Name: Jacques Malone

Category: Amateur AA

Where are you from? I grew up near Bath in the UK. I met a man from Kilkenny 23 years ago at the Aintree Grand National in Liverpool and here I am living in the sunny south east with my now husband and two boys.

Did you ride as a child? I have been pony mad from a very young age and loved looking after them as much as riding. I’m 45 next birthday and nothing has really changed! I was very lucky to have a dedicated team in my Mum and Dad who put up with my eventing obsession through pony club and onto horses and young rider teams.

I broke my back in 2006 and didn’t think I would ever be back in the saddle but I rode in a race at Wincanton less than a year later and haven’t looked back. I didn’t start show jumping until after we had our second child in 2017 when time for eventing became scarce but I am well and truly hooked now.

Tell us about your horses: DHF Xanadu is a very well bred five-year-old mare by Goldfever I X Cardento X Chin who has a green book. Her grandam Chinchita was successful at 1.50m level so she is bred to jump.

What is your occupation? I worked in corporate consultancy for years before setting up Aheadforhorses.com, sports psychology and mindset for riders.

As a qualified HSI Coach and Advanced BHS Coach holding a Masters in Applied Sport & Exercised Psychology, combined with Advanced Applied Psychology for Equestrian coaches and an equine psychology diploma, I am able to work with riders in and out of the saddle to help them get the mental edge for confidence and competition.

I work with equestrians from grassroots on confidence, motivation and nerves in the saddle right up to five-star riders on balancing a high performance lifestyle with managing a business to allow themselves to be at their best in competition.

What is your biggest challenge? Like many amateurs juggling a young family, a business and a yard is a challenge in itself. I work away a lot in the Middle East, USA and UK with clinics, private clients and the British Show Jumping Academy in Suffolk so I am on the road a lot on short trips which fits in with young horses as I like them to be rested regularly and out at grass all day being horses. I hold regular confidence for cross-country clinics in Equipark in Carlow and love to see how clients progress once they learn to understand and manage their brain for better riding.

Where do you keep your horses? At home in Kilkenny. I am very fortunate to have them here and have been gradually adding to the facilities - an arena has made the life/work/horse balance a lot easier thankfully!

Who helps you with your horses? We only have my jumping horse and Paintball, a pony for the boys, at home so I am very lucky in that my husband looks after everything, including the boys when I am away, for which I am eternally grateful as he is my biggest supporter.

Your biggest win so far: It’s been a crazy six months with Xan as I bought her from the field last year and we started at 80cm level in September. She has surpassed all my expectations being fourth in the HSI National Fillies Loose Jumping Championship, clear for a joint win in the HSI four-year-old final in December at Cavan.

She has already won multiple classes this year as a five-year-old including a Spring Tour class, a win at the Ingrid Kane amateur show at Barnadown and the five-year-old Cavan Classic Qualifier as well as qualifying for the RDS amateurs in fifth place on her first go.

That RDS qualifier literally blew my mind as there were 145 combinations that started and eight horses clear in all three rounds. I cried so many times I was so proud of her especially considering her lack of age and experience she gave me so much.

She also had a bash at the Balmoral Sports Performance qualifier and finished sixth so I got a cross-country fix in. I love bringing on young horses.

There are tears of frustration at times as