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Rider of the Year

WINNERS

The Rider of the Year award recognises the highest level most consistently performing Victorian rider in each discipline over the period 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022.
READ AWARD CRITERIA

PAULINE CARNOVALE

2022 Rider of the Year – Dressage

Pauline has been riding her own dressage horses as a hobby since 1990. Her coach is Lone Jorgensen. Pauline’s Grand Prix horses over recent years are: Urestan, Corinna and Captain Cooks.

SAM JEFFREE

2022 Rider of the Year – Eventing

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Sam had an interest in horses and began riding at a very young age – he also quickly discovered eventing was his passion and has been on that path ever since. After graduating from school Sam’s goal was to become a full-time professional rider and bring on a strong team of top-level horses. He has worked hard to achieve this and has now produced several horses to 3- and 4-star level. Throughout his career Sam has won numerous State and National titles and in 2019 Sam was the National Young Rider Champion. In 2021 Sam was the Victorian Rider of the Year – Eventing.

This year in 2022 Sam has achieved some great results, including 1st CCI4*S Wandin Horse Trials, 2nd CCI4*S Tonimbuk, 3rd CCI4*S Sydney, and 1st and 2nd CCI2* Sydney. Sam was also selected to represent Australia on the Senior Team at the recent Oceania Championships.

ANDREW LAMB

2022 Rider of the Year – Jumping

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ABBY HEFFER

2022 Rider of the Year – Show Horse

Abby is a very committed EV show horse member, which has given her opportunities in many aspects of the sport, such has representing Victoria on multiple occasions at EGO Sunsense EA Australasian Show horse and Rider Championships. She has been tremendously proud to achieve Champion rider for Victoria on multiple occasions including being current national rider.

Being a member of EV has allowed Abby to network with other like-minded individuals which has led to some great friendships. “I have found that over the years while in the EV community I have had individuals approach me looking for advice or tips to better their riding. This goes to show how accepting and welcoming the EV community is”.

Emma Turnbull

2022 Amateur Owner Rider of the Year

Riding LP Lucky – Members of the AOR Squad

Lucky & Emma won the AOR Preliminary and AOR novice championships as well as the open novice pony championship at Dressage Festival in 2021. Lucky has competed at Novice and in the 5 year old Young Pony classes in the 2021/22 season and has won multiple open championships, regularly scoring 70+%. Emma is a mum of two, a specialist criminal defence lawyer andjuggles riding with running her criminal law firm in Melbourne CBD.

Maddison Cooke

2022 Para Equestrian of the Year

Maddison was born with Cerebral Palsy.

Highlights: * Being named on The Equestrian Australia Para Equestrian High Performance Green Squad (Podium Ready, Podium Potential) * Hope Cup, 2012, Taiwan, placing first in team, Individual and Freestyle tests 2 * Melbourne Dressage Festival 2022 Para Equestrian Grade 2 Champion * Leader Para Nationals 2022 Para Equestrian Grade 2 Champion * CDI Lite Sydney International Equestrian Centre Para Equestrian Grade 2 Champion.

Andrew Damsma

2022 Carriage Driver of the Year

Andrew works full-time at an elite ridden Dressage sales stables in the Netherlands and oversees top level dressage horses.

He competes in 3-star Carriage Driving events on the European circuit in the Horse Pairs, with his 3 KPWN horses.

Recently Andrew spent time in Victoria conducting Carriage driving training Clinics in Melbourne for Victorian and NSW Drivers. In 2021, Andrew made his debut for Australia at the FEI World Horse Pairs Championships in the Netherlands and placed mid-field. in 2021, He won the EV Carriage driver of the year award and has since gained a qualifying score for the 2023 FEI World Horse Pairs Championships.

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