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Matt Harnacke - The Life of an Equestrian Influencer
This article is from the April 2020 Horse Deals magazine.
Only a decade ago the job description of ‘influencer’ did not exist, however in the past few years, individuals have risen above on a range of social media platforms, forming huge followings. If you have an interest or hobby, there is no doubt you’ll find an influencer who produces social media content for it. The equestrian community across the world is passionate and that is where 23-year-old Matt Harnacke has found his way to the spotlight.
For Matt Harnacke, life started fairly ordinarily. Growing up in Milan, Italy, Matt’s love for horses and the sport began when he was eight-years-old with a visit to a friend’s riding school. Only a few years later, Matt, his parents and twin brother Steve made the move to Australia after his father purchased a business here.
A glimpse of the extraordinary appeared when Matt was scouted as a model at the age of 16, though as Matt explains it wasn’t until a year later that his modelling career began; “At the age of 16 I was very self-conscious and not confident in myself so I declined the offer. I was scouted again at 17 and thought maybe I could give it a crack and see how it goes. For me, I didn’t fit the image in my head of what a model was, but I went for the interview anyway and my modelling career picked up from there.”
Unsure of what to pursue following school, Matt had the intention of either studying a Bachelor of Arts or establishing a career in real estate. Modelling full-time was originally part of a gap year plan to test the waters, but then it evolved into something greater.
“As a model I spent a majority of my time going from job to job, living in LA for a while and then going to New York and Europe a lot. I started to share my story of modelling and riding and that’s where my Instagram really picked up. When I started sharing my career along with my passion, I think people found it as something new and different to follow. You have to somewhat give up your normal life for modelling because every day is different and that’s where social media was of real benefit; it helped me feel like I was always bringing a part of my regular life with me.”
The power of social media shone once again when Matt met his best friend Jesse Drent. “I got in touch with Jesse through Instagram because he had a bigger following than me and I thought we could help each other’s social media grow. I started going to Europe more for modelling and I went to the Netherlands and met him. It’s amazing that social media can bring people so close, even though you may be so far away.”
With an established international modelling career, there was encouragement from Matt’s agents to make the move to Europe. “I always knew I wanted to move to Europe but I couldn’t really see my life making that shift. The more time I spent in Europe, the more beneficial I could see it being; the location was more central for my modelling career and the horse culture is really big. I decided to try and make it work with the mindset that I could always come back if it all goes wrong.”
In 2018, Matt took the risk and moved his life, including Warmblood Chase, over to the Netherlands to live with Jesse. “The move has not only been life-changing for my career, but it’s also brought me closer to my followers. The horse community is very different to Australia. When you go to events here, it’s packed or sold out, and I really enjoy that sense of community, especially here in the Netherlands where every second or third person rides. The downside is the weather is just awful. In Australia, you get so much sun and I really miss that.”
Since the move, Matt has purchased two grey PRE stallions, Emporio and the most recent addition, Sureno. But why the move to PRE and why stallions?
“The PRE breed is something that is very hard to describe unless you sit on one. They make you feel like a king with the way that they carry you and their work ethic. I have always been into baroque, chunky horses and they fit that look perfectly, but also have that expression of movement that suits the dressage arena. As for the fact they are stallions, I was looking for something different and I thought it would be a good learning experience. An exciting new chapter for me will be breeding, which is on the horizon.
“In the near future I want to start competing with both of the stallions and Emporio is feeling ready. I would love to get him to Grand Prix one day and I definitely feel that is possible. Grand Prix is portrayed as this impossible task, and while it is difficult, it’s achievable, and I think we all need to remember that. Emporio is talented and super promising. The laterals are just a blink and he feels ready to start changes. My trainer, Emmelie Scholtens is super too, so I feel like I’m in great hands.”
As the audience has grown, interest has stemmed further than Matt’s horses and career, but to his everyday life activities and even his two new puppies, Penny and Mazy, are now stars. Sharing your life with the public is no easy feat, and to add to it, the work behind the scenes is endless.
“I usually post to my Instagram five days a week, which means content is constantly coming out and has to be original and different. I have my own photographer which I shoot with quite often, almost once a week. On the video side of things, I upload to YouTube every three days. For the videos, I film, edit and post it and by the time that video has gone up I have already filmed the next video. We have our own studio set up upstairs at home and then I also have a film producer and editor who works with me on any bigger projects. I like to film and edit the regular YouTube videos myself, which keeps the authenticity and ensures the video is how I envisaged.
“You have to be a little bit strategic as to how you post, what you post and how much content you put out. It can be quite difficult and draining. I’m constantly thinking of the next thing to post, which means sometimes it can be hard to live in the moment. If I go on holiday, I can’t just go on holiday, I need pre-posts made or I need to be sharing part of the holiday. As much as Jesse and I enjoy it, we are constantly making sure we film everything. Sometimes you do just want to put the camera down, but I don’t get to complain about what I do. I have an amazing opportunity and it’s just one of the things that comes with the job.”
An ever-increasing demand for content means that there’s pressure relayed onto these influencers to keep life interesting.
“I do ask myself ‘what’s happening next?’ all the time. I remind myself that something always comes up or happens to keep content interesting and that being authentic is important. I like to think that if I am having fun and am entertained, then my followers are too, so I do like to seek new ventures which become a whole new journey.”
Matt’s approach to criticism is advice we can all embrace. “The internet is not a bad place, it is an ignorant place. What I try to do with my social media is to educate people in the hopes that we can turn ignorance into knowledge and then the hate will die down. Part of my role as an influencer is to portray what is right and what is wrong when it comes to the welfare of horses.”
Is the question on your lips; but how does an influencer make money? Me too.
“No one really talks about the logistics or the reality of being an influencer, which is why it is a bit of a murky area, but it is important,” Matt explains. “For me, I have a finger in every pie and it’s probably an even income from each; YouTube ad revenue, collaborations with various brands, sponsored content, attending equestrian events, and modelling work. Many people think that influencers generate so much money, but quite a chunk of money is needed to produce the content. For example; photographers, flights, camera and studio equipment and, in my case, paying for the horses. Content creators are constantly injecting more money in, to continue improving their content. It’s a high-cost business to run.”
“The modelling has taken a bit of a backseat now. My schedule is pretty full and I enjoy being my own boss and painting my own future. As much as I enjoy modelling, I don’t envision my life involving so much travel away from home. You have to live your life doing what makes you happy. I don’t like living life from what you are served — you can make your own opportunities and your own path.”
The career of a social media influencer is ever-changing and Matt plans to follow that flow and continue to share his life in a way that’s authentic and honest. Matt and Jesse are currently working on combining forces by establishing a company together. Matt claims this will be a big part of his future, though all can’t be revealed just yet.
Article by Rachel Clayfield.
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