20 QUESTIONS
20 Questions with Vicki Roycroft She’s a legend - no doubt about it, but now it’s our turn to get show jumper Vicki Roycroft jumping through some hoops about her love of the sport. Q: Do you have a current favourite show jumping horse? A: Hmm. It’s a toss up between Dino (Dynamite Bay) and Lucy (Licaviv), but I love them all. Q: What time does your day start, and end? A: With horses there're never set times. Feed up is at 7.30 in the morning here. During the summer we often have a big break on the hot days in the middle of the day to avoid the heat, then finish later. In winter, we finish when it's dark. Q: What do you think are things that can give you an edge as a competitive
Mount White property. Q: Who was your very first horse? A: Gazelle was a hand-medown jumping pony from my sister Joanne, who was just a superstar. Never knew how to stop and took me around Royal Show Juniors when I didn’t have a clue. Q: Who do you most look up to in the equestrian world? A: It’s a toss up between Bill Roycroft and George Morris. They were both superlative mentors. As I tell students, I
rider – rider fitness for example?
don’t have an original thought
A: These days it is so highly competitive
in my head; all my knowledge
that attention to detail is even more
has come principally from
important. Rider fitness is important,
these two fabulous men, in
but not as much as horse fitness, soundness, correct shoeing and studding at comps. Correct preparation
amongst the other amazing horsemen
CSIO in 1987. In the field of 50 odd horses there was the 1984 Olympic Gold
and women I have been privileged to
Medallist, Joe Fargis on Touch of Class,
work with.
the 1988 Olympic Gold Medallist Pierre Durand and Jappeloup, and the then
at home and in warm up so your horse
Q: If you could have, or breed, your
goes into the ring in his best physical
dream horse what would it be?
and mental frame.
A: I always loved Ratina Z. Hot like I love
Burdsall on The Natural. And it was won
them, super careful and scopey.
by a little Australian failed racehorse
Q: What is your favourite
called Apache.
competition memory?
Q: What are your short-term goals?
Q: When you’re not riding, how do you relax? A: I love mowing my jumping paddock and generally looking after my beautiful 96 | H O R S E V I B E S M AY / J U N E 2 0 2 0
A: Winning the Grand Prix at Rome
current World Cup champion Katherine
A: Doing a few more World Cups this
