Ariat Rider of The Month - David Goodiwn

Congratulations to our July Ariat rider of the month, David Goodwin. Goodwin and Warrego Jericho, along with our other short listed jumping combinations are currently preparing for the final selection events held this weekend and next weekend.

• You are competing at the highest level in your sport on a horse you bred, broke-in, established and competed to an international level, at what point did you realise that Jerry was going to be an international horse?
  I always had an inkling that Jerry could do something special. He was a very difficult young horse. He was flighty and stubborn and terrified of most things. But he was fantastic free jumping, so I gave him a lot of attention and tried not to rush him through the first few years. He gave an amazing feeling jumping and turned a lot of heads during his years in the smaller classes, but it wasn’t until last year when he jumped clear in some of the Australian world cup qualifiers and grand prix’s that I knew I could take the step of bringing him to Europe.
• You have been in Germany for just over 6 months. What are your impressions of the international scene?
  The showjumping scene in Europe is amazing. Especially in this area of Germany, Belgium and Holland. They have great depth in competitors and facilities as well as plenty of knowledgeable spectators. The most exciting thing for me is that the sport is growing so rapidly. The establishment of competitions like the Global Champions Tour has allowed showjumping to reach a huge audience and is presented in a very exciting format. As a result the numbers are growing, along with the prize money and everything else that comes with that.
• What has been your favourite international event to date?
  It‘s very hard to choose. I had a great time at the first show I did here in Spain with Jamie Winning. We a tour of three shows in Oliva on the coast near Valencia. It was a great show for getting the horses confident and jumping well. I think I’d have to say my favourite event was the Z-tour in Belgium. Probably because I jumped a few clear rounds and picked up some handy prize money. It was held at Zangersheide Stud in Belgium and there were a lot of top riders there.

• What are you missing most about Australia?
  I miss lots of things about Australia. One thing that stands out is a reliable mobile phone. I have a prepaid German sim card that I use most of the time. However, I live 4 kms from the Holland border so if I enter Holland I no longer have data and have expensive phone calls. As a result I now have Spanish, Belgian, Austrian, French and German sim cards that I change to when I’m in that country. I also miss things being in English, although my German is getter better slowly.
• Tell us about Jerry, what makes Jerry tick?
  Jerry could probably best be described as a fighter. He’s very independent and head strong. It’s very much a team effort with him. He can’t be forced to do things that he doesn’t want to do. Once he’s decided that it was his idea then he’s happy to do anything. This doesn’t always happen though. Lately he’s been sporting a full clip apart from two fluffy ears.Luckily for me he loves jumping
• If you could change one rule about jumping, what would it be?
  One thing I’d like to see less of is fences that are hard for the horses to judge and jump well. Occasionally there will be a fence that isn’t jumped well by the majority of the horses in a class, regardless of how it is ridden. This is often seen with fences with all white or grey rails. Another thing I’d like to eventually see phased out of modern showjumping is the water jump. I believe it’s too obscure compared to the rest of the sport and should be relegated to derbies.

• Your Father Lindsay has recently come over to help you prepare and support you for the selection trials, what is it like having him around again?
  It’s always great to have a bit of a support team at the important competitions. I think that kind of thing can help keep me calm and in a better place mentally. At a lot of the competitions here things have been very unfamiliar and to be out of your comfort zone isn’t always great for performance.  I’m very lucky that both my parents are supportive of anything I do and it’s nice to know there is a backup for me with them if things go pear shaped.

• The selection trials are obviously a huge part of your WEG campaign, do you have any good luck charms or superstitions you will be implementing on competition day.
  No, I’m very boring in that department. Maybe it’s something I should look into. I will just be trying to stay focused on my routine, keeping relaxed and being ready early.