Latest / Between the Flags / Leadership, legacy & grandkids - meet Janet Houghton.
Transcript
- Fiona Hughes: 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. Janet Houghton: . you Fiona Hughes: ride along with Prue Barrett and Fiona Hughes. Stirrups up, go eventing. ⁓ Well, show. G'day, Pru, how are you? Prue: Really well, Fee. How are you? Fiona Hughes: this is going to be an exciting episode for us, isn't it? Janet Houghton: Nice. Prue: very exciting. I've been looking forward to this one. Fiona Hughes: Yes. let me introduce our guest. ⁓ we're talking to Janet Horton. Thank you so much, Janet, ⁓ joining Pru and I on Between the Flags. But before we get started... I just want to say this is going to feel a little bit like this is your life because your story is really quite remarkable. From growing up in the burbs of Melbourne to becoming one of the most influential and valued figures in Australian eventing. Janet Houghton: No. ⁓ is it? Yeah. Fiona Hughes: You've worn an incredible number of hats over the years, including Melbourne International Event Director, Chair of EA Eventing Committee, Victorian Eventing Squad Manager, and also served on the Board of Equestria and Victoria. years of dedication, which all so grateful for. Now, spoken to your good mate, Shelly, Shelly Doake, and has described you ⁓ as fierce, remarkable truly ⁓ one a kind. Now, I've learned that your proudest role these days is definitely the most important one, a grandmother of seven children. Janet Horton, we're so glad you can join us. Janet Houghton: Mm-hmm. Fiona Hughes: on between the flags and welcome. Janet Houghton: Thanks, Fee. That's a big wrap. Yeah. And you know, Shelley left the country this morning, so I can't get back at her if she said anything mean about me. Fiona Hughes: certainly didn't say anything ⁓ about you at all. Janet, I'm going to throw it over to Prue and she's going to take on the interview side of tonight's show. Over to you, Prue. Prue: Okay. Janet Houghton: Thanks, Faye. Prue: Hi Janet, how are you? Janet Houghton: Good, thanks. Put a bit nervous. A bit Prue: don't know. I think we're more nervous than you actually. we're, ⁓ ⁓ a valued member of our eventing community. So we really, really thank you because this is a very busy time for you. So we really thank you for taking the time to chat to us today. Now we would to find out more about how a girl from the Burbs became director of one of the biggest events. Fiona Hughes: Ha ha ha ha. Janet Houghton: Thank you. You're welcome. Prue: in the country. just fill us in and take us back to your early days and how horses became such a big part of your life. Janet Houghton: Last century, really. I was nine when I got my first pony. Mum and dad, yeah, we had a paddock out the back that had horses in it. And it or not, I used to, I used to vault onto them and ride them around the paddock. They were retired race horses. And then, We got a pony when I was nine and it cost 40 pounds with the saddle bridle and grooming brushes. his name was Stormy. He was a Welsh cross, grey, beautiful pony and was just amazing. And was where I started. We had a family up the road that made cement and they had four acres with all the houses in the street backing onto it. And they gave me the paddock for the horse. yeah, in the middle of the suburbs with all these suburban houses backing on, I had Stormy in that paddock up there. So that was, yeah, how it all started. And I went to pony club and yeah, just my parents indulged me, which was really good. They weren't horsey and my ⁓ sister wasn't horsey, but yeah, mum and dad were really supportive. So that was great. That's how it started with Stormy. Prue: And then there must have been a move at some stage, what did you do when you finished school and then I believe you moved at some stage to Violet Town. So fill us in on the little bits from living school and then how you managed to be in Violet Town. Janet Houghton: Yeah. Well, we, guess, growing up in the Valley, like I spent of my time up in the Yarra Valley ⁓ and a person from the Yarra Valley and met him out hunting, fox hunting. And I did some point to point riding in my younger days just before we got married. And then we up to Violet Town for probably a bit more than a decade. And that's where all the kids were born. So there was a lot of, we had an Australian stud book stallion. there was a lot of indiscriminate breeding, both of horses and children. I up with four kids and quite a lot of horses up there. So that's, but I still used to come down and hunt. ⁓ I involved. I mean, I did event up to, I think what is now three star level with some, I had some really nice horses, but not. Fiona Hughes: Ha! Janet Houghton: I never did Melbourne. But yeah, I used to help. There was an event, ⁓ national at the Club Yarra Glen, and I used to help ⁓ Robin McCauley with And I got involved with helping there. I was always involved in Pony Club when I was there. I was head of the junior committee and all that sort of stuff. So I guess from an organisational point of view, I've always Dad and mum were great volunteers. I've always felt that it was really important to not just sit back and whinge about how things were, to actually roll your sleeves up and get involved. The time at Violet Town was mainly just hunting and beef and sheep and children. But then when we moved back down, yeah, of the four kids, really only Izzy is the one that stayed