bored at these events she became a jumping judge and had something to do when I was competing. These days
YO U N G R I D E R
I drive my own truck.” Her dad has remained on the sidelines
Where there’s a will
running the family’s concreting and earthmoving business, which Georgia works for. “He did come to an Interschools event when I was 18 and I remember he was very good at cleaning my yard. He’s
Georgia Hodgetts fell hard for horses, but the rest was up to her, writes SUZY JARRATT.
T
She was given a horse on one condition:
horseless until daughter
‘do everything yourself’. She began
Georgia fell in love. “They
learning the ropes, working for elite
to have a horse until I was twelve,” explains the 22-year-old show jumper. “Mum was scared of them and my
Several Victorians, who are serious equestrians, have been influential in her development as a rider. She got her first
he Hodgetts were always
became my passion but I wasn’t allowed
still not very interested in horses!”
show jumper with the help of Debbie McMaugh, one of her first coaches. “She found April, a TB mare, and together we
riders, taking lessons and competing at
won a few ribbons and an off the track
shows. Just nine years later Equestrian
class at Geelong,” recalls Georgia. “It
Victoria named her Young Show
was Deb and April who really started my
Jumping Ambassador for 2021
love of show jumping.”
One thing she couldn’t do as a
In Year 12 she worked for Jess Barton,
brothers were into another kind of
youngster was drive to shows. “My mum,
a former show rider from Warrnambool.
horsepower – racing street cars.”
Angela, did that and because she was
Now a World Cup jumper, Jess has
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