Equestrian Australia

Equestrian Australia

EA National Office Staff

 


  Grant Baldock

Chief Executive Officer

Grant took up this positon 14 April 2010

Grant started his career at Palm Beach (Qld.) Surf Life Saving Club, having been Australian Surf Life Saving Champion in three consecutive years, and then moved to Sydney to join Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA).  There he held various positions, interlaced with sport management assignments at Commonwealth Games and World Swimming Championships.  His most recent position before joining EA was that of General Manager Surf Sport with SLSA, where he controlled a budget of $4.9 million and was responsible for the management of Surf Sports national partnerships worth in excess of $3 million per annum.

 

 

 Tracey Lesslie     

Sport Consultant - Dressage, Show Horse & Interschool

Tracey started on 24 September 2008. She has worked mainly in accounting and small business.

Tracey lives at Kurmond on ten acres with her husband, eight year old son, too many old horses, two English Pointers and the cat. She has been involved with horses all her life and attended Pony Club, has had show horses, groomed for Showjumping & Polo and is now enjoying Dressage with her Elementary Dressage horse.

Tracey has recently recommenced her studies, studying for a Bachelor of Commercial Law (Sports Administration). When not spending time on a dressage arena she can be found at car or kart racetrack as team manager for the boys.

Contact Details:

T: +61 2 8762 7777
F: +61 2 9763 2466 
E-mail  
 


 Nicky Turner

Sport Consultant - Publicity & Promotion 

Nicky joined the EFA National Office in Sydney on 10 January 2008. Nicky comes to the EFA from a riding and coaching background.  Nicky has competed for many years in Eventing, riding up to 4-Star level.  

Also a NCAS level 2 Coach, Nicky, together with George and Rachel Sanna, has coached the Indonesian Eventing Team for the past 18 months, travelling with them to the 2006 Asian Games in Doha.

Nicky completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications at Charles Sturt University in Bathurst.

Nicky lives in Richmond, NSW, and hopes to still have time to keep the dust off her riding gear.

Contact Details:

T: +61 2 8762 7777
F: +61 2 9763 2466  
E-mail  
 


 Brett Mace     

High Performance Manager

Brett joined the National Office on 28 February 2006.

Brett comes from the sport of Triathlon and has considerable experience in areas of High Performance Management. Brett’s most recent appointment was that of Coach and Athlete Development Manager for the International Triathlon Union.  He was responsible for the establishment of an International Coach & Athlete Development Program designed to assist more National Federations throughout the world in qualifying for the Olympics. Before this assignment, Brett lived in Chennai, India, filling the role of National Triathlon Coach and Development Manager for a period of four years.
 
Brett has coached in Triathlon and in Strength and Conditioning at various levels and was Team Manager of the AUS Triathlon Team at a number of World Championships.   Before his move to Triathlon, Brett was in the Royal Australian Navy where in the last three years, he was Physical Training Instructor.


Contact Details:
T: +61 2 8762 7777
F: +61 2 9763 2466

E-mail

 


 Mandy King    

Sport Consultant - High Performance

Mandy joined the National Office in Sydney on 18 December 2006. In 2002, she completed a Sports Science degree in 2002 at the University of Western Sydney. During and after her studies she worked in corporate health as a Health Consultant and then later moved into Personal training.

As a trainer, Mandy worked at several different health clubs in Sydney before being offered a position in Sales and Marketing for the importer and distributor of hydration packs. 

During 2006, Mandy travelled throughout Europe for three months with friends and family to "see a bit more of the world and soak up the sun". 

Residing in the Hills District area, Mandy owns her own horse and enjoys competing at Sydney Jump Club as well as at local shows. Her other interests include going to the gym, the beach, and watching international motorcycle racing.

Contact Details:

T: +61 2 8762 7777
F: +61 2 9763 2466 

E-mail

 

 
 Michelle Battams

Sport Consultant - High Performance

Michelle joined the National Office on 24 July 2007. Michelle has Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing and worked in general veterinary practice before moving into the Surgical Specialist field (hip replacements, fracture repair, neurosurgery, etc.).

