Latest / Between the Flags / Horses, Family & eventing worldwide - meet Sophia Hill
Transcript
- fiona: G'day legends and welcome to Between the Flags, your Aussie eventing chat show. We'll bring you honest conversations, expert insights and a bit of cheeky fun from the riders, the coaches and even those amazing folks shaping our sport in Australia and beyond. Whether you're a young rider chasing your first star class start, a parent, a horse owner who lives and breathes eventing, Between the Flags is your go-to chat show. Ride along with Prue Barrett and Fiona Hughes. Stirrups up, let's go eventing. prue: Hi Faye, how you going? fiona: I'm so looking forward to today because we're to welcome Sophia Hill. we are going to kick out of the start box with your story. Here we go. Growing up a horse-mad kid from the suburbs of Melbourne. into a non-horsey family. Sophia's journey into horses began with the obligatory white pony progressing to a somewhat questionable purchase of an off-the-track thoroughbred. In her teens, Sophie's FEI career began in 2014 with ESB Golden Zone. Then in 2018 the partnership with Humble Glory commenced with many top 10 finishes, of course notably with their very little to add to their dressage score. It wasn't long until Humble Glory or Huey as he's known had stepped up into the four star ranks along with ESB Golden Geisha as a stable mate, both horses taking home top 10 placings. Notable wins for Huey at Camperdown in the fourth Star and Ballarat in the four star in 2019. In 2023 Sophia added Seattle Park and Talora Bultango. Taking the Quinella at Melbourne 3 Day International in the 2 star in 2023. Also in that year, Huey and Sophia were third at Adelaide 5 star with their now trademark completion on their dressage score. In March 2024, Sophie and Hughie were members of the winning senior team at Hastings, their first taste of travelling overseas. With Seattle Park, Hughie and Sophie trekked to the UK in April 2024 to tackle Burleigh 5-star. 22nd place at this particular 5-star set the scene for the international career. Sophia travelling back to Australia to continue campaigning Tango as he's known with wins and top 10 placings in 3 star and partnering Huey at Ballarat in the 4 star taking second and third with Tango. Tango was getting plenty of attention with a win at Melbourne International in the four star long. In 2025, from here, Soph and Huey set their sights on Maryland 5 Star, again with their trademark finish, placing them in 6. In 2026, Soph partnered Tango at Adelaide, taking second place in the 4 Star Short and earning herself the prestigious Anna Savage Award. This award is for competitive excellence, horsemanship and sportsmanship. A very highly regarded honour. They were also members of the winning senior team for the Oceanic Challenge representing Australia. Back to the USA where Huey was 10th at Lexington 5-star, only two weeks later, named reserve team member for the Australian team at 2024 Paris Olympics and gained selection in 2026 for Arkan with humble glory and was reserved with Talora Bultango. Soph was a trailblazer for the Aussie team at Arkan and their trademark completion on their dressage score placed them 14th individually. Notably, only three other combinations managed that amazing result at Arkan. Wow, what an incredible list of accolades, Soph. We're so glad you could join us today on Between the Flags. Sophia: Thank you for having me. I'm really excited to join the show. prue: Hi, Soph, how are you doing? Sophia: Good thanks. How are you? prue: Yeah, I'm pretty good, thank you. Now as Fee mentioned, you didn't come from a horsey family, so how did you get started with horses and tell us about that first off the track that your family purchased for you? Sophia: So I guess I just always love horses. and although we lived in the city my grandparents had a farm. So I did I had to w do a lot of begging to get get my first pony. but I was lucky that I was able to have that opportunity and that we were able to get a pony about t I think I was nine and we kept it at my grandparents' farm. and I had a few ponies that followed kind of over the next few years and I just like rode and rode and rode. Like I would ride multiple times a day on the same pony 'cause I was so obsessed with it. but it was just weekends 'cause we did live in the city. And then I think I was about thirteen when we got we got my first thoroughbred and I guess 'cause I w like so my grandparents had had horses for stock work on the farm. they didn't at the time, but they had previously. So they knew about horses. my mum had ridden as a child but it never had a lesson, so she loved horses but had no idea. And my dad had been forced to ride to do pony club and stock work and hated it. So it was a unique mix, but not no one really was particularly knowledgeable. I guess my grandparents were the most, but that was only from like a stock work perspective. So a lot of the like ponies I had and stuff, weren't exactly like the ideal learning ponies, I guess. And from their like we bought a off the track thoroughbred that when I was thirteen and it had literally raced two days ago. And yeah, here I was, like just hopping on it, thinking I could just ride it around the farm like I did with my ponies. so that was that was quite a step up for me, but it was a pretty quiet thoroughbred and I guess that began my love of you know, getting thoroughbreds off the track and retraining them. I I was always really interested in like in training and improving horses and something I've stayed passionate with right from when I was young all the way through my career. prue: Yeah, very interesting beginning, that's for sure. So when did you decide that eventing was your thing? Sophia: Well I started going to Pony Club and that was my first introduction to eventing. But for a long time I was really ex like keen on doing camp drafting too. I didn't actually ever make it to a camp drafting competition, but I guess because my grandparents had told stories about the camp drafts they had been to and stuff, I was I was quite interested in that and I can remember being like, I don't know which one I want to do. Anyway, I kept going to Pony Club which was quite eventing orientated. and I definitely always loved the cross country. Like I just had so much fun and it was really similar, I guess, to when I was riding on the farm. I definitely in those early years on the farm, like I had no coach really or like discipline and I would just like I would canter in every