We’re taking you to La Baule, where we sat down with one of France’s most grounded and quietly determined young riders — Lara Tryba.Lara grew up surrounded by horses on her family’s breeding farm in the north of France, and from a very young age, hard work and horsemanship were part of her DNA. After years balancing studies, work, and riding, she made a bold decision — to go all in on her dream and move to Belgium, where she now trains under Marlon Zanotelli as part of the Ashford Training Program.What stands out about Lara is her calm confidence and her deep love for the process — whether she’s pairing mares and stallions back home, or building her partnership with her horses in the big arenas. She’s a true believer that “slow and steady is what makes you last the longest.”We talked about everything — from her My Lord and Diamant bloodline obsession, to what it’s really like training in one of the sport’s most admire & family-oriented stables, and how she’s embracing the long game of building a career in top sport.Lara is thoughtful, humble, and incredibly driven — a perfect example of the new wave of French riders shaping the future of showjumping. We loved every minute of this conversation, and we can’t wait for you to get to know Lara Tryba.
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35:29
Andres Vereecke: Belgian Roots, Family Bonds, and the Business of Showjumping
Today’s episode is a special one, as it’s among the very last we recorded during our time at the Sunshine Tour earlier this year, and it brings this incredible series to an end. We had the chance to sit down with Belgian rider Andres Vereecke, someone whose name you might already know: he’s the son of the renowned show jumper Koen Vereecke, but whose story is very much his own.In our conversation, Andres opens up about the unique balance of running a business while competing at the highest level, the challenges and rewards of working so closely with his family, and the lessons he’s taken from sport and business. At Beyond the Stables what matters is to get to know the person behind the rider and what shines through is his passion and dedication for the sport: qualities that translated into a great conversation! Let's dive in!
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Jess Hewlett: From a £300 Pony to Team GB, Always Finding the Good in Every Horse
We recorded this episode at the Sunshine Tour earlier this year, with a guest who is now a member of Team Great Britain. But you might have known her from before (maybe from her YouTube channel) and followed her journey from the very beginning with her crazy ponies. If you’re like me, you’ve been rooting for her way before her showjumping success. You guessed it: we had the absolute pleasure of spending some time with Jess Hewlett.Jess is now representing her country around the world, but her journey wasn’t easy or straightforward. She built everything from scratch. She didn’t come from a horsey family, bought her first ponies with all her savings, and look at her today.One thing that stands out about Jess is how she always finds the good in a horse and makes it work, no matter what. She knows how to seize every opportunity and turn it into success. It’s her hard work and dedication that brought her to where she is now.Jess has built a community, and today inspires the equestrian world. But as you know, here on Beyond the Stables, we’re all about getting to know the person behind the athlete ,and she is genuine, warm, real and so much fun! We had an amazing time chatting with her, and now it’s your turn to get to know Jessica Hewlett!
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Molly Hughes Bravo: Portuguese pride, Irish heart, and HHS talent
Today’s episode was recorded back in February at the Sunshine Tour, and to keep those sunny vibes going, we’re bringing you a brilliant young rider flying the flag for Portugal.She rides for Portugal, but with her deep Irish roots, she’s equally at home in Kilkenny. Today we are bringing you the incredibly talented Molly Hughes Bravo. Growing up surrounded by horses in her family’s Hughes Horse Stud, Molly has lived and breathed this sport from day one. She’s already made her mark in ponies, and now she’s working with a determination that’s impossible to ignore.In this episode, you’ll hear about her journey, her unique Irish-Portuguese identity in the sport, and the family that shaped her. Most importantly, you’ll get to know Molly as the bright, hardworking, and warm person she is - someone we know deserves to be in the spotlight.Trust us, you don’t want to miss this conversation !
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Seamus Hughes Kennedy: The Rhythm of Patience, the Eye of a Horseman, the Future of Team Ireland
Over the past few weeks, one young rider has been turning heads in the world of showjumping. He’s Irish, incredibly talented, and right now he’s shining bright on the 5* stage. We’re talking about none other than Seamus Hughes Kennedy.Since we recorded this episode back in Geneva, Seamus has made his Nations Cup debut at the 5* level — and within just a few weeks, he jumped double clear in the Grand Prix of Rome, double clear in the Nations Cup of La Baule, and followed it up with brilliant rounds in Rotterdam.Thanks to this streak of top performances, he’s officially been selected to represent Ireland at the Senior European Championships. It’s a massive milestone, and such a well-deserved one.In this episode, Seamus takes us back to where it all began — The Irish countryside on his sister’s wild pony — and how that start led to the world’s biggest showjumping arenas. He also shares what’s clearly a huge part of his success: his family and loved ones. If you’ve been to a show, you’ve definitely seen them — warm, passionate, and always by his side.With all the great work Seamus has done recently, we couldn’t resist asking Irish Chef d’Équipe Michael Blake what he thought. As he puts it, “Seamus is intelligent and talented, and Rocky is a freak.” So buckle up — this is just the beginning for this incredible duo.And as we always say on this podcast, our goal is to get to know the person behind the rider. Despite all the recent success, Seamus remains so humble, grounded, and kind. down-to-earth.
Welcome to Beyond The Stables! The multilingual podcast that bridges the gap to Showjumping's NextGen. We are Olivia and Alysée, a dynamic duo hailing from diverse corners of the globe – Cuba, Germany, Spain and Mauritius. Embark on a journey with us as we delve into the extraordinary lives of young riders with big dreams. Our exclusive insights, captivating interviews, and behind-the-scenes stories will transport you into the heart of the equestrian world. Where we bring you the thrilling highs, the challenging lows, and the unwavering passion that define our sport.
South Africa