riding, but Grace and Izzy were involved in the dreaded interschools. So again, yeah, started being involved in Victorian interschools and taking the team up to Toowoomba, which was, I think it was the first interschools they ran after EI. And Wendy Van Zonsbeek and myself volunteered to help on the first day. So I think we had to help vets take like 500 temperatures or something. And I can tell you some of those horses didn't want to have their temperatures taken because they'd obviously been having quite a lot of temperature taking happening. But yeah, so got involved in the inter-school thing and then Will Ensign and I were dragged in by the current chair of Equestria in Victoria, or actually the CEO, and said they wanted to get the squad started up again. So then... Fiona Hughes: Thank Janet Houghton: started working with the squads and then we wanted to raise some money so we ran a horse event and then it ended up, yeah, getting more more involved in that side of it guess, yeah. Prue: I think in that minute or two you've probably covered about 20 years thinking. So ⁓ I'm yeah, no, much happened at all. have a small insight to how ⁓ you operate. I'm sure there's a lot of good stories in there. And if we had a little bit longer, I'm sure we could delve in. But interesting you come forward to the squad program, because I think that's the first time I met you was Fiona Hughes: Thank Janet Houghton: have. Nothing happened. Yeah. Fiona Hughes: Thank Janet Houghton: I Yeah! Prue: beginning of 2012 at Sydney at SIAC and we were running a national squad camp and yes and Will Ensinger properly chucked you under that bus and you ⁓ brought you pretty much brought on the Victorian squad program so it's great that you've given us a little bit of an introduction there of how that came about and yeah so that's really good so with your role with the Janet Houghton: Yeah. That's right, yeah. ⁓ Prue: squad program, what I guess essentially at the beginning you probably were thrown into it and it seemed like a good idea, but was your main aim I guess, what was your main objective for the program and from those early days how you know what it was then to what it is now. So just give us an overview of ⁓ how you managed that. Janet Houghton: Yeah. So, so it had to be a user-paid system. In those days, there was no real support in those days from high performance and no funding that was trickling down to sort of the lowly squads that we were. So we worked ⁓ a system where it was a user pay system and the coaches that we got and ⁓ always had pressure and you'll understand this, ⁓ always had pressure from I guess the pen pushers to say, you you should go out each year and you should get some, you know, apply, have people apply to be squad coaches. I just said, I identify the coaches that we use, the coaches that we use, the coaches that are bringing FEI writers through. You know, you could be the highest level and have all the experience in the world, but if you're not actually working with students, and I mean, like you guys do and have done, then, you know, you can be the biggest name in the world, but unless you're willing to bring those riders through and you're proving that you can. So yeah, we identified a cohort of coaches and they were kind. They worked for a set fee so that we could ⁓ cover the of the squads. Werribee is an interesting thing in as much as Equestria in Victoria is a part owner or part leasy of Werribee. And so in their support of the squad system, they pay an amount to Werribee, which means if we don't use anything under a roof, then the squads operate there for free. mean, obviously the riders have to pay their, we pay a facility fee and we pay sometimes a set up fee, but ⁓ don't have to hire the arenas or hire the cross country or anything like that. So again, a lot of people, work together to make the squads happen. Yeah. ⁓ so then the whole aim of them, ⁓ guess, I see the riding on the wall from Pony Club where you were losing riders Pony Club because, yeah, in those days here, and I think it's still the same, you had to have ⁓ done X amount rallies on a particular horse before you could compete. and kids were going out and buying horses and wanting to compete straight away. So that's why the interschool system has come in. But there was a real gap in training and training opportunities for those riders. ⁓ yeah, that's where the squad system and really we started off with like a development ⁓ foundation squad. And then out of that, we started putting a criteria together for, well, how can we make those riders who are actually you know, kicking goals and improving their scores and getting placed and doing the right thing. How can we make them a little bit better? So we put a little bit more money into them by saying, okay, if you're on the, well, obviously if they got onto a national squad, we actually give them free lessons. And if they're state funded because they've met a criteria that we've set, then they get their lessons for half price. So in that way, you're hopefully encouraging those riders that are doing well by giving them more opportunities with the training. And also, but they have their squads alongside the development and foundation. So I think it's also a really good thing for those other riders to look up to and see how the ones that are probably working towards being a lead actually function and do the same lessons they do. So yeah, that's. ⁓ Prue: Yeah. And