paddock. I had no one telling me that that was a bad idea, and that was probably why my pony was like so wound up and wanted to go fast. The only rule I had that my grandmother told me was don't canter in the last paddock on your way home of your ride, 'cause otherwise it would learn to bolt. And even though though I had that rule, there was one occasion where it did bolt in that paddock, and I remembered us having to hang on for dear life and stopped when it got to the gate, luckily. But I guess I just loved going yeah, I did have you know, a little bit of a love of going fast as a child, and like kind of carefree riding I guess and when I went to pony club I loved the jumping and cross country side of that. So then I did go to a few like local pony club, like one day events probably, you know, on on my ponies. But they never went very well because their ponies weren't actually very trained at all. I never went cross country schooling to practice. Like I just I hoped they'd be able to do it and all my early horse trials were complete disasters. Like I was always eliminated or running out of jumps and, you know, it it never really went that well 'cause no one had any idea what we w we were doing. prue: think I first met you when Humble Gloria just started doing Four Star. I mean I knew of you but I hadn't really met you. So tell us about his story and where he came from. Sophia: Yeah. So I got a humble glory Huey in twenty seventeen. So by that point I'd I'd finished school and I'd moved up to Euroa where I'd met my now husband Andy. and we'd only been together for a few months and one of Andy's friends rang Andy up and said, I've got a horse. does Sophia wanna sell it for me? I just want a thousand dollars for it. She can keep whatever she gets over that. And I was literally just starting out on my own with my business. So I was saying yes to, you know, any any horse that I could get for, you know, any sort of opportunity to you know, keep us afloat, I guess. so I said yes, send him over And he so he he brought him over in a stock crate. He was just standing in the back like you know, completely open. It was pretty funny. and yeah, he hopped off. to jump down and I just I had a paddock at the time that I had like f about five off the track thoroughbreds in that were all my like project thoroughbreds that I was trying to you know produce a little bit and sell to make money and so I just popped him straight out in there. I like didn't even look twice at him. He was just so unassuming just like a plain bay thoroughbred and he was so fat as well like he didn't look athletic at all. but it only took like I think I r by about the fifth day I r had ridden him, I had popped him over a little jump and he'd like jumped it huge, like ballooned it and I like, this is actually a pretty nice horse. It seems like it can jump. Maybe I'll buy him off them now, and like put a bit more time into him because I think I'll be able to sell him for a bit more money, rather than, you know, just quickly quickly sell him now. So, yeah, after a week with him I arranged to buy him. and then He just like he progressed so incredibly fast. I think he's just such a trainable horse. and in hindsight, of course, if I'd known what a superstar he was, like the best thing I could have done would have actually been to just like take my time with him, but he's so genuine and willing. He he just always would say yes. So I think we went to our first eventing competition three months after I got him and we went straight to the ninety five. Didn't muck around. And He he won and I was like, this horse is pretty good and then he proceeded to win his next two ninety fives. I guess the dressage is pretty easy in ninety five and he didn't find that too too hard. and yeah, so I can't I think we might have done like five in total and then he went up to one star and anyway, he just kept going up the levels. He just kept jumping double clear everywhere he went, and he was just yeah, he was just amazing and I pretty quickly realised I didn't want to sell him. I think within like eighteen months he'd gone d to the Adelaide, like the young rider, three star, and he won that. and i then within two years he was a four star horse. Like it was just incredible. Not many horses are that genuine to go like that. And for a young rider, you know, it was my I had another horse that went four star at the same time, but it was pretty much my first four star horse. So he's he's very special and I guess we never expected him even then to be what he is now. Like at the time, I just wanted to have a top level horse. I didn't think I would be representing Australia or going overseas with a horse. I just wanted to ride at four star level. So he's definitely exceeded all expectations. prue: Yeah, and my next question I wanted to ask, do you think that Huey gave you the confidence to pursue your career as an event writer? Sophia: yeah, I think I'd already decided, like before I had Huey, like in my final years of school, I was based at a property called Touridon Estate, working for a lady, Sally Frances, and she was incredibly supportive, and gave me a lot of opportunity there where I started coaching and started like training clients horses and stuff, and that that really was what made me h make the decision like after I finished school, okay, I wanna train horses. because it was kind of I guess the conventional path in my family would have been to go to uni. but I was like this I can't imagine what else I'd want to do. I I wanna do horses. So I'd already kind of made up my mind on that and I knew I had the skills to like improve horses, to train them and produce them, I guess. and I had a a three star horse at the time, but it got injured just before I got Huey. And I guess like at that point in time I was just more thinking about, yeah, making it to four star and like running my business and stuff and I didn't like if you had of asked me then, do you want to ride at the Olympics, I don't think I would have I would have of like I would have said, cool if I get the opportunity, but I never set it as a goal for myself. Like as a young rider or a child, I was never one to say, I want to go to the Olympics and I think that was because I was too scared to make that as a goal. Like I didn't think it would be possible for me and I didn't want to be disappointed if I didn't achieve my goals. And I think Huey, like the journey he's taken me on and how he's just exceeded expectations. I guess I've always wanted to had a drive to