Two years. Two very special moments. And a recognition I am incredibly proud and grateful to receive.
I am absolutely thrilled and deeply honoured to have been named the Equestrian Victoria Official of the Year for the second year running.
To be recognised once is incredibly special, but to have the members of our equestrian community vote for me for a second consecutive year is something I find very difficult to put into words. Knowing that people have taken the time to nominate me, and then that members have voted and felt I was worthy of this award, makes it feel even more personal. It truly is an honour, and I am incredibly grateful to every person who supported me.
Why I love being a Jump Judge
I genuinely love jump judging.
For me, it is so much more than sitting in the judges’ box and recording results. Every rider who enters the arena is putting themselves and their horse or pony out there, and I believe every one of them deserves to feel welcome and supported.
I love welcoming riders into the arena, whether they are competing at the very beginning of their jumping journey or are experienced competitors competing at the highest levels. I want every rider to feel comfortable when they come through the gate.
I am very conscious that I am only able to do what I love because riders choose to enter competitions. Without the riders, there is no judging job for me to do. That is something I never take for granted.
My aim is to put riders at ease and give them every opportunity to perform at their very best in those few minutes they have in the arena. Sometimes that can be as simple as a smile, a friendly “hello” or a few encouraging words before they start their round.
I want riders to know that when they look towards the judges’ box, there is someone there who wants them to have a great round.
And when they finish, I hope they leave the arena feeling proud of themselves and their horse or pony.
A dream that took dedication
I have always wanted to become a Jumping Judge, but I knew that the timing had to be right.
I understood that becoming an Equestrian Australia National Level 3 Jump Judge would require commitment, study, travelling, gaining experience and completing all of the required criteria. It was something I really wanted to achieve, so when the opportunity came, I was ready to put in the work.
And I certainly didn’t do it alone.
My husband, Wes, has supported me every step of the way. He has travelled all over the country with me to help me fulfil the requirements of becoming a National Level 3 Jump Judge.
He is there at virtually every event, helping in whatever way he can — picking up rails, setting up timing equipment, helping when something decides not to work properly, and generally making sure everything is where it needs to be.
Then, of course, he has to listen to my many long conversations afterwards about what happened at the event, what I saw, what I learned and all the things I could have done differently!
His support has meant so much to me throughout this journey.
My family
My daughters, Tiffany and Sarah, are also incredibly invested in what I do.
They are always asking how I am going, where I am heading next and how the judging is going. They, along with my grandchildren, have even come along to watch “Nanna” judge.
The grandchildren love coming down to the ring and watching me do my job, and hearing them say, “We like watching you judge, Nanna” is honestly one of the most heart-warming things.
Those are the moments that remind me just how lucky I am to be able to do something I genuinely love.
What’s next?
Well… I don’t think I am quite finished yet!
My next goal is to work towards my FEI Level 1 Jump Judge certification.
That means more study, more learning, more criteria to complete and more opportunities to be assessed and critiqued. The pathway is different at this level, with the FEI requirements and accreditation process coming directly through the FEI rather than through Equestrian Australia.
It is another challenge, but one I am excited to take on.
I have always believed that if you want to achieve something, you have to be prepared to put in the work — and I am certainly not afraid of a little more study!
Thinking about becoming an official?
If you have ever thought about becoming an equestrian official, I would absolutely encourage you to give it a go.
It is so rewarding in so many ways.
You meet wonderful people, travel to incredible events, continue learning about the sport you love and become part of a community of officials who genuinely want to see each other succeed.
One of the things I have enjoyed most is the support from other officials. There are so many experienced people who are willing to share their knowledge, answer questions, offer encouragement and help you along the way.
If you are thinking about becoming an official but aren’t sure where to start, reach out and ask questions. I am always happy to have a chat and support anyone who is considering taking that first step.
It is never too late to learn something new
I would also like to say a very special thank you to Equestrian Australia for providing the opportunity for a mature lady like me to set myself a new goal and achieve something I had always wanted to do. Sometimes we can think that opportunities like this are for younger people, or that perhaps we have left it too late to start something new — but I am a great believer that you are never too old to learn, study and follow your passion.
If becoming a Jumping Judge isn’t for you, perhaps there is another type of official role, coaching pathway or area of the sport that interests you. My advice is simple: go for it! Talk to the officials and coaches you see at events. Ask questions, find out what is involved and take that first step. I am sure you will find that the people involved in our sport are willing to support you, encourage you and genuinely want to see you succeed.
I have discovered that you never stop learning in equestrian sport. There is always another rule to understand, another experience to learn from, another horse and rider combination to watch and another opportunity to improve your knowledge. So why not study your passion? If there is something within our sport that you have always wanted to achieve, don’t wait for the “perfect” time — start working towards it.
For me, becoming a Jump Judge has opened a whole new chapter in my equestrian journey, and I am incredibly grateful that I took the opportunity when it came along.
If I can do it, so can you!
And finally…
I love judging.
I love watching horses and riders come together as a team.
I love seeing a nervous young rider come through the gate and finish their round with a huge smile.
I love watching experienced competitors produce an exceptional performance.
And most of all, I love knowing that in some small way I can help make someone’s competition experience a positive one.
My goal will always be to give every single rider the best opportunity to perform at their very best in that moment and hopefully walk away feeling proud and on top of the world.
To everyone who has nominated me, voted for me, congratulated me, supported me and encouraged me — thank you.
Winning the Equestrian Victoria Official of the Year Award for two consecutive years is an honour I will treasure, and I certainly don’t take it for granted.
I look forward to seeing you at an event, whether you are riding a horse or pony.
And when you come through my arena, make sure you smile and say hello — because I will definitely be smiling back at you!
I just love making riders happy 🙂
See you in the arena.
