most sucessful yet!