improve and get better. And I remember getting to the training camp for the Paris Olympics and being like, actually maybe I should make this a goal. Like, we're pretty close. And it was like a bit of a surprise almost that we'd ended up that close and I think that experience gave me the confidence to go, actually I I I you know, I think I am good enough to do this and I'm pretty close and I've got to give this a real crack. and so that was like really I came home with like renewed purpose after that and I was I guess confident enough to say, actually I do wanna represent my country at World Championships and Olympics and I I do wanna make it a goal and really plan and work towards it. So yeah, Huey's definitely been the horse of a lifetime for me and the opportunities he's given us and the places he's taken us has been absolutely incredible. prue: Yeah, now Fee mentioned in the intro about the Oceania Championships in Hastings. Now what Fee didn't mention was that you actually hadn't long had your first child, Ollie. And so I'm just want to ask you how old was Ollie on this trip to Hastings? Sophia: think he was three months old, so he was he was tiny, he was very young. but yeah, even to be honest, before I was pregnant with Ollie, I so I had Ollie at the end of twenty twenty three and like I'd been going well with the horses and everything, but I was like, when do I have a child? Like we really wanted to have one and we're like, well you can't like plan your whole life around horses. Like they just get hurt. Things go wrong. like, let's just have a baby now. There's no time like the present. And then I fell pregnant and Huey won four three four stars in a row. and then came third Adelaide five star all while I was pregnant. And then we were like, Whoa, that was that was good and I remember finishing Adelaide and we'd given Monica Spencer a lift over there and that was the first time we'd met her actually and and we came back and she said, Well what are you gonna do now? You should you should go to Badminton and I was like, like I'd never even considered it. I'd never thought like to me Adelaide was the pinnacle I hadn't considered going overseas as something I could do and that really planted the seed there. And then I guess n like I obviously I had Ollie and then the opportunity came for our first overseas trip which was to New Zealand as part of the senior team not long after that we had him. So it was definitely a quick it was a challenge like getting ready again to be riding that soon and everything with Huey at New Zealand and to be honest at the time I thought, yeah, I'm all good. I'm I'm like fit again after having my baby and yeah, I don't think I actually was at all until probably like, I don't know, eighteen months later, but I thought I was. It's like one of those funny things you think you're fine and then you go a few months later, now I'm fine and then you're actually now I'm fine. but yeah, we had an we had a good event in New Zealand other than Huey had his first and only twenty of our career. but I think it was a good wake up call for us and I lost my position jumping into the water, which was the start of how I ended up probably getting that twenty when I let him run straight past the sea element and yeah, just needed to be a bit stronger probably. But it was it was good. prue: Yeah. Sophia: It was exciting to be on our first team. prue: Yeah, I do remember that. think Baby Brain might have come into the conversation a couple of times after that because we were actually quite shocked and then we thought, as in because of your previous performances with Huey and then actually everyone was pretty understanding to me, quite honest. So Sophia: Mm-hmm. prue: it was pretty impressive that you were there and performed as you did. So after that, and you mentioned it before with Monica planting a bit of a seed to go overseas, you did actually make the bold move to base yourself overseas and you went to the UK and based with Nicola Wilson I believe so tell us about that decision to go overseas and how was that experience? Sophia: Yeah. So it was something we s kind of started planning, I guess, while I was pregnant and we just thought, We've got this amazing horse and like we've just gotta do it now 'cause you don't you don't know when you're gonna get those opportunities. and originally we were thinking of going to Badminton, but I think that that e twenty year New Zealand kind of put me off that plan a little bit 'cause I like, Am I quite ready, ready for that or not? I I don't know, part of me still wishes I just went and did it 'cause I haven't managed to get to Badminton timing wise since. But as it was, we just went to we went straight over to the UK not long after that New Zealand trip and I took two horses, so Seattle Park, Basil, and Huey and yeah, we based with Nicola Wilson and we did a series of four star shorts. And I guess the other reason I I was encouraged to do that because like was a better lead up for Paris, not that I was really in contention for Paris, but I guess Huey was there in the background, as a good jumping horse. And so yeah, we went we went over there. we did Bicton and Bramum, which are both amazing, amazing events. And yeah, they were really tough. It was really eye opening going to you know, the four stars in the UK. I remember the first one I went to at Bicton, there were like a hundred and twenty four star horses in the field. I think Huey was coming like ninety second after dress art and I like, This is tough. and he jumped double clear and he see somehow finished eleventh. So that was like the climb of the century. But it was just like really eye opening for the standard of dressage that, you know, you have to get to to be really competitive. And then the cross country courses, it was, you know, great to see. And yeah, we had an amazing time over there. He ended up as a reserve for the team at Arkhan. So I didn't go there, but then we ended up in training camp, which we hadn't expected for Paris, which was an amazing experience to be part of and to also meet some of the other Aussie riders based over there, which was really good. And then yeah, then we headed to Burley, which was kind of like the pinnacle of our little trip over there. and yeah, it was it was great. other than we had a pin on cross country, which was really disappointing. Huey was almost a bit too keen on cross country that day and We might have got around Burley, but he pretty much bolted around Burley, so it wasn't our most pleasant