The Rio Opening Ceremony (LtoR) Shane Rose, Prue Barrett, Chris Burton, Stuart Tinney and Sam Griffiths (Image courtesy Prue Barrett).
E
mployed by Equestrian Australia in a full-time role from the beginning of 2011 to the end
of 2016, Prue Barrett managed and coached the riders of the Australian
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Coaching and collaboration
eventing program all the way through to the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games, where the team won bronze. She managed both the domestic and overseas based athletes, with two other coaches on board as dressage and show jumping trainers. I asked Prue for a glimpse into her life as an Olympic Chef d’Equipe, a role that
A Chef d’Equipe is traditionally the team manager and sometimes also a team coach. Prue Barrett has worked in both capacities and spoke to CHRISTINE ARMISHAW about life as an Olympic Chef d’Equipe.
included organising training camps, and coaching: “I chose the dressage and jumping trainers and then I worked with the team on their cross country. The Chef d’Equipe role entails managing the other trainers, as well as being the overarching person who organises the whole training schedule,” she tells me.