how many give us an idea? mean, this is, you talk about like, it's just a, you know, an easy thing to organise. So just give us some numbers. So if you, typical squad, know, two day, like a weekend or the two days you choose to run it, how many coaches and how many riders do you think would be in attendance? Janet Houghton: you So it's definitely calmed down a little bit. was, I don't know if you came to that squad, I think we had a squad where we had 170 riders or something. It was just ridiculous. Now we probably have about 70 or 80. I think economics, the fuel, all of that probably had an effect, but we ran one last weekend and yeah, I think we had about 70. there. So we had two people coaching over the two days and some people can only come on one day. So we had two cross-country coaches, we had two dressage coaches and we show jumping on one day. So Paul Brent spent all day in indoor two from sun up to sun down coaching ⁓ some show jumping with the riders. yeah, it's an I don't now. I've got this amazing lady, Nessie, who works with me and she does the timetabling and deals with all of that. So I'm always the big picture person. I always need someone to be the devil in the detail because I'm not that person. I've got great ideas, but I don't always cross my T's and dot my I's. Prue: Well, I think that's great and I think it's something you can really be proud of and certainly producing a Lirce for the sport in Victoria. As Fiona mentioned, you've worn many hats in the sport of eventing from Chair of Eventing in Victoria, an EVIC board member, of course, eventing mum, and now Melbourne 3-day. How did it come about that you would become the director of this event and how long have you had that position for? Janet Houghton: Yeah. think it might be 12 years maybe, 11 to 12 years. ⁓ what happened was, it's a really expensive event to put on as you guys would know, because I know you have involvement in Sydney and your own events, but we weren't making money and I was the board, I think, of Equestria in Victoria, or maybe, yeah, I think I was at that time. And what we did gave the license for Melbourne's three-day event to an advertising company that wanted to run it. They thought they could run it and make it huge. reckon that was the year they had the dressage on the polo field. So that was their year and we had the trade village on the Bruno lawn, it lost a lot. They personally, because they underwrote it, lost a lot of money. then obviously I think they thought they were in it for a few years and then they said, well, we're not going to run it. I think Sumikay and Utah, who now works overseas with a lot of the German companies over there, they sort of ran it one year and I think I helped and then the next year took it over. And yeah, so it's just, I remember thinking we like, It's a difficult venue to create atmosphere. And, you know, they used to jump in the indoor and then we, which the rails would fall left, right and centre. So then we moved it out onto the Bruno lawn and that was fantastic until, I don't know what year it was, but we had a bit like last year, which would have been disastrous. We had a heap of rain and the last... Fiona Hughes: Howling gales. Janet Houghton: day in the Bruno lawn and obviously we had the four-star jumping last and it was just so holding the ground and I just thought we've just built that wax arena out there which actually is almost an insurance for the event. I don't want to tempt fate by saying we'd never have to cancel but if we run the dressage in the show jumping on the wax the actual ground around Werribee is well draining. So even if you, like we had quite a lot of rain last year and the going was quite good. Riders were brilliant, they rode to conditions, but the going was not disastrous either. So by moving everything out onto the wax, obviously it's a lot more expensive because you've got to put all your infrastructure around there, but it makes it really worthwhile. I remember, Stuart will probably kill me for this story, but when we had the Bruno lawn, I wanted it to, like I'm a tragic, like I'm sure you girls are. I will stay up all night and watch a horse event. So overseas. And I remember we had some flags, I think it was Ferfi Media or something along the Bruno lawn. And Stuart, I don't know what horse Stuart was riding, but he spoke to Jeff Sinclair, who was the ⁓ TD and Jeff made us take the flags down. anyway, then I ⁓ ⁓ don't know what comp. competition, maybe Buckelo or something I watched. And I can't tell you how many flags they had around the arena. And I said, I'm never, never doing that again. So then we moved out onto the wax. We've got the flags up on the hill. We've got, you know, we need to create the atmosphere for these horses. ⁓ they're ever going to go overseas and cope or even go to Adelaide and cope with that atmosphere there, it's no good, you know, having everything all quiet and Prue: Yeah, that's right. Flags. ⁓ no. Janet Houghton: calm. So yeah, we try and that centre where the dressage is ⁓ we can run the cross country through the WACS which is a nice spectacle as well. yeah, and I think we balance that by giving the riders from the Wednesday on arrival until dressage starts ⁓ the Friday morning as much familiarisation, again, because it's a surface like that. Prue: Yep. Yep. Janet Houghton: We don't have to protect it as much as you would if it was a grass surface or something like Adelaide. So