F E AT U R E
Jumping them clear Jake Hunter is a young Aussie show jumper who has chalked up some significant successes. REBECCA NUDGE spoke to him about his career so far.
A
fter a stellar year in 2021,
During the trip he met young Irish show
Australian show jumper Jake
jumper Michael Duffy, and was invited
Hunter is looking towards the
to move to Ireland to ride for Duffy
future with one simple goal in mind: to
Sporthorses in County Mayo. He seized
jump more clear rounds.
the opportunity and was on a plane
The German-based rider was named the Australian Under 25 Rider of the Year following his success on the European circuit in 2021, during which he competed at Grand Prix level in the Longines Global Champions Tour and in other major events.
almost as soon as he’d finished Year 12. Access to big international shows and the sheer number of horses he could ride were the main attractions of being overseas – and he certainly met with some early successes, including his first international win at CSI2* Balmoral, and a CSI4* event in Salzburg, Austria.
Horses were a big part of Jake’s
However, there were some stark
childhood and some of his earliest
differences to riding in Australia, but
memories include travelling to shows
Jake embraced them. “I remember I
with his mother Gail, who also show
thought I was going pretty well until I
jumped and has been a huge influence
got to Ireland and realised I couldn’t
on his career. His family now runs
ride indoors to save my life. I went to
Hunters Lodge Equestrian in the Hunter
one show where I had fifteen horses
Valley, where brother Cade, another
to ride, and over a couple of weeks
show jumper, is based, and where Jake
rode hundreds of rounds.” With ample
visited his family earlier this year, his first
opportunity to learn and a variety of
time back in Australia since 2018.
horses, ponies and cobs to ride, he
Growing up, Jake always wanted to ride
quickly gained experience.
His speedy departure from Australia without any real long term plan, plus being on the other side of the world far away from friends and family, was at times tough. But he credits the Duffys for their support and for treating him like one of their own, which is why he stayed in Ireland for five years, eventually moving to Holland where he
and dreamed of working with horses for
Jake readily admits that he made
was based with Alan Waldman and his
a living. He also had a fascination with
lot of mistakes on what was a steep
wife, international American-Israeli show
travelling and it was his experience at
learning curve, but luckily was never
jumper Danielle Goldstein Waldman.
the 2014 Youth Olympics in Nanjing,
reprimanded for them. “There was
China, that fueled his drive to compete
always the next horse to ride, or another
internationally. The event was on a
round to jump, or another job to do, so
borrowed horse and he prepared by
you never really had time to dwell on
riding as many different horses as
things. I just learned from my mistakes –
possible in the lead up. He says he was lucky to draw a good mare, and together the pair won the individual bronze medal.
and I think it’s very important to be in an environment that encourages that.” Another challenge was homesickness.
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It was during his time at the Waldman’s that he picked up the ride on Global Jativia, a Belgium Warmblood formerly ridden by Danielle up to Grand Prix level. The Cardento 933 mare gave him his first taste of the Longines Global Champion Tour in Stockholm last year, where he took on the 1.45m, 1.55m and
