About Me: A Journey with Horses
I was born in South Africa and grew up on a fruit farm outside a small village called Villiersdorp, in the Western Cape. My passion for horses began at the age of 12 when a neighbouring farm was bought by an incredible woman named Hillary Perlser. Hillary started a riding school, and from the moment I walked onto that yard, horses became my world.
Early Years: A Budding Equestrian
My teenage years were spent at the stables most days after school. Hillary took me under her wing, and during school holidays, I worked at her pony camps and spent every spare moment in the saddle.
One week after I turned 18 and passed my driving test, my family and I moved to England. This was nothing short of a dream come true — since childhood, I’d watched iconic events like Badminton and Burghley horse trials and imagined living in England, where these world-class events take place.
Eventing was my first love, and I was eager to jump big fences. My first job in the UK was at the Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy in the New Forest. There, I rented a room in a house owned by a delightful elderly lady who I remember so vividly had a much-treasured, framed photo of a young Carl Hester in her house. As it turned out, this was because Carl’s first job after leaving the Isle of Sark had also been at the Fortune Centre, and he had lived in that very home.
Seventeen years later, I would find myself training with Carl Hester on my horse, Euphoria E — one of the first offspring of Carl’s London 2012 gold medal-winning stallion, Uthopia.
After my time at the Fortune Centre, I worked for eventing legend Pippa Funnell and later for Jane Holderness Roddam CVO CBE. These roles gave me invaluable experience working with Olympic athletes, starting young horses, and competing up to Intermediate (UK) level in eventing.
Starting Out in England
In 2010, I transitioned to dressage, thanks to a talented mare gifted to me. She had excelled in eventing but lost her confidence on cross-country courses. Her elegant paces and aptitude for dressage led me to take lessons with Jennie Loriston-Clarke MBE.
One day, Jennie suggested, “Why don’t you just do pure dressage with her?” It just felt right. I also recalled Hillary’s words from years before: “You have good hands and should be a dressage rider one day.”
This change led me to Denmark, where I worked for and trained with the renowned Hasse Hoffmann, author of Dressage with Heart and Mind.
Switching to Dressage
Upon returning to England, I purchased a young Uthopia gelding named Inky, who became my Grand Prix horse over the next five years. During this time, I earned my British Dressage UK CC Level 3 coaching qualification and became a BD youth assessor. I also served as the dressage team trainer for the Old Berks Hunt Pony Club, coaching riders from novices to Olympians.
Building a Career in the UK
In May 2022, I tragically lost Inky to colic complications, followed eight months later by my beloved Jack Russell, Pringle, to cancer. I cannot overstate how devastating these losses were to me, but — as these things often do — they opened the door to a new opportunity: in February 2023, I relocated to Uruguay to train horses and riders.
While in Uruguay, I coached two riders who were subsequently selected for the Pan American Games. This time also gave me the space to reflect on my goals, and one answer became clear: I wanted to ride at the Olympics — a dream I had held since my teenage years.
Losses and Opportunities
The Road to Los Angeles 2028
A recent rule change in South Africa now allows me to reacquire my South African passport. This means — hugely excitingly — I can campaign as an individual rider for South Africa at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
In March 2024, I travelled to the USA to coach riders in South Carolina and Georgia. After my first day teaching in Aiken, South Carolina, I knew I had found where I needed to be. By August 2024, I had relocated to Aiken, marking the beginning of a new chapter in my journey to the Olympics.