Stephanie Barrington and Global PPS, winner of the 2024 Garryowen at Melbourne Royal. Image by Lisa Gordon Photography.
It was always Stephanie Barrington’s dream to win the Garryowen at Melbourne Royal. At 20 years of age, she did just that with a Thoroughbred named LA. Thirteen years on, and Steph has just claimed the prestigious trophy for a second time with six-year-old Global PPS. She says this win is all about the team behind it.
Steph Barrington won her second Garryowen, this time riding Sue Thompson’s Global PPS. Image by Lisa Gordon Photography.
“I was nine years old when I learnt about the Garryowen, and my dream was to win it when I grew up. And I did that; I was 20 years old when I won with Thoroughbred LA in 2011. It’s then taken 13 years to win it again!” says Steph.
Steph first competed in the class in 2009 with LA, and she recalls learning so much from that experience. “I wanted to enter just for the fun of it; for the experience, to be a part of something that I had looked up to as a young child. I had a beautiful horse in LA; I knew he was a Garryowen-quality horse, and I still truly believe the most important thing is having a top-quality horse. However, the magic of the Garryowen is the fact that it is not just the horse – and it’s not just the rider either – it’s a combination of both, plus of course all of the traditional turnout costume and saddlery.”
Steph recalls how for her first Garryowen attempt, she pulled together borrowed gear to give it a crack. She was the best performed first-year competitor and was only a handful of points off the overall title.
“From there, we went away and really learnt what you actually needed to win. It took my family and I the next two years to make sure we had the right gear to ensure we were going in with the very best possible preparation that we could. And we won.”
Over the years since that first win, Steph has had several beautiful horses and a number of great attempts at a second victory – notching up three seconds and two fifths. Before this year, her last start was two years ago with Sue Thompson’s Givenchy, with the pair receiving strong scores for fifth place.
“I was nine years old
when I learnt about
the Garryowen.”
“Global PPS was in the works already at that point; it was two years ago I first rode him,” reflects Steph. “I didn’t know at the time he was possibly a Garryowen-winning horse. He hadn’t even gone to a show by that stage.”
Purchased by Greg Mickan and Terry Van Heythuysen as a yearling from Parnell Park, Global PPS is by well-known dressage sire Fürstenball out of a mare named PPS World On Ice (Weltmeyer x Thoroughbred).
“I was lucky enough to be offered the opportunity to buy ‘Harry’ as a yearling, and I’m so grateful to Greg and Terry for giving my family the chance to be a part of this journey,” explains Steph. It was right before the pandemic, and so he spent the first couple of years enjoying Romsey life and growing up.
Greg and Terry broke him in and have done everything to give him the best possible start to life in the ring. At home, Harry showed from early on he was going to be a star. “There was a moment… I knew he was a very, very spectacular horse and thought that if I could put this together in the ring, I’d have something very special,” Steph recalls.
The partnership quickly grew. In 2023, Global PPS competed at Melbourne Royal – his first royal show – winning the Best Novice Show Hunter Hack and going all the way through to Champion Show Hunter Hack. It was Steph’s first ever Champion Hack title at any royal show on her own horse. The pair then won Champion Show Hunter Hack at the Equestrian Australia [Australasian Show Horse & Rider Championships] Nationals in December.
This year, Steph and Harry have also been hugely successful. “He won his second Barastoc Horse of the Year title in February, and then we went up to Sydney Royal in April and he was Champion Show Hunter Hack, and we won the Ida Buring Memorial Turnout up there, which was our first practice in our gear for the Garryowen.
Steph says’s Harry is simply the perfect show horse and the best she has ever ridden. Image by Lisa Gordon Photography.
“He’s such a good boy; I knew he would be fine. Every time I’ve ridden him since he came back from Sydney, I’ve been focused on the two minutesin the arena for the Garryowen. There’s been a lot of preparation in terms of our training, the costume, saddlery, and making sure Harry was looking and feeling his best. Even some of the saddlery we had from the Sydney show, we made changes and adjustments to ensure it was right.”
In typical Melbourne style, the day of the Garryowen dawned with a little bit of rough weather. “I woke up on that show morning and I heard the wind, and I knew that would actually work in our favour because I know Harry doesn’t mind wind or rain; he’s practised in all weather conditions and I knew he’d be perfect.”
Steph says that Harry is the ultimate show horse. “He loves everything about being a show horse, and he’s such a tryer – if I ask him to do something, he says ‘yes’. He’s never let me down in a class, ever. I just love riding him, he’s the best horse I have ever ridden. I am so excited for the future because he’s only six years old… it’s pretty exciting.”
The pair not only claimed the Garryowen at Melbourne Royal, Harry also won Champion Small Hunter Hack and the Providence Cup, and Steph was Reserve Champion Lady Rider. Quite the successful outing indeed!
LIFELONG LOVE OF SHOWING
Growing up on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, Steph was in the saddle from an early age. Her family bred ponies and as she got older, she did a lot of work with off-the-track Thoroughbreds – hence why her first Garryowen winner came from the track.
These days, Steph balances her passion for horses with a high-pressure corporate career. Studying commerce and marketing at Monash University, her first taste of office work was as an intern with Equestrian Life a year after winning the Garryowen. “One of my first ever articles published with Equestrian Life was me interviewing Ali Berwick; she won the Garryowen the year after I did!”
Steph then landed a job working for Gillette (Procter & Gamble) in Sydney. “I moved up to Sydney, for the corporate job, and then came back to Melbourne a few years later so I could continue with the horses alongside my career. Corporate life was for me… but horses were still my passion.” These days, Steph works for French skincare company Bioderma where she is Head of Sales for Australia and New Zealand.
Seven years ago, Steph joined the Romsey Park team and purchased her first Warmblood – a mare named Rebelle – bred by Maree Tomkinson.