Michelle has been working in animal care since finishing her studies and decided that it was time to try working within the Equestrian industry.

Michelle has been riding since she wasyoung and enjoys doing dressage with her mare. She also enjoys rock climbing, doing fitness training in the gym and going out with friends.

 Contact Details:

T: +61 2 8762 7777
F: +61 2 9763 2466
E-mail 

 

  Ben Harris

National Education Manager

Ben started with EA on 14 June 2010 after moving across from the Australian College of Physical Education where he was the Course Convenor for the Bachelor of Sports Coaching and Administration.

He has a strong background in Coach/Official education having run the degree program for the last 3 years and also working in, and as a consultant for, the Coaching and Officiating unit at the Australian Sports Commission. He has a Bachelor Degree in Sport Studies (Coaching) from the University of Canberra and a Masters in Health Science (Exercise and Sports Science) from the University of Sydney. He is also an accredited ‘C’ License Football (soccer) coach, Level 2 Strength and Conditioning Coach and a member of Exercise and Sports Science Australia.

Ben has a competitive performance background away from the sport of equestrian, which is probably good since the last time he was on a horse he promptly fell off again! He had a very short career in the former National Soccer League and is now riding another type of steed of the carbon and 2 wheeled variety as a masters cyclist. In 2006 he rode a mountain bike for charity across parts of Mongolia (so the link to horses is tenuous, but there). He also has to do a lot of running around after two small but very active children. Outside of sport, coaching and coach education, Ben and his family love to travel having lived, studied and worked in several parts of the US and Europe.

Contact Details:

T: +61 2 8762 7777
F: +61 2 9763 2466 
E-mail   

  


 Rebecca Willis

Sport Consultant - Coaching & Officiating

Rebecca hails from Victoria and joined the National Office in Sydney on 01 April 2009, replacing Diana Sutherland, who is now on a world tour.

Rebecca has worked previously with the Riding for the Disabled Association Australia (RDAA) and the Equestrian Victoria Branch Office in Werribee.
(more to come)

Contact Details:

T: +61 2 8762 7777
F: +61 2 9763 2466 
E-mail  

 


 Marina Northcote

Accountant

Marina joined the National Office 04 August 2003. Marina has worked mainly in high technology industries for large and small organisations where she enjoyed being at the cutting edge of business and solving numerous software problems. More recently she has been involved in the management of retirement villages for war veterans widows.

Marina comes to the EFA with a broad accounting and business background along with a Bachelor of Business in Accounting as well as CPA membership.

As a teenager Marina spent weekends riding and she loves anything on four legs. Whilst she would enjoy the opportunity to ride again, having a horse is out of the question because one extremely spoilt Tabby named Chloe would not approve.


Contact Details:

T: +61 2 8762 7777
F: +61 2 9763 2466
E-mail
 


 Leanne Kingsbury    

Sport Consultant - Administration & Insurance

Leanne joined the Natonal Office on 01 February 2007.

She has completed a Bachelor of Applied Science (Sports Management) at the University of Western Sydney.

Leanne has competed in various sports for more than 10 years including competitive Metro and State swimming. She has taken part in the City to Surf run and has been parasailing and white water rafting. Leanne is also a certified Austswim teacher and holds both a current CPR and Senior First Aid Certificate. In 2003, she became "Sportswoman of the Year" at her school for achievements in all school sports. 

In her spare time, Leanne enjoys hanging out with friends and swimming, going to the beach, watching movies as well as reading.

Contact Details:

T: +61 2 8762 7777
F: +61 2 9763 2466
E-mail

 

 

 

 

State Branches

Member Associations Equestrian New South Wales Equestrian Victoria Equestrian South Australia Equestrian Queensland Equestrian Western Australia Equestrian Northern Territory Equestrian Tasmania