cross country run. but yeah, it was amazing to do and he finished up with a clear jumping round on the last day, so and then we upgraded to a upgraded bits after that and we've never had trouble since. prue: You said you took two horses so Seattle Park as we know as Basil went with Huey on that trip. Tell us what ended up happening with Basil and where you know where you've actually seen him again and and maybe the reasons that Basil didn't come home with you. guess the reality of the situation is I guess where I'm leading you towards there. Sophia: Yeah, so we decided to take a second horse because we wanted to make the most of the experience while we were over there and we felt felt we could do that better with two horses. And Basil stepped up to four star while we were there at Bramham. He was an an amazing horse, also an Australian thoroughbred like Huey. but Huey's trip was funded as part of this international performance kind of scheme. through kind of through the AIS where they were trying to get riders to get more experience. So his return flight was funded, whereas we had to organise Basil's on our own. And yeah, we just got towards the end of the trip and we were like, we actually don't have enough money to fly this horse home. And we'd always known it was a bit of a possibility. we owned them both ourselves at that point. and we were like w we didn't really have too much of a choice in the decision at the end of the day. Like it was like we're gonna have to we're gonna have to sell him. but what turned out really well was it was kinda funny actually. We met a guy when I was jumping them at Bicton who loved thoroughbreds, Martin Lips, and he watched them both jump clear rounds in the show jumping and he like, if you ever want to sell one of these horses, give me a call. So, yeah, towards the end of our campaign I called him up and he he was like he was like, it's actually Huey we're interested in and I said, No, can't have him, but you can have the other one. Basil and they came and tried him for their for their head rider, Jillian, and they ended up buying him and she she started off at kind of dropped him back to three star and then has just been s you know, s did a few events and stepped him back up to four star and had a great season and ended up at the World Championships with him riding for the Netherlands, which was so incredible and I was quite emotional actually seeing him at Arken and Him and Huey getting to reunite, it was amazing and just to think that like he'd also ended up there, which is something I'd you know, I knew he was an amazing horse, but I'd never really expected that both of those horses were gonna end up at Arkans, so it was a really incredible moment. prue: Yeah, you talked earlier about being named as reserve for Paris and now obviously you've been in the team. So you've had two I'm imagining quite different experiences in training camp and I think this is always a difficult thing to ask someone but tell us what training camp looks like when you're a reserve. So think back to Paris and you're welcome to say as little or as a lot about what it's like being as a reserve but everyone knows it's difficult but I think it would really be great to hear from you what Sophia: Mm. prue: that experience is like. Sophia: Yeah, it's a r it is a really difficult position to be in. I guess the thing that made it maybe easier for me at Paris was that I I was realistic about where I stood. So when I got the phone call to say I wasn't selected for Paris, I hadn't been expecting to be in those top three riders at the time that had would have gotten selected. So I was realistic about that. So of course you're disappointed because you knew you were in with a chance, but I I wasn't like shocked, so I guess that makes it more bearable. and then to get to go to training camp was kind of like a bonus, like it was good I was good like good opportunity I guess. So I saw it as a positive thing and I went in there quite positively, like this will be really good. But of course once you're there, you suddenly realise just how close you are and you can't help but hope that maybe you still get that opportunity. And that's a really hard thing because you're in this camp and you want the best for the Australian team, you want the best for the other riders, but there's this tiny part of you that goes, Maybe I'll get to go. And it's really hard to shut down that little part of you that's, you know, being hopeful for yourself, I guess. obviously I didn't get to go, but I ended up going to Jardy, along with Andrew Hoy and waiting like fifteen minutes away from the venue right before Trott Up and it was just like closer than I ever imagined I would get to go. So Yeah, that was amazing. But still when the call came that we weren't needed, I was guttered because you're just like it's just an emotional roller coaster, you know. We we were thrilled to be there, but then you just yeah, I guess it's like you it's not over till it's really over and you keep holding hope until the very end that you might get to go. whilst you know you should be very happy that nothing's gone wrong with the horses and, you know, the team's all fit and ready to go. So yeah, it was amazing to be part of though and definitely set me up. Like it was good to know what to expect going into training camp this time too. prue: Yeah, so at the end of 24 you brought Huey back to Australia and then you took him to Adelaide in 2025. Is it too soon to bring this up? Maybe you need to let us tell us what happened. Sophia: No, it's alright. It's a sensitive topic, but it's alright. I went to Adelaide and I thought, I'm gonna win Adelaide this year, and I really thought I could do it. And and it was all going pretty well to plan, you know, like Huey did his it was pretty typical Huey dressage chest. but that was followed by a typical Huey cross-country round, clear and under time. He was amazing and we were sitting in second going into the show jumping. And then in the show jumping, which is, you know, a phase that Huey typically is incredible in and jumps a clear around him and he was jumping really well, I rode straight past a jump that I should have jumped and got myself eliminated. So that was just absolutely gutting and like just this moment of like I didn't realise when I did it either, so they rang the bell on me and I only had two more jumps to jump. And I was just so confused. I just remember thinking, I can't stop, I'm not done. But they're ringing the bell, like I've got to