they can go in, they can trot around, they can canter around, they can do what they like and have the opportunity to get the horses used to that area. So, yeah. Prue: And that's such a, and you know as competitors and like it truly makes it international that's what you know it does happen over ⁓ when there is a surface like that so I think that you know Melbourne keeping up that international trend is great and obviously it just it actually allows us to compete on an equal footing so I think you know hats off for your vision and that on board it's certainly appreciated. Janet Houghton: Yeah. Yeah. But it's not just Melbourne, you know, Adelaide and Sydney now, like, they're just incredible. And I think we have our riders go overseas and they are successful. So we're obviously in the events throughout Australia. I think we are doing the right thing. are. I think, you know, the courses are up to scratch. The horses don't go over there and suddenly they can't jump because they haven't had the opportunity over here. think. Our course designers do a really good job and I think, you know, very frustrating with the FEI because I just think very Eurocentric and they don't really recognise that there are different conditions happening down here. We've just had, which you know, Prue, because you're on ⁓ the committee, with the officials and stuff like that. For our guys to get their qualifications or maintain their qualifications and get their overseas experience, unless you're paying for yourself and doing it for nothing, it's very hard to get overseas appointments. Like if you live in Europe or England, you can just go to a different country. You could fly for an hour and you're in a different country. But yeah, we've got good officials and we just need to keep training them and yeah. preparing our riders if they do go overseas, but also just running good competitions for the people who are right down to the grassroots level, for sure. Yeah. Prue: Yeah, yeah, absolutely. I don't know if people really understand what the director of an Aussie three day event actually does. So just run us through a day in the life of being the event director in the lead up to Melbourne. And this is like, you know, maybe 12 months out, three months out, one month out. I have heard there's actually a Thursday morning breakfast that runs. Janet Houghton: Hello. Okay. Well, the Thursday morning breakfast is actually more with the show jumping fraternity. Sue and I, Sue McKay, who works on Melbourne with me is amazing. And she is ⁓ she's my detail, like Nessie is the detail at Squad. ⁓ Sue is everything is perfect and ⁓ got the spreadsheets and all of that stuff. ⁓ we sort of start talking about it, I suppose, as soon as Melbourne's finished. Like there's so much. Prue: I'm Janet Houghton: once an event's finished as far as making sure everyone's paid and prize money's paid out, all of that sort of stuff. yeah, we do everything from choosing the toilets, is very unglamorous, doing the ground jury, doing the schedule. Sponsorship is incredible. just wish we had some, I just look at the showjumpers and I'm... I know the show jumpers have a bit of a chip on their shoulder about eventing getting a lot of high performance money and that's obviously by the Sports Commission because we're podium potential, ⁓ guess. ⁓ when you look at some of the show jumping shows that are running at the moment and the sponsorship money that they're getting, it's amazing and good on them. ⁓ fantastic. I just wish we could find a few more people like that. So yes, sponsorship is a big thing. Everything, everything down to accommodation. Like we used to run the event here in Yarra Glen, we just billet people out everywhere. So accommodation was never an issue, but nobody lives near Werribee in our cohort. So it's all hotels and Airbnbs and stuff like that. And that's expensive. And also trying to get some international judges. Prue: And then. Fiona Hughes: Mm-hmm. Janet Houghton: to give the riders the opportunity. We've always been quite active in that, but we've actually got Anne-Marie Taylor coming back this year. We booked her before we knew she was going to Adelaide last year, but she'll be really good to have in that space. just everything down to auction items. were doing that? Yeah, ⁓ signs, fall flute signs, flags. Prue: Cleaning signs, cleaning signs, everything. Don't bring up the signs. And then when the event actually starts, so let's say Trot Up is Thursday. So I know for you the event, you know, that's sort of when it sort of starts, but I know you've been there for days. ⁓ yes. Janet Houghton: ⁓ no. ⁓ stabling's a big thing too though. If anyone's listening and they've done their entry with that entry platform, you can go back and edit it. So Sue and I sit down and do the stabling and we'll finish the stabling. It's like a Sudoku. And then someone will ring you once the stabling goes out and say, but I wanted to be next to so-and-so. And you're like, well, it wasn't in your notes. So we're not mind readers. if you do have requirements, so we had a lady the other day, which I'm really excited about, I've forgotten her name, but she's got a young baby and she's coming down to do the off the track one star. And she was like, I've never been to where we've got no idea what it's like. I think she's from Newcastle. she said, you know, I sleep in the float, but I've got parents coming down to look after the baby. ⁓ So we were able to set her up with a caravan and say, yep, put it in your notes. We can park the caravan next to the float so mum and dad can come in and look after the baby or the baby can go in with him. So all of that detail, which you really want to make people's experience good at the event. So yeah. Prue: I think you go above and beyond. keen though, what's your biggest thing? Like once the event actually starts, I sort of, my feeling, and I know a couple of event directors, they, it lot of the time you're sort of putting out fires and negotiating? ⁓ Janet Houghton: Little fires, yeah, little fires. But honestly, it's an amazing crew. The eventing community is fantastic, as you all know, and there is just amazing people that step up to help you. We've actually nearly filled all our volunteer roles, although there's still spots if people want some. We've already filled most of the stuff because we have people that come back year after year and do it and they're And they're not necessarily horsey people either. But yeah, so once the event's underway, is more, yeah, more just making sure everyone's happy and everyone's, yeah, doing what they need to be doing. But yeah, that's, it is. Prue: What's the most enjoyable part, do you think, of running Melbourne? Janet Houghton: ⁓ that last day when everyone's going home everyone's safe and well and my goodness, I have, what's the name of that song? It's from Les Miserables, One Day More and I play that all Sunday. I'm driving around, if I'm driving around anyway, it's One Day More ⁓ and then I just need to survive One Day More but yeah, just, ⁓ it's I really enjoy, ⁓ yeah. Prue: ⁓ Thought you might say that! Hahaha you Well. Janet Houghton: That last day is the best. Prue: Yep. You talked about because I wanted to ask you about how Melbourne fits into the landscape of eventing in Australia and why is it such an important event? And you did talk about, ⁓ ⁓ from ⁓ you talked about that in the squad, but also then at Melbourne. And then obviously then it's for setting people up, you know, to be able to be competitive internationally. So that's ⁓ I like you've Janet Houghton: Yeah. Prue: You probably have covered that, but is there something else that you would say that why is so important in Australia to have Melbourne? Janet Houghton: Well, I'm hoping it is still really important. think last year we had a real, like, less entries and that was obviously because Adelaide moved closer to us. I think there was only four weeks apart between both of them and it is a bit, it's, I think we're finding a new norm now with Adelaide being in the autumn season. ⁓ think being able to run over the long weekend and believe it or not people won't believe this but Werribee is in a rain shadow area and June is normally the lowest rainfall. I think it's, can I just say wet and windy. Prue: Well, I'm old enough to remember where I'll in October. Fiona Hughes: Sorry Janet, you lost me. No. Prue: Oh no, I actually, mean Fiona and I are both old enough to remember where it'll be in October and yes, and November and I would actually categorically say June is drier than October and November. A tad bit colder, but it's definitely dry and for all those young people that whinge about it, I can assure you it is drier in June so I can attest to that. So no, that's right Janet. Janet Houghton: Oh, when the bridge floated away. Yes, I know. Yeah. ⁓ seriously? Yep. It is, thanks Prue. But I mean it is a thing isn't it? You can control so much about the event but the one thing you can't control is the weather. So last year I think it was quite wet, I'll be honest, and that obviously led to not as many people coming out to watch. I was just walking around Adelaide thinking oh my god to run an event in this weather but by the same token Fiona Hughes: You Prue: Yeah, yeah, very. Yeah. Janet Houghton: If Adelaide had been the weekend before, it would have been terrible because they had all that rain. you just can't, you can never pick it. Like you can move your event from one week to the next thinking you're going to get better weather. But I think that that's a fool's game. So I look, I think it is good where it is. have ⁓ hopefully riders that have done the foreshort at Adelaide will come forward to the forelong. ⁓ Fiona Hughes: Mm. Mmm. Mmm. Prue: Yep. All right. Yeah, well tell us about that. Tell us what you've got in store for Melbourne this year. What classes do you have on offer? Janet Houghton: Okay, so we've got the four star long, obviously, and then we've got a four star short, which, you know, in conjunction, we always talk and try and do what high performance want because obviously they're gearing their riders up and there may be some Australian based riders who want to take their horses out before might get a trip overseas. I don't know, but ⁓ just said, we run a four short? So that's what we're running. And then obviously the three long, the two long, we split the two long up because it used to be a huge class and I thought that's a bit mean. And so then we split it up to the junior young rider, two star and then an open two star, which them more of an opportunity to place. And then off the track have been an amazing supporter for us. And obviously, We've had some pretty outstanding thoroughbreds and we've still got one that counted around Kentucky the other day. got ⁓ couple coming through, so they're really good. They sponsor the two-star, but we run