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Sahara Weil: Vaulting her way to the world stage

Five days of vaulting at the FEI European Championship for Seniors and the FEI World Championship for Juniors and Young Vaulters will commence in Stadl Paura in Austria on 30 July 2025 – and this year, there is an Australian in the mix. Sahara Weil, 17, is one of 57 starters in the Junior Female class.

Sahara Weil and Eldorado 139 are set to compete at the FEI World Championship for Juniors and Young Vaulters.

Equestrian Life

Published 24 Jul 2025

When Sahara Weil began equestrian vaulting at the age of ten, she had no idea how far the sport would take her. Growing up on a farm, surrounded by horses and with a background in gymnastics, the unique combination of the two disciplines quickly captured her heart.

“My mum saw an ad on Facebook and thought it might be something I’d like,” Sahara recalls. “We already had horses, and I’d always loved gymnastics — vaulting turned out to be the perfect mix. I love the uniqueness of it and the physical and mental challenge. It’s pushed me in so many areas of my life and taught me a lot about myself.”

Fast forward to 2025, and Sahara is preparing to represent Australia at the FEI Vaulting World Championship for Juniors and Young Vaulters in Stadl-Paura, Austria at the end of July. The road to qualification has been as impressive as it has been swift.

“I competed at my first ever international competition at the start of 2024 in Portogruaro, Italy,” she explains. “I had to qualify for the CVIJ1* at that event — not only did I qualify, but I surprised myself by placing second in my class.”

Sahara Weil competing at Stadl-Paura in May this year.
Vaulting has allowed Sahara to merge her love of horses and gymnastics.

Just two weeks later, Sahara debuted a brand-new freestyle and set of compulsories, earning the qualifying score she needed for the more advanced CVIJ2* level and punching her ticket to Stadl-Paura.

Since then, she’s competed at several more CVIs across Europe to build experience and confidence. “It’s been about getting used to the European environment and preparing mentally for Worlds,” she says. “One of the biggest highlights has been training and competing with vaulters and coaches from all over the world. I’ve learned so much from every experience, and it’s fascinating how many different methods there are to achieve the same result.”

This international exposure has inspired Sahara to continually push her boundaries. “Being around vaulters who are more advanced than me has been really inspiring. It’s made me want to work harder and try new things.”

Sahara has competed at several CVIs across Europe to build experience and confidence, as well as obtain her MERs.
Sahara is now looking ahead to the FEI World Championship for Juniors and Young Vaulters later this month.

As for the horse and lunger she’ll be partnering with at the World Championships, the story is one of spontaneity and synergy. “I’ll be competing on Eldorado 139 with Sophie Kuhn, who are both based in Germany,” Sahara says. “It was a pretty spontaneous partnership — after competing in Stadl-Paura at the end of May, the owner offered me the chance to ride Eldo at the upcoming World Championships.”

Sahara training with Eldorado 139 in Europe ahead of the FEI World Championship for Juniors and Young Vaulters.

After careful discussion with her coach, Sahara took the leap. “Eldo had really positive competition scores, and it turned out to be a great decision. I haven’t competed with Eldo or Sophie yet, but I’m really happy with the connection I’ve built with both of them in our short time together.”

Looking ahead to Stadl-Paura, Sahara is buzzing with excitement and a sense of purpose. “I’m really looking forward to representing Australia on the world stage. It’s going to be my first World Championships, and I’m excited to see how all the training and hard work pays off. I know it’s going to push me in so many different ways.”

But it’s not just about the competition. “I’m excited to soak up the atmosphere, learn from the other athletes, and just enjoy being part of such a special event in a sport I love.”