stop. And I I literally had to ask the spectators, like, what did I do wrong? And someone yelled out that I missed the jump. And I just remember walking out of the arena and it was like a bad dream. I was like, This isn't true, I'm gonna wake up. Like I felt like I I wasn't living my life 'cause that couldn't possibly have happened. I was definitely in shock at the time and Especially when Shane, who was leading, went on to have enough rails that Huey could have won. I was just like, yeah, it was a I felt like I'd let my opportunity slip, you know. I was like I was in this amazing position where I could have won Adelaide five star and I'd just like let it slip through my fingers. So I was really devastated about it. And really mad at myself, you know, it was just it wasn't the kind of mistake I would usually make either. and you think I guess you expect all the things that could go wrong, like, I might fall off, I might get a twenty on cross country, well, you know, there's so many things that can go wrong that you are ready for and me missing a jump was not something I was ready for. but yeah, it happened and I guess from there, I was like, Well now I need to win Melbourne. I was okay. I think I was like on a mission after that. Like I was like, this is not okay and I'm only gonna f like I can only move on from this if I can w win Melbourne. which, you know, maybe not the smartest thing to put all your, you know, put yourself all in like that, 'cause y as we know, things don't always go to plan. But I was definitely really motivated to go well there with my other horse to Lara Beltango and luckily we managed to pull that off and I jumped all the jumps there. So I was like, All right, Adelaide prue: You Sophia: is in the past and we'll leave it there. prue: I feel terrible for bringing it all up again to be honest but I just think that we love to hear the great things but I think it's really helpful for people Sophia: Mm. prue: to also hear that sometimes you just don't get it right and it really hurts and I can still Sophia: It does, yeah. prue: hear the pain in your voice but as we say if it's not hurting you're probably not caring enough and probably now you can look look back and think, yep, actually that was still a pivotal moment. Even at the time, as you said, it was Sophia: Hmm. prue: an out of body experience and you obviously never want to do it again. Sophia: Yeah. prue: It's probably not quite enough time yet, but I'm sure in a couple more years, it'll be a little bit easier to look at from a, you know, an outside point of view, but it still hurts. I can hear it in your voice. Sophia: I think so. I think yeah, yeah, it's it still hurts for sure, but I've come to terms with it and I think at the time I thought I couldn't have done it anywhere worse. but I have to say, having just done the world championships and finishing, I thought, geez, I'm glad I didn't miss a jump here. That probably would have been worse. So, you know, got it out of prue: Yeah, I reckon it would have been. Sophia: our system, the Adelaide five star hopefully won't happen again. prue: Yeah that's right that's right yes and that was a great achievement because Tango at the time was quite a green horse at that level I guess so to win the four Sophia: Yeah. prue: star long was an achievement and and you still have a few Talara horses and you've had a really good relationship with the Phrasas with Talara studs so just tell us a little bit about some of the horses you've had there and and what opportunity that has given you. Sophia: Yeah, so Talar the Talaras Stud is only about twenty minutes away from my home in Mansfield. So I got to know Mark Fraser, who's actually ri s really sadly recently passed away. But I got to know him quite well, I don't know, maybe like probably it was a long time ago now, like when I first moved to Mansfield, maybe like six years ago. and yeah, it's been amazing the opportunities that he gave me with his horses. I've kind of had half shares in quite a few of them. and yeah, they're all just such incredibly bred horses for show jumping actually, but I think I think it's the place to go for an event or two myself personally. and yeah, it's been really amazing. So I do a little bit of breeding as well and when Mark was here we were standing some of his stallions at stud at my property after he would use them over his mares and then I was kind of producing them as show jumpers and then finding, you know Then then once they got to a certain level in show jumping we'd find someone to go on because obviously I was eventing. But yeah, it was really great opportunity for me to be involved in that. And then as part of that I've gotten some really great eventers out of it too. So obviously Talara Baltango, who I actually bought separately, like not directly from them, but I've got a really nice two star mayor, Talara Chikensky, who I still own in partnership with Anna Fraser, Mark's Mark's wife and some young horses too and yeah, we feel very lucky that we're so close to the Telaristad. It's there's like some lovely horses there and it's a great spot for them to grow up to, like running on the hills and stuff. I think it really sets them up well for a successful career in eventing. prue: Now you decided to pack your bags again, but this time to head to the US. I'm sort of thinking that perhaps the Adelaide disappointment might have had something to small part to play maybe in this decision. talking about the US, what events did you do there and where did you base yourself when you're in the US that time round? Sophia: Yeah, it's funny how like a disaster of a result can kind of trigger you in a new like push you in a new direction that you might not have gone in. You know, I don't know if I had of that hadn't have happened to Adelaide, you know, if we would have done that. We were originally thinking of actually going back to Burley though to start with, and that was our plan to go back to the UK and to do Burley again in September. And then while we were at Melbourne, the the week that Tango was doing the four star long, QE got colitis. And he almost died. He was in hospital at Avanel and he was so sick. and just like you c like one of those things like you couldn't have really p like couldn't really explain why it's happened and we still couldn't really explain it. But amazingly he came good but he needed like after that he had still been on holidays but he needed more time off before he could come into work and it didn't work out for Burley anymore, like