an off-the-track one-star because that's where the most off-the-track horses are. We just noticed in, ⁓ you know, your Wondons and your Ballaratts and stuff like that, that they could make a whole class. of off the track horses. So we thought, well, why don't we bring them forward and give them an opportunity. But actually Fiona Fox, who you know and love, she was talking about maybe next year you should run because we'd be watching Bad Mint. Maybe you should run a Grass Roots on the weekend before. So I just thought, well, Dave Purmizel would just blow his top if we suggested that. But anyway, it might be something we could do. I don't know, to give, you know, the 95. Prue: But you also run the young horse, but you run the young horse as well. Janet Houghton: ⁓ yeah, we run, ⁓ yes, because I think, your husband coming down to judge in that? ⁓ yeah, so we do, we've got some other, yeah, we've got the young horse, which is six year old, five year old and four year old, and that's on the Thursday. ⁓ then on the Friday, we've got the Yulong, which is a new competition, I we've run it last year, first last year. ⁓ And for horses that have, Prue: Apparently. Janet Houghton: finished racing within the last two years and it was pretty exciting last year because Zaki obviously with Sinead won that what we're more excited about now is there's a bit of a progression because Zaki's coming back this year hopefully fingers crossed or being well to compete in the one star. ⁓ won the I've just come off the track in the last two years ⁓ and that overall. And that was quite funny because Tim Bowlan was judging. the girls that were on the commentary didn't actually know the value of Zarky when he came in, because writers, please put all this stuff in your notes so that we do know the value of them. But Tim just said, I think we better give it 10 for the gallop, because he had he won like $11 million in racing or something. ⁓ So the Yulongs ⁓ something. Prue: Yeah. Yeah, that's right. Janet Houghton: again which is for horses that have just come off. Yeah, so we're running that. That's good. Prue: Yeah. So just, that's great. I'll just love hearing you, you know, the passion and, and, and I think it's a real credit to you and your team that you don't just go, well, this is Melbourne and this is what we've always done. So this is what we'll continue to do. So I think, yep, you certainly are the ideas girl. And I'm sure it probably drives your husband mental, but anybody that, well, we know that. Janet Houghton: ⁓ he's a saint. He's the gardener proof, isn't he? Prue: We know that. That's right. That's right. Yes, that's a story for another day. ⁓ dear. So there's a lot, you know, to be said and written about leadership in both sport and business. Currently, you're not only the director of Melbourne, but also the chair of the EA Eventing Committee. Where do you get your direction from and being such a great leader? And do you think that perhaps being a mother of four and now grandmother of seven has held you in good stead for leadership? Janet Houghton: Yeah. You think it helps in communication. think, but I just honestly think the people I work with are good people and that's what you want is a really good team around you and you value them. And like Eventing Committee, we've got an amazing group of people there. And when you think about like, it's all voluntary, you give up your time and I really appreciate anyone who'll give up their time. to make the sport better. So I just think you surround yourself by a good team of people and can't go wrong, really. yeah, communication absolutely is 100%. You've just got to keep talking to people and yeah, try and ⁓ listen and listen to people. I think that's important. ⁓ But no, great. I'm passionate about it, but I'm... Prue: Well, and I think you probably lead by example. Yeah. Janet Houghton: 71 in a few days time and I can't keep doing it forever. We have got some really good young people coming through in Victoria and hopefully right around the country we've got some really good young people coming through and you don't have to have ridden at the highest level to be helpful and you just, yeah, just get involved at whatever level and see where it takes you. Fiona Hughes: you Prue: It sounds like there might be a bit of a progression plan happening here. I think ⁓ watch this. Janet Houghton: There is definitely a succession plan. Well, they're digging their heels in, but getting there. think there's more people coming. I ⁓ ⁓ Prue: I'm sure you will keep prodding there Janet. What do you think the challenges we have in Australia in the sport of eventing and you know maybe we need to manage better as an eventing community how do we address these challenges? I know that's a bit of a big question probably but I think you've got an answer. Janet Houghton: Yeah, okay, I know. training officials, we've got to keep our officials trained and current and have more coming through. Yeah, we've just got to have younger people coming through in that space too. It's quite a, I mean, I can say this because I'm old, so it's quite an aging population, our officialdom. Fiona Hughes: It's like a Pandora's box there, Prue. It's like a Pandora's box. Janet Houghton: and we need to have more younger people coming through with that. I think the cost of running events is becoming more more expensive, especially an FEI event. yeah, just trying to make Equestria in Australia