Chasing the Dream with Jake Hunter

This article is from the November 2019 Horse Deals magazine.

Age: 23

From: Singleton, NSW

Currently lives: Putten, Netherlands

Occupation: Showjumping Rider

How long have you been overseas for? Going on five years now.

Where have you been based overseas and how did the opportunity arise? I was in Ireland with Vinnie Duffy at Duffy Sport Horses for four years before making the move to the Netherlands. I met his son Micheal G Duffy at the Youth
Olympics in Nanjing in 2014, the rest is history.

You have been overseas for a few years now. Did you always intend to stay this long? I don’t really know. I always wanted to make a career out of horses. I was lucky to meet the Duffy family who made Ireland very much like home, so was easier to stick the tough days. I think if I went elsewhere, maybe I would be back in Australia.

What did you find the most challenging aspect of moving your life to work overseas and how did you overcome it? It was quite hard actually. I left behind my old life and started a new one. I’m lucky to love what I do so that always makes it a little easier, plus I was made to feel really at home so that helped a lot.

Describe a day in the life of Jake Hunter. I don’t think there is a normal day. All my days can be different. I ride a lot of horses and I also do a lot of training of riders and also working on my own riding. I guess that is a normal day. Other than horses, I don’t really do a lot!

Was the reality of your job overseas different to your expectations, and if so how? I didn’t really know what to expect when I moved overseas to be honest. I wanted to give it a go and it’s been very rewarding so far.

How has the experience changed you as a person and as a rider? As a person, I guess I am a lot more independent now than I was when I first came. I like to think other than that I haven’t changed so much. Maybe my accent a little bit. As a rider I think has been the biggest changes. I’ve been fortunate to be able to train with some very knowledgeable people and compete alongside them. Being able to surround yourself with people better than you can only lead to improvement.

You have had the opportunity to compete at some of the world’s largest events. Is there anywhere you still want to compete at, that you haven’t already done so? Yes of course, I mean I think every rider’s dream is to be able to compete at a championship and be consistently at 5* level. If I had to pick just one thing other than the Olympics or WEG, I would say to jump the Grand Prix of Aachen.

Looking back, is there anything you would do differently? I don’t like to look back. I’ve been very lucky to meet the people that have been in my life abroad, and the opportunities that I have been given. It has led me to where I am today and I am very grateful for that.

What do you miss about Australia? Family, friends, the weather!

What’s left on your bucket list? Everything, my bucket list will never end. Once I have achieved something I always have another thing to add.

What are the things you've learnt during your time abroad?
- Surround yourself with the right people.
- Never be afraid to ask for advice.
- Don’t be afraid to fail.

What advice would you give to someone who is considering a move overseas to work and compete? This is a good question. I think it’s very difficult, a lot of hard work and by far more hard days than good ones. I think you have to really love what you do and be ready to dedicate every day of your life to your path.

It’s very important to be with the right people, I think that is my best advice. Surround yourself with people who you can trust, who are knowledgeable and are generally good people. Sometimes that’s not always at the biggest fanciest yards. And believe in yourself.

Sign up to our newsletter