Following on from a previous article we did about Deon Stokes just after he had secured sponsorship from Bates Saddles we thought it was time to catch up with him to find out more about this multi-talented rider
Where were you born and where did you spend most of your time growing up?
I was born in Geraldton, five hours north of Perth and grew up on my parents farm in Chapman Valley, just out of Geraldton.
When did you start riding?
I don’t really remember not riding and I have lots of memories of always having a pony on the farm, chasing sheep, riding up and down the riverbanks, jumping whatever was in our way. I left for boarding school in Year 8 and did my first eventing competition when I was 18. It probably wasn’t my best ever result … I entered the 95cm class, came last after my dressage and got eliminated at the water! It was a nightmare from start to finish. I didn’t have a bridle number, number holder or medical armband and I was running late for everything but something must have made me enjoy it because I’m still doing it.
How did you come to compete in both eventing and dressage?
I have always been very interested in competing in both disciplines and have always admired the ability of a horse to both compete in eventing and dressage. Initially because I never thought I would be lucky enough to have the talented dressage horses that I now have I thought I would go eventing. At least with eventing you can constantly produce horses from racing with little up front investment. But now with good horses in both disciplines why would I stop doing both. I think it can only help me be a better Horseman.
Deon (far right) with some of his fellow eventers at Brookleigh CIC last year
Photo: Kate Herren
What do you think are the main differences in competing in the two disciplines in terms of the atmosphere, people and preparation involved?
Eventing is a great community where people spend their weekends away camping. It is also such a difficult sport where everyone has experienced the ups and the downs of the sport so everyone is there to help. One of the differences is that I would never take my dressage horses to some of the eventing venue. Rarely are our eventing arenas flat, or level, let alone a good surface, but having said that the eventers don’t move quite so extravagantly and they are more conditioned to the going.
The dressage world can seem to have a reputation for being a bit more … opinionated, then eventing however I have not found this to be the case. I think there are a lot of great people in dressage now and from what I have seen the riders at the top of our sport have been nothing but friendly and supportive to the other competitors. It is different from eventing as there are not so many overnight competitions so there is less of the social side to it like we have at every eventing competition but still there are a great number of positive, enthusiastic and forward thinking people in the sport which bodes well for the future.
With regards to the different preparations for the different disciplines I think making a program for both types of horses is equally difficult. With eventing, we have to train the Flatwork, show jumping, cross country and of course there is the fitness that we need to have to be able to do that. With dressage it is not just about the movements, we also have to ensure the horses are mentally happy and there bodies are well conditioned through cross training (riding out, jumping, canters round the track). Dressage horses need to be supple, healthy and willing.
Deon in dressage mode
Photo: Bates Saddles
Is riding your full time career? How does your Bachelour of Environmental Science fit in with this?
I am a full time rider and coach.
As I started my competition career quite late I wanted a back up plan so I did my degree whilst ‘learning to ride’, mostly by staying on people’s ‘difficult’ horses. Then I spent about 12 months working as a NRMO (Natural Resource Management Officer) out of Geraldton. I loved it but as I was based on the farm, away from competitions and coaches so my riding did not improve at all which left me with two choices. Give up my job and give riding a real go, or give up the idea of elite riding and focus on my ‘normal career’ – I chose the first option.
Have you ever competed overseas?
Only once, I was fortunate enough that Narbethong Equestrian Park purchased a new stallion for me to ride a few years ago. He was Premium licensed with the Hanoverian society and I went over to see if he was different to what they had already and if he was a horse I could work with. So off I went to see the green broken ‘Don Dancier’. After riding him for a couple of weeks we took him to a show to do the 3yo material class. I then came home and he stayed to do his performance test before being imported to Australia. I have not campaigned him as much as some of the other dressage horses but he is amazing and makes me smile every time I ride him.
How did you secure sponsorship with Bates Saddles?
Bates Saddles have always been high on my list of saddles. In act the first saddle I bought was a Bates Jumping saddle which I still ride in today. At the Equestrian WA 2012 awards night, Bates Saddles came on board to sponsor the WA Equestrian Athlete of the year (which I was fortunate enough to win) and in doing so, donated a prize of a Bates Saddle of my choice. I was extremely excited by this as I was looking into getting another saddle and I had never won anything like this before
What does it mean for you to have the sponsorship?
I am very fortunate to be surrounding myself with a great bunch of people and companies, Namely, Horseland Maddington, Pegasus Feeds, Virbac Animal Health, Red Light Therapy Kits and more recently Bates Saddles with expert saddle fitting by Lou Collins. This all helps me access top quality advice and products quickly and efficiently, which helps me to get the best out of my horses and allows me to focus on my riding.