understand that we need these FEI events to run and we need to really appreciate the organizing committees that, you know, it's... We could all go back to running national events, but if we did that, there'd be no MERs for riders categorisation, for going up the levels, for all of that stuff. So yeah, I think that's a challenge is the cost of running an event. I was listening to Katie Taliano. I think the other challenge we have with riders coming through, and I couldn't agree with Katie more, is that they're all on arenas now. Having Melbourne to a surface. but they're all riding on surfaces now and they're very fussy about their surfaces. And I just think get them out and trot down the bitumen road and know, can't around the paddock. And I know it's harder for riders to do that nowadays, but luckily you can go to different cross-country courses. And even if you're not jumping, just do some fitness work and schooling that we need to get them off the arenas if we're going to have good cross-country riders to, yeah. Prue: Yeah, well said. Yeah, no, that's, yeah, that's right. That's right. So what do you love about the sport of eventing in Australia or even the world? Janet Houghton: and horses with leg up. ⁓ Why everything? Everything. So I was involved obviously in, I love the way Australia, I'm probably most proud of being a part of the Eventing Committee. This is my second time on the National Eventing Committee. My first time was in 2016 which was very challenging. And just the way the Eventing Committee and the Eventing Community came together, we had help from Terry Snow, obviously. But at the end of the day, we had, so this is really interesting, we had Stuart Buntine come out to run a frangible course at the start of the year. We had course builders from, and course designers from all over Australia and New Zealand that came to that. And he walked around like we all. obviously have all the jumps piled up from Melbourne and Spring and Friends of Werribee on the venue. And he walked around and he said, you would have more frangible jumps here than there would be in the whole of England outside of my shed. he just couldn't believe like that. ⁓ that was just, that was fantastic to see those guys and Chris and Will came over from, his course builders came over and just the way they all. They just had the best time feeding off each other and coming up with ideas. And so very proud of how Australia reacted to those tragedies. And it's 10 years, we have Caitlin's parents come down. did Oliver win it last year? I think Caitlin's parents come down every year to Melbourne and present the trophy for the best placed young in the three star. ⁓ Just... how we came together and how we made changes in the rules and changes to the fences. And that is still going on today. Like we still have those meetings with the course designers and really, yeah, to make ⁓ sport safer, I think. I'm very, very proud of that. Yep. Prue: Yeah, huge progress being made. I'd agree with that. And I think it's great that, yes, Australia and New Zealand is considered remote when you have a European-based international federation, but to know that we are ahead of the game and, you know... Janet Houghton: Yeah. Prue: like what Stuart said, ahead of where so-called the capital of eventing is in the UK. think that's, ⁓ know, think it's hats off to everybody and the effort being put in there and I think that's a massive encouragement to everyone too and you know we don't need to have a chip on our shoulder about it. We can actually, you know, hold our heads high and really be proud of what's being done. So yeah, that's great. That's great to hear that. I know you won't talk yourself up here Janet but you're an amazing asset in our sport and I've taken on all Janet Houghton: Yeah. Yeah. None. Absolutely. Yeah. Prue: of these roles as a volunteer. Can I ask you what would you say to someone to encourage them to be a part of the volunteer brigade in eventing? Janet Houghton: say just be open to it and get involved because honestly you know you have a lot of laughs, there's a lot of swearing, there's a lot of laughter but mainly it's just people working together to create something that they're passionate about so I just think it's so important that yeah we we get people and I really appreciate the people that do that because everyone's poor aren't they? They're, yeah. yeah, so just get off Facebook for a little while ⁓ ⁓ out and do something. But yeah, no, look, it's, ⁓ love it. I'm so passionate about it. I do love it. I think I could do it till I'm 90, but I don't, ⁓ seriously don't, no, no. ⁓ do not want to be that person that they go, ⁓ my God, I wish you'd just bloody give it away. Prue: Yep, yep. Earth. Fiona Hughes: you Prue: ⁓ that's just as well. That's good news to everybody. Fiona Hughes: That's good to know. Janet Houghton: So I'm gonna leave before I'm thrown out, I think. I think that that's really important too, that you've gotta have younger people coming through and taking ownership. So no, I'm not gonna still be here when I'm 90, I promise, prude. Fiona Hughes: That's not gonna happen. Prue: the Oh no, no. Well, thank you, Janet. That's just, I just actually can't wait to smile off my face. You're so energetic and 71, like, you know, dare I bring it up again, but yeah, you're putting half of us to shame, to be quite honest. So really, I just enjoyed chatting to you so much. So even though a lot