Steph is all smiles following her win. Image by Lisa Gordon Photography.
“I have been riding with Greg and Terry ever since. They have a great business model, they’re great at producing horses, and I love riding with them. I think it is a great combination. I live in St Kilda, and I have a full-time, very high-pressure career with quite a lot of travel involved – so I can’t be at Romsey Park every day. I love the fact that I can go up there a couple of times a week and attend shows, and they make sure the horses are as well looked after as I would look after them myself. And I’m so grateful for the fact that my parents have been able to scale down, retire and could stop having to care for my horses!”
STILL HOOKED ON THOROUGHBREDS
Despite now riding a Warmblood, Steph has lost no fondness of Thoroughbreds. These days, she and husband Hamish have several part-shares in racehorses with Price Kent Racing.
Steph explains that apart from some family history, Hamish himself isn’t horsey – however, in the early days when hanging out with Steph’s good friend Ali Berwick and her partner Michael Kent, it was clear he was about to develop a love of racing. “I could see Michael and Hamish bonding, and I thought, ‘This is going to cost me money!’” laughs Steph.
With Michael a successful trainer, it wasn’t long before Steph and Hamish entered the racing game – and so far, they’ve had great success. “Every single horse we have had with Price Kent Racing has won on debut,” says Steph.
For Steph, her involvement in racehorse ownership comes back to her love of the horse – and during the pandemic she couldn’t resist the chance to get back in the saddle of a Thoroughbred. “I got my trackwork licence and I did more than a couple of laps around Caulfield for Price Kent Racing. My god, they go fast! For about six months, I did slow work – but slow work is not slow work!” she laughs.
THE NEXT CHAPTER
When it comes to the competition arena, Steph isn’t about to rest on her laurels. For the remainder of the year, she has a few agricultural shows planned for Harry ahead of the Australasian Show Horse & Rider Championships.
“We’ll do some smaller ag shows in the next couple of weeks to gain qualifications for the big royals next year, and then we’ll be looking forward to the Nationals in November in Sydney. That’s probably going to be our biggest focus for the next couple of months. We won last year, so we are hoping to be successful again.”
Looking further ahead, Steph is embarking on a breeding journey. “I’ve gone down a path of breeding with Rebelle – she was sold a few years back, but this year we were able to obtain embryos from her. I now have two foals on the way out of Rebelle via surrogates, by KWPN Le Formidable (Bordeaux x Ferro), due around Christmas. Maybe one of them will be my next Garryowen horse – we’ll see!”
ALL FOR THE TEAM
Although still on a high from her Garryowen win, Steph explains that her equestrian career isn’t about the ribbons – and definitely not about individual accolades. The biggest thrill she gains from her success comes from the team that surrounds her: Romsey Park, her husband Hamish, and her dedicated parents among others.
“I’ve got all these people who have meant so much along my riding journey and I am so grateful that they’re a part of this. This win isn’t for me, it’s for them, one hundred per cent,” says Steph.
“How do I describe the relationship I have with Romsey Park? It’s the perfect fit, and I am so grateful for everything they do. We work really well together, and I couldn’t have done it without them.”
Terry has been involved in several Garryowen wins in the past, including with showing legend Vicki Lawrie, but Romsey Park as a team had never won the prestigious title. Steph explains that part of her drive to succeed in this year’s class was for them.
“I wanted to do it for Terry, Greg and the team. I woke up in the morning of the show, and I’m driven by the flowers; I love flowers, the garlands… but in all seriousness, all I wanted to do was make them proud. That’s all I’ve ever want to do.
“It’s the same with my parents – they’ve sacrificed so much for me so I could have this riding career, so I am very, very grateful for their support and sacrifices. The horses for me have always been a family sport with Mum and Dad; they have been very, very supportive throughout my entire riding career since I was very young. My grandparents were as well; they lived with us on our hobby farm and were so supportive of me growing up.”
Steph explains that her parents weren’t just ringside for the Garryowen – they were crucial parts of the support team.
“Mum and Dad came and stayed at my house the night before to help me prepare, and on Garryowen day, Mum dressed me and made sure all the horse’s gear was right prior to the start.”
And then there is Hamish. “Obviously I was going to find a partner who was going to support this journey that we are on… knowing that I wanted to win the Garryowen again!” laughs Steph. “I’ve got the most supportive husband; he comes to all the big shows and gives love and support. A second Garryowen win was a huge goal for me, and to have someone like Hamish who is so very supportive is amazing. It is just so nice to have someone so very proud of what you do.”
Of course, an important part of the Garryowen team equation is Harry’s new owner, Sue Thompson, who purchased the gelding after his success in Sydney earlier this year. The plan is for Steph to continue riding the talented six-year-old, however she says she’d love nothing more than to see Sue in the saddle. “It would be a beautiful story if she did [ride Harry]… he is the perfect horse for her!”
FOR THE LOVE OF HORSES
Alongside her incredible team, Steph’s other main driver is her innate love of the horse. “There’s nothing more special than the bond we have with them, at the end of the day. I love going out in the ring and asking them to dance with me – and they do! When you look back and reflect on the day and you’ve nailed it, there is no feeling in the world like it.
“The bond that we have… I think it’s just totally incredible that we can even just ride horses. Particularly in the Garryowen, riding in foreign gear and with that huge atmosphere… and they just say ‘yes’. It’s a testament to the nature of the horse and it represents everything we do. We can’t take that for granted.”
When it comes to her specific love of showing, Steph’s answer is simple: “I just can’t go past a beautiful horse!”
Steph would like to thank Romsey Park’s sponsors Barastoc Horse, County Saddles, Kelato Animal Health, Equissage Therapy Australia, DQ Saddlery, Thames Equestrian and Arena Equestrian. EQ
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