he wouldn't be fit enough. So we were like, Well Maryland's another six weeks Might have even been eight weeks after Burley. so it gave us the time we needed. So we kind of thought, maybe we'll go there instead. and we were trying to work out if we could afford it or not. And we actually were like, we considered it, we considered it and we said, No, we're not gonna do it. We just can't afford it. And then but we kind of like I kept th going back to it in my mind, like I'd be good to do. I thought, well, if we think of this differently, we might be able to do it. So if we we can afford to get him there, we just can't afford to get him home. So, and luckily we've become good friends with Monica Spencer and her family over the last few years who rides for New Zealand and she was over there and she's based really near Maryland and she really encouraged us to, you know, bring him over and that we could leave him with her afterwards and then you know, we could come back and do Kentucky. And I guess I had in the back of my mind that then if I could get selected for Archon, he would have a ticket home. but in the meantime I just thought I've got a five-star horse, I've got to go and do five stars on him. Like, there's no point. like Huey, that's how he shows his best foot. And also, I didn't get my qualifier at Adelaide for Worlds either. So because I missed the jump, something you you know, devastating enough on its own, I didn't get the MER that I needed for for Arkin. So and I didn't want to go into a four-star long to get that because I felt like that was just a waste of Huey's legs running around a four-star long when he could be doing a five-star. So yeah, we decided to go over to Maryland. and things didn't really go super to plan in that trip. like his flight was delayed by a week, so he flew a week closer than he was meant to. And he has a history like he'd tied up in the past a few times, and once one of those times had been right after his flight to the UK. So I was really paranoid about that too, and I've learnt a lot about how to manage it actually, and a the best way really is like you can't ride him when he arrives there, he needs time off. So he had he was five star fit, he flew, he had a week off in quarantine, then he got to Monica's place the same time we did and I started bringing him back into work again, but like really gently, just hacking him. Anyway, I think I I don't even know if I jumped him at the there I might have given him one yeah, I gave him one little jump, like right before going to Maryland. But it was all a really tight window between when he arrived And the event and we got there anyway. He was off his rocket. He had so much energy from being five-star fit and having all those w I think we worked out he had ten days off and then like three quiet days and then like two dressage days and a jump and then went to do his test. And he did the worst test of our career. And it was like I wanted to give up after that dressage test. I was honestly l just like, why do I even bother? Like this is just embarrassing on the world stage. For it to go so badly, like he just blew up and it couldn't have been any worse. but then my survival instincts kicked in after walking the cross country course a few times and I like really got myself together and was like, You're gonna be have to be on your game if you wanna get around this cross country. 'Cause it was huge and technical and still to this day probably the hardest cross country I've done, I think, in many ways. And Huey was amazing. He flew around clearing under time. And then yeah, Shoe jumped clear the next day, still with way too much energy. and ended up climbing his way all the way up to sixth. And suddenly I I loved eventing again and wanted to do it all over again. And I'm like, what a roller coaster we put ourselves through with this sport. so yeah, we decided well, we'd kind of already decided we'd leave him there with Monica and he would have time off. So he he did that. And we went home and did the season at home and then the only thing was we still hadn't gotten our MER for Archon because our dressage had been so bad at Maryland and that's like Huey might not be the dressage horse but it is always safe for a qualifying score, so that was like a big shock. So then all our eggs were in one basket with Kentucky for the qualifier and also for just like showing we could do dressage. but it was honestly the best thing we've ever done for Huey's dressage and for me learning how to do dressage on him. So he had time off and then Monica brought him back into work and did some training with him, like as she was getting him ready for that for that next season for me. And we went over twice in the lead up to Kentucky. the first time was for the Grand Prix eventing in Aiken that they have and he like Yeah, I guess like it was we're only there for a short while so I was kind of winging it a bit, but Monica had Huey really well prepared and I got a bit of a new feel of how what he could feel like I guess in the dressage 'cause she'd done such a great job and I think that wasn't something I could have necessarily just learnt with lessons. Like it was it was really incredible her helping him learn and then her helping me learn. And yeah, it was just something that we kind of needed that bit of help in and it it made a huge difference. So we managed to get get, you know, our best ever dressage scores in those two lead up events to Kentucky, I think like or the best in a long time, you know, a thirty-five and a thirty-four, and we were thrilled with that. and he came I think he came third at the Grand Prix eventing in Aiken, which was really exciting. It was a very cool event, like in the arenas. Like you just do cross country galloping through these arenas and it very cool. And then yeah, we did turn over and then we went to Kentucky. And managed to do a pr you know, good dressage test for Huey there and jumped clear cross country and he had one rail in the show jumping, but it was a really good performance and we got our qualifier for Arkin, so that was really exciting. And yeah, and then from there we went home again and let him had time off and kind of planned our next move. But that was that was kind of the the main events we did in America, I guess. prue: And you said plan your next move and something else you've done to help literally keep Huey on the road is actually looked into syndication. So there's a couple of special people that have come on board to help with Huey and then so