of that was quite lighthearted, we've actually got a little bit more lightheartedness to come. So. Fiona Hughes: ⁓ disappointing. Janet Houghton: Bye. I Heh. I'm nine. Thanks. Prue: I'm going to hand over to Fiona now and she can literally take the reins from here on in. Janet Houghton: Thanks, Peru. Fiona Hughes: Yeah, great interview. Thank you, Pru. Now, Janet, we call these the cool down questions. and is just where you can relax and have a hearted reflection This is Your Life program. here we go. I'm gonna play this one. Janet Houghton: Okay. Not me. Fiona Hughes: Hi Janet, one of my favourite humans in the whole world. I'd just quickly like to say thank you to you for everything that you've done for our wonderful sport. I think that goes without saying. also I'd love to thank you for everything that you've done for me over the years. I often refer to you as my second mum and I'm sure I'm not the only one who does that. I have one question for you and it's actually based around something that your lovely husband Andrew once said to me. I remember saying once, Janet. Her brain, just never switches off, never stops. She's just always thinking, always on the go. Me, I walk around blank most of the time. I just wondered what it's like to have a brain that never switches off. I can't really relate, so I'm interested to know. Janet Houghton: Hehehehe no, it's no good. I don't drink. I think I should take up drinking. I might have had a little Pedro Imanez before I came for this interview because I thought I just need to take the edge off. But no, it never stops. And I wake up in the middle of the night and yeah, never stops. I don't know. I think, yeah, I think maybe Fia need to take up drinking. That might switch it off. Fiona Hughes: Ha Janet Houghton: But yes, Andrew's brain's full of nothing, he told me, nothing. can be blank, which is good. I'd love to be blank. Fiona Hughes: You Prue: That's why you never ask a man what they're thinking, Janet. Janet Houghton: No, because Prue: ⁓ Fiona Hughes: Here's our second cool down question, Janet. just little slow to the volumes, a little slow to begin. ⁓ Janet Houghton: Okay, listen carefully. Fiona Hughes: Who would have thought there was this many nice things to say about you? On a serious note though, everything you've done and everything that you do for Eventing in Australia is phenomenal. Your commitment to us and to programs, to individuals, to organisations, clubs, outstanding, thanks so much. But I want now get you to cast your mind to your Eventing Director role for Melbourne Three Day Men. And can you tell ⁓ Janet Houghton: You Fiona Hughes: What is the worst job you have to do for Melbourne 3 Day? Janet Houghton: sometimes I have to go and check that there's toilet paper in the toilets so that's not the best job in the world. Yeah. Fiona Hughes: you Janet Houghton: Like everyone has to pitch in, so that's the worst job, I think. Fiona Hughes: Yeah, yeah, I think that's exactly what we were hoping you'd tell us about your toilet, your toilet duty. Prue: getting the text message. Janet Houghton: I'm a lot of toilet. Fiona Hughes: There is. Alrighty. We're about to head into the final segment of ⁓ program tonight. Janet, get ready for this one. Janet Houghton: I don't know. Fiona Hughes: Daniel, Daniel Drive to you. I've got a scenario for you and I just want to run this by you. Say you're at Melbourne 3-day event, there's a nice young fit sort of strapping looking male. He's going to propose to his girlfriend. You've got a volunteer task you wanted to do. So you go out, ask him if you can do it and he lets you know, now's not a good time because I'm going to propose to my girlfriend shortly. Now question, do you keep that information confidential or do you go and tell his mother-in-law? Janet Houghton: You I'm Kent Pound. Fiona Hughes: Let me know. Janet Houghton: No, his future mother-in-law. I didn't tell her, did I? Or maybe I did. I think I did tell her. I didn't tell her, I just asked if she knew. I don't know, Daniel. He's a successor, so just telling you. He proposed to her in front of the mansion. It was very romantic. And he showed me the ring. Not his ring, the ring. Prue: you you you Janet Houghton: But, ⁓ maybe I did mention it to Fia. I don't know. may have. I let him off his volunteer duty though, I thought that was nice of me. No, he's a good egg. And they're having a baby, that's exciting, isn't it? Prue: That's gold. That's gold. I hope that's not a secret. Fiona Hughes: Did you? Did you? Janet Houghton: No, it's not. No, it's Facebook official. Sophie and Daniel are having a baby. That's really exciting. Fiona Hughes: I think you let that cat out of the bag as well! Prue: You you heard it here first. Fiona Hughes: that was... ⁓ dear. ⁓ well. Prue: Oh, that's cold. Oh, Fiona, I think we need to wrap this up before any other family secrets start just coming out of that vehicle in Cold Street. Janet Houghton: Hi, dear. Surface. Fiona Hughes: Well, it's been a fabulous chat and I'm sure that Prue join in saying thank you so much Janet. You're just a pleasure to ⁓ chat and get all the insights about running events Thank you Prue. Okay, thanks very much. ⁓ Janet Houghton: Okay, good night. See ya. Prue: Thanks Fee, thanks Janet. See you later, see you at Melbourne. Janet Houghton: Yep, you will. Bye. Fiona Hughes: Thanks for riding along with us. We hope you enjoyed the show. you next time, Between the Flags.