Grew up in Canberra and went to Canberra Grammar and Dickson College

Achievements: Winning Dressage With the Stars seven times (his favourite show of the year). Also winning PStG at Nationals in 2014 on SPH Sonata Hit and never been beaten in the Sydney CDI Young Horse classes with SS Dante or SPH Renaissance.

“I’ve been riding since I was about five. Mum and Dad trained racehorses for a hobby and I used to ride the racehorses a bit and do track work. When their racing career was over, I would try and get them going and then sell them. I was a hacky until I was about 16. I won at Sydney Royal, which is the best show in Australia and I thought, ‘Where do I go from here?’”

“All my horses always went a bit more like dressage horses anyway; you know, I wanted them to go on the bit. I didn’t want to sedate them and if I didn’t sedate them then they needed to be on the aids more. I was one of the more fortunate people because we had a swimming pool for the horses, so all my hacks would go in the swimming pool for half an hour before we went to a show to tire them out! I mean it’s better than sedating them or lunging them for 12 hours!”

“But I was always interested in dressage. I think it came from ignorance a bit. The only people that would come to the Hayshed at Pialligo were Gert Donvig, Clemens Dierks and Christian Thiess. At the time I didn’t know if they were good or not, but they gave me the concept of walk, trot and canter.”

And what do you get up to when you’re not on a horse?

“Twice a week I go back up to Galston to my hairdressing salon, just in the afternoons so I can still ride in the mornings then I work later and miss the traffic as well.”

“I do the garden here myself. It’s only eight acres and we’ve only been here for four years. The only thing that was here when we came was the house. It was just one, big bushy paddock. We’ve built the stables and the garden and the arena and the fencing is about to be done in two weeks. It takes time… and money! Little things like the driveway needs to be finished and the stables and we’d like an indoor school eventually. It will look lovely in a year or two.”

“We would never go back to Sydney. It’s nicer for the horses here, the climate is better. We die when we have to go to Clarendon or Horsely Park now when it’s hot.”

“I love cooking and I always have people over. I’d prefer to do that than go out. And I drink a lot! It works for me. But I love being here on the property. Moving here was the best thing we ever did. We’ve created some great friends down here too; Brett Parbery and Michelle Baker, Robbie Soster, Dave McKinnon, and all our lovely little group. The restaurants are great and we’re not that far away from the city.”