​EMMAVILLE

ABOUT

OUR FAMILY

 

As a family we compete around Australia in showjumping. Grant has been leading rider at 90% of the shows that he attended over the past 10 years, always having a very strong team of A & B graders. We have lovely versatile horses which enables both Emma & Alyssa Hughes to compete in other events such as dressage & hacking also.

 

Grant started his riding in Pony Club at a young age, competing in all areas of riding such as sporting, polocrosse, eventing and camp drafting. Grant represented his area for Pony Club for showjumping at Sydney Royal as a junior rider, and continued on into the senior ranks as the years progressed. Recently at Sydney Royal Grant achieved winning the ‘Most Successful Horse’, which is a fantastic achievement, competing against the best showjumpers in the country. Grant has had great success with horses over the years, competing at the highest level. In 1996 he was shortlisted for the team to compete at the Atlantic Olympics, however tragically his horse ‘Chipendale’ broke down and so he was unable to compete. Both Grant & Chipendale together were the winners and placegetters of many World Cup Qualifying rounds throughout Australia.

 

​Grant’s father Gordon was a very big influence of Grant’s riding. Gordon Hughes has been parading ‘The Light Horse’ for over 25 years. Gordon was part of the 2000 Sydney Olympics Opening Ceremony. He has also ridden with his team of Light Horsemen in the parade for the final of the TV show ‘Australian Idol’ in 2008. Although Gordon is now retired, he is always hard at work helping the family. Gordon is frequently assisting with building trucks, making hay, farm management (at our personal property in Murrumbateman NSW), breeding and general repairs. ​

 

Grant’s brother Ian was a successful farrier and horseman for many years. Ian rode competitively when he was younger, but now works on a property in the outskirts of Canberra. Ian’s three young daughters all compete in showjumping.​

 

Heather Hughes has been a very successful eventer, show rider & dressage rider, producing horses which have been exported overseas. She is a great instructor and also has an eye for great showjumpers and dressage horses. The majority of all Grant’s top showjumpers started their training with Heather. Heather has also been a very big influence on daughters Emma and Alyssa.​

 

Emma managed the Performance Horses  at Forest Park for 5 years and is now working for the Australian Public Service but still has an active role with our team. Emma has competed successfully in hacking, eventing, dressage and showjumping. She has produced a number of horses over the years to place at Canberra Royal Show in hacking. The last few years have also been very successful for Emma in showjumping, winning and placing in numerous ‘Amateur’ competitions and point scores, all over NSW. Her biggest achievement was achieving a world ranking on a mare which she started herself; ‘Emmaville Charisma’, a beautiful mare which the family has bred. Emma enjoys coaching dressage, hacking and showjumping, having a number of regular lesson clients whom she teaches.

 

​Alyssa also loves showjumping, hacking, and dressage. Alyssa is very passionate about all aspects of riding and also loves teaching younger children to ride from beginner level. Alyssa works full time as a physiotherapist but spends most of her time outside of work in the equestrian industry - particularly showjumping. Alyssa currently competes on her beautiful thoroughbred Emmaville Pine in showjumping - continuing to progress and train to become a competitive amateur showjumper. Alyssa’s greatest successes have included placings at the NSW Showjumping Championships on Emmaville Pine and Blackall Park Atlantis and  winning Champion on her pony Bamborough Domino at Canberra Royal in 2011 and Champion on her Welsh Cob mare Emmaville Pearl at Canberra Royal in 2015. Alyssa enjoys training young horses and then seeing them move to their new homes for careers in various equestrian areas. Alyssa loves recieving input from her whole family, particularly from her coach Grant, and is enthusiastic to continue to expand her knowledge and skills in all aspects of horse riding. 

 

​Over the years, the Hughes family has had the privilege of meeting some remarkable horses and people. We stabled one of the stunt horses for the movie ‘Phar Lap’. Grant is also good friends with Heath Harris, the trainer of the animals from the movies ‘The Black Stallion’ and ‘Racing Stripes’. We have hosted Australian children’s TV legend ‘Prime Possum’ and ‘Humphrey B Bear’, along with TV show ‘Saturday Disney’ and Canberra Radio Station 106.3.​

 

Grant has travelled to Japan to instruct Japanese clients. We have been dealing with these clients for the last 20 years. They have bought numerous horses from us over the years for their riding school, and to compete.​Grant has also trained and worked with the ACT Police Horses for a number of years, and taught many of the ACT Police riders how to ride. Many of these riders have now gone on to compete in showjumping and dressage very competitively.​The Hughes family pride themselves on breeding top performance horses, many which have gone on to compete at high levels of both showjumping and dressage.

 

We believe that the right mare is just as important as a good stallion, resulting in horses with not only great potential, but also great temperaments. One of our breeding stallions ‘Emmaville Darius’ is one who we produced, by Daley K. He has served a number of our mares, producing quality young horses that we are keen to start competing. He was recently sold to Japan.

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