wonderful for them to get the opportunity to go and watch him at Arken. But just tell us about those couple of people that you've got involved with Huey. Sophia: Yeah, so we've got two Irish vets actually, Olivia Greenwood and Caroline Duddy, but they're both Australian based. and they came on board with Huey before Maryland, you know, right when he was probably sick with colitis, to be honest. They're they're just the best. They're like, No worries about that, we're gonna buy in. And they they've been amazing, so they've really really helped his journey. And they came and watched both Maryland and Kentucky and loved it. And after Kentucky, we were like Tango had just performed really well at Adelaide and Huey had performed really well at Kentucky and they were both really in the running for c selection and we didn't know which one would be selected and we were like, what do we do now? I've got one horse in America, one horse in Australia and I don't wanna just pick one and focus on it because we all know what horses are like. They can go lame at the drop of the hat for n you know, any unexpected reason. and I really wanted to keep my options open with both and prepare both horses as best as I could. So Olivia and Caroline ended up buying into Tango as well, which was incredible, and made it possible for me to fly Tango over to America. And so then we based with Monica and actually stayed there properly for two months in the lead up to Arkin. And that was amazing because although I'd done well in the dressage that year leading into Kentucky, I'd just been winging it a bit and this time I got to actually stay there and get some proper lessons and r I felt like I really learnt how to how I needed to ride Huey and Monica really helped me prepare him for worlds in the dressage and you know, worked out what worked for him and what we needed to do. And it was obviously amazing having Tango there too. So yeah, we had two months living in America. and yeah, that was that was great. We did a you know, a bit of prep. Like went to a little dressage day, went ran around an intermediate, went to a show jumping day and and then from there we got got the selection call while we were there that Huey was the one selected and Tango was a reserve and I was super relieved that Tango had made it as a reserve because that was also his ticket back to Australia. So I'd taken a big risk flying him to America because likewise to the tr decision with Huey it was a one way ticket unless he made the team, so super relieved about that. but yeah, felt he deserved it too and so from there both horses headed over to Europe to training camp. prue: And then when you're at ARKIN, there's a couple of other special people that are involved in your performance obviously at ARKIN, but have been on the scene, well, one of them all your life and the other one for quite a while. And that's your mum, Michelle, and your super groom, Bianca. So I guess the question is how important is it to have people around you that you can trust and help you perform in these high pressure environments? Sophia: It's yeah, so important. And while my mum's not super horsey, she and she hasn't always come to necessarily events throughout my life. She is so supportive and my parents have always been very supportive for me wanting to do like for for me to follow my dreams, I guess. And and prue: Oops, sorry about the intrusion. Sophia: that's alright. and ever since I've had Ollie, mum's really stepped up whenever needed and Yeah, at Ark and that meant she stayed in a B and B nearby and actually had Ollie for the week, which was amazing 'cause it just meant I could focus and didn't have to worry about him and that's just like one less thing to I guess I was able to take my mother hat off for the week and just focus on competing, which was really amazing. and then yeah, Bianca was there and it was it was so nice to have her there. she obviously hadn't seen Huey since he'd flown to America, so she was super excited to be reunited with both Huey and Tango again and yeah, it was great to have her there and have her support for the event. and an amazing experience for her too. It was her first first overseas event, so it was it was really amazing. prue: Now you were named in the team and were the team's pathfinder as it's referred to, so number one to go. Was this what you expected? Sophia: Yeah, it was what I expected, in regards to being the Pathfinder. I'd been mentally preparing myself for it anyway. I thought I I guess I was expecting Huey to be on the team because I thought you can't actually get a better team horse than Huey. He's so reliable and he's he's just amazing. And so yeah, I was really thrilled to be selected and then I kind of when I that happened I thought I bet Huey's gonna have to go first. so I was I was mentally preparing for that for a while. So when I got told I was first I was ready. and yeah, I guess like there's a lot of extra pressure with that, but also there's a few advantages too in the sense that when I headed out on cross country, like I've just gotta go and do the best I can and I'm not riding knowing like i it would be hard riding, you know, in third or fourth position too, knowing how your other teammates have fared and that affects your ride, whereas as first to go you're really just out there to put in your best performance. So there are a few positives to that as well. prue: Yeah, well. Due to Clip My Horse coverage, there's obviously not a lot of people got to see Huey go cross country. Now we had the advantage of sitting in the TV tent and you know, we're able to see it on just about microscopic screen. But I just want you to tell everybody like, how did it ride? How fast, you know, did you go as fast as you could? I think I know the answer to that. But we do really Sophia: Yeah. prue: want to know everything. just, yeah, just tell us, you know, a little bit about the ride that you had on. Huey that day. Sophia: QE was incredible. The course was really tough. you know, it felt like a five star course to me out there and incredibly intense in how fast everything came up. Like for a long especially, it kind of felt like a short. It was it was really intense. But I just had the most incredible ride. like everything rode it couldn't have gone better for me out there. And I think it's probably the best cross country ride I've ever had, to be honest. I like it just all went to plan. Huey was so with me. The main thing I was telling myself, ironically, was just to slow down and take your time. Because he is a fast horse and I just have to trust in his speed and that I can make up time in between if I need to. And I just didn't want to make a silly mistake or anything. So every combination, I was like, slow down, take a breath, get it right, and then, you know, land and go fast again. And I think I took my time more than I ever have before. So then I felt like I actually did have to go quite fast because I came in and I was five seconds under but I was like, I was going fast 'cause I had to push for it in between a little bit more but yeah, Huey was incredible and I couldn't have had a better horse to go round my first World Championships with, that's for sure. prue: Yeah, many, congratulations and clear round in the show jumping really, really topped it up. And we all knew you could finish on your dressage score. So 14th in the world on your thousand dollar off the track Australian thoroughbred. That is truly what dreams are made of. So huge inspiration. And it was certainly wonderful to watch it firsthand. That is for sure. Now, I'm talking to you while you're in the UK, but I believe you're itching to come home and get those young horses in to ride. Where are you based in Australia and what does your setup look like? Like basically what do you do in your real job I guess is the question Sophia: Yeah. prue: seeing you've been jet setting around the world but what's life actually like at home? Sophia: Yeah, we're so excited to come home. So we live in Matsfield, about two hours northeast of Melbourne, and we have a hundred acre property there called Bluebell Park. so Andy, my husband's a farrier, so he heads off heads off to work every day, locally usually to shoe horses. And then for me I've got, you know, usually around like eight horses in work or so. It it just depends a bit bit at the time, that I ride in the mornings. And yeah, I'm really lucky I've got someone that helps look after Ollie while I'm riding. And then in the afternoon I'm you know, back to being a mother. So then then I'm looking after him and I sometimes do a lesson or two in the afternoon too while I've got him. but yeah, pretty much focus on kind of training and producing horses. I used to do a lot of clients' horses before I had Ollie, but since I've had him I've had to kind of prioritise what's most important and now I own or have owners for most of the horses I ride and they're all horses that I really believe have potential to be top level horses. And then if we're running out of money I just have to sell one of them. So that's kind of how I've restructured my business to be that I'm I'm riding them, and then I sell sell them if I have to. You know, I sell a horse here or there along the way if I have to. and then we also do a bit of breeding as well, so breed about six foals or so a year and yeah, that's where it's been really amazing being able to use some of the telaristallions for that and but also try to get a bit of like thoroughbred blood in there too and hopefully breed some really nice eventas. prue: Yep. I can understand you wanting the thoroughbred blood in there after having Huey as your main man. I would imagine you wish you had a couple of full sisters to Huey to have in your breeding program. Now I have a couple of quick fire questions to finish. Now I don't know how to put this, but people who don't know, you need to understand that Andy is an integral part of Team Sophia. So I thought it only fair that there should be a couple of questions Andy but we Sophia: Sounds good. prue: don't want to give him too much limelight all right so you know you can answer you I've got a few questions you can answer with an always sometimes or never but you can Sophia: Okay. prue: elaborate you can elaborate on the answer if you need to so first one having a farrier as a husband is handy Sophia: Always. That's definitely an always. I've just like prue: well... Sophia: got a personal farrier with me, but you wouldn't believe the amount of times he leaves his tools at home going to an event. but yeah, when there's a four star prue: well getting to that, getting to that and Sophia: horse on the truck he's like he's all over it and it's really good. prue: Okay, good eye. And Andy is the disciplinarian with Ollie? Sophia: Never. yeah. I unfortunately am the bad cop and Andy is just lets him do whatever he wants. prue: and Andy is always reliable to turn up to Sunday morning trot ups. Sophia: sometimes. So there may have been an incident when I was held at a trot up and it was because my horse it was because of a foot issue and Andy had had a big night on Saturday night and was still asleep in the truck. prue: Which is the next question leading to Andy is always in bed before you at an event. Sophia: Mm, I wouldn't quite say never, I'm gonna say Yeah, he sometimes he sometimes comes to bed at the same time. I I tell yeah. And he he loves to have a good time. And you know what? I love him to have a good time because he has just like f wholeheartedly dedicated himself to chasing this crazy dream with me. So I'm like, if you wanna go out and have a big night, go for it. Have fun. I'm going to bed though. prue: And is having Andy and Ollie at the event a bit like having two children? Sophia: Sometimes. Yep, definitely. You you were getting those vibes. prue: Yeah, I thought that. No, all jokes aside. Sophia: Yep. prue: All jokes aside Andy is legend and having him as part of an Australian team is fantastic but maybe not as fantastic as you and Huey but I think it has been said Sophia that having him as farrier of the team that you know you might get the call you might get named on a three-star horse at some stage so that Andy can be dragged along to be the team moral support and farrier Sophia: Yeah. prue: if he needs to be but no thank you so much Sophia really really enjoyed the chat I hope it hasn't brought up too many painful memories for you but that's yeah fiona: Ha ha ha ha ha ha. Sophia: No, thank you. It's been great. prue: that that's a an absolute pleasure that you've given us your time and I'm sure our listeners will really really enjoy the chat Fiona what say you fiona: Yes, I totally agree. I've totally enjoyed hearing all of the backstory and now the future for, Team Sophia. it's a very big team that you're bringing along for this journey. Well done, Soph. It's a great story. Sophia: Thank you. Thanks so much for having me on today, guys. fiona: Thanks for riding along with us. We hope you enjoyed the show. Catch you next time, Between the Flags.