Coach of the Month – January 2026

Delwyn Ogilvy is a Level 1 General Coach and a Level 2 Eventing Specialist Coach from Victoria and we are delighted to announce that she has been nominated as our first Coach of the Month for 2026.

Delwyn began coaching in 1989 after gaining her Level One coaching qualification, following a career outside the sport. “I’d finished working full time as a food microbiologist and I’d done that for about 15 years,” she explains. “I had my own business at the time, I was doing track work and I had performance horses of my own. I was dabbling in a bit of coaching as well, and I thought I’d better get my Level One Coaching Certificate.”

What began as a gradual transition soon became a lifelong focus. “It was such a simple transition,” Delwyn says. “It’s not rocket science, coaching. It’s just keep it sweet and keep it simple. A bit of leg here, a bit of rein there. Over the centuries, it hasn’t really changed. It’s common sense, and it’s about keeping things clear so the horse can understand.”

What Delwyn enjoys most about coaching is watching riders develop confidence and understanding. “The growth in the riders is what I love,” she says. “Seeing them enjoy what they are doing and seeing that connection between the rider and the horse, where they both understand each other and enjoy each other, that’s very satisfying.”

As a coach, Delwyn works across all levels and disciplines, with Eventing remaining her greatest passion. She has coached riders from grassroots through to elite level. “I can teach from grassroots right through to Olympic level,” she says. “I’m very proud of that. I’ve gathered a lot of information over the years, and I can simplify things if I need to, or make them more technical. I’ve got a very good eye for detail.”

Her own competitive background is extensive. Delwyn represented Australia as first reserve when the Eventing team won gold at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games and spent ten months training in England as part of the revised shortlist. During that time, she also rode FEI dressage for clients overseas. “I’ve always loved my Dressage,” she says. “Even on my event horses, I did very well in pure dressage, up to advanced level, and I still do. I’m very proud of that.”

One of Delwyn’s greatest strengths as a coach is her ability to read horses and explain situations clearly to riders. She believes many challenges can be resolved by understanding how horses think. “Horses don’t wake up and decide to give someone a hard time. You’ve got to feel what mindset your horse is in when you get on.”

Delwyn shares one particularly rewarding moment from a cross country clinic involving young riders and a horse that was reluctant to enter water. By carefully structuring the exercise and using other horses to lead the way, the group worked together calmly and safely until the horse confidently walked through the water. “It was a real team effort,” she says. “They were only ten or eleven years old, but they followed my instructions exactly. I was so proud of them.”

That moment stayed with her. “I was nearly in tears speaking to the mum afterwards,” Delwyn says. “One of my mentors taught me that approach early on, and I’ve used it ever since. If there’s a problem, I don’t let it become a problem. We walk through things first, then progress. It’s monkey see, monkey do.”

When asked what advice she would give to aspiring coaches, Delwyn is clear. “Believe in yourself,” she says. “Trust your gut instinct. You’re as good as the next person. People don’t live their dreams enough. Just have a go.”

She believes communication is one of the most important qualities in a coach. “You don’t need fancy words,” she says. “You just need to take your time, explain things clearly, and try to do the right thing. If people see you’re a decent human being, they respect that.”

Asked how her students would describe her, Delwyn answers without hesitation. “Loyal. And trustworthy.”

If she were not coaching, Delwyn says she would still be riding horses. “That’s what took me into coaching in the first place,” she says.

After more than 30 years in the sport, Delwyn Ogilvy continues to share her experience with generosity, clarity and care, helping riders of all ages build confidence, understanding and lasting partnerships with their horses.