ABOUT

Ian has worked in a variety of areas across the equine industry; from riding track work on racehorses as a teenager, to finding his way through Europe, training and competing with the best in the international dressage scene.

As a teenager Ian was fortunate to have intensive training with some of Australia’s best Grand Prix dressage riders. During this time, he had success as a young rider winning multiple state young rider championships. After Ian's young rider horse sustained an injury, Ian decided to move to Europe to learn more and for something more challenging. He worked in Denmark riding young sales horses, training them through the levels with the goal of making them ready to be ridden by anyone and be sold.

The next year he went on to work and train with 18-time National British Champion and team GB Olympic Silver medalist Vicki Thompson-Winfield. He spent his days assisting Vicki in training her team of horses from Prix St. George to Grand Prix. Ian was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to ride and successfully campaign some very talented horses during his time in England.

After an educational year and a half in England, Ian moved with one of his newly acquired horses to Germany where he spent time working with some more talented horses under the guidance various grand prix trainers. They took Ian under their wing and helped him overcome some of the obstacles that challenge riders trying to navigate their way through the dressage scene in Europe. Ian had some great opportunities during this time, training and competing multiple young horses in Germany.

An opportunity arose in the Netherlands to work in partnership with Dutch breeder and long time friend Emmy De Jeu. Ian moved to the North of Holland and together with Emmy set up a successful dressage breeding and sales enterprise. Emmy breeds and produces some of the best horses horse in Holland, most of which would be trained by Ian. The horses were prepared for competition, KWPN classification or ultimately to be sold. During this time Ian was fortunate enough to train with some of Hollands best trainers including:



Nicole Werner | Glock Horse Performance Centre. Trainer of International dressage champions Edward Gal and Hans Peter Minderhoud.

Monique Peutz | 4* International dressage judge. Trainer of gold medal winning Dutch YR team.

Johan Hamminga | Grand Prix dressage judge. Judge of World Young Horse Championships. Trainer of multiple international dressage riders.


Leunus Van Lieren | Top Dutch breeder. Trained more than 25 horses through to international GP level.

After almost a decade of training and building lifelong relationships in Europe Ian has now relocated back to Western Australia to be nearer his family. Emmy and Ian continue to work closely together in partnership from the opposite ends of the world using their network to match make horses with riders.

Through Ian’s network of connections, he provides assistance to his clients in finding horses suitable for their level and ambitions. He will help you find that special horse you’ve been looking for. He is also happy to share his knowledge and provides coaching to riders of all levels and trains horses from beginner through to Grand Prix level.