Biography

Ben began riding western horses when he was 12 years old on a palomino quarter horse called Annie. Although he still utilises principles from his western background in his breaking and retraining programs, he soon learnt that his riding passion lay elsewhere.

At 15 years old Ben had started jumping his second quarter horse, Tank. He attended Hillcrest Christian College, a local equestrian school, where he was given opportunities to further develop his equine knowledge. Ben took Tank through to Grade 2 Pony Club level while a member of Pakenham Pony Club before deciding that maybe he would just pursue dressage as jumping the quarter horse was a challenge.

After starting jumping bigger tracks, he realised he had finally found his calling in eventing and show jumping. He sold his dressage warmblood and rode Am’s FEI horse Sea Student to 2* level. He then discovered his talent for starting and producing young horses and produced his next four 3* horses from 3 and 4-year-olds.

One of Ben’s most iconic horses was the cross country machine Chilli Class. His breeding was unknown but suspected to be Arab cross with two of the worst club feet you have ever seen. He was given to Ben and Am because he was so naughty—he bucked Am off when they went and trialled him but they took him home anyway. Within 12 months, he was competing successfully at 2* level and would go on to win and place at 3*s all over the state. He was named Equestrian Victoria Event Horse of the Year in 2016 and helped Ben take out the rider of the year title the same year. Chilli Class would also be Ben’s first serious show jumping horse, taking him around tracks up to 135cm.

At the same time Ben produced Jamaica, an unconventional warmblood cross Saddlebred who would go on to place at 3* level and show jump around 130cm courses. Ben’s current FEI eventer Equineaffair Casanova (Captain) is competing at 3* level with countless international wins and placings under his belt. Captain is a competitive dressage horse also and Amber is working towards an FEI dressage start on him in the not too distant future.

Ben currently competes Nawarrah Park Spot the Fox (Ted), a Welsh cross Thoroughbred, at 2* and 3* level eventing and 130cm show jumping. He is also producing Llenova Downs Flinders (Flynn), a dressage bred warmblood who is an up and coming young horse already showing success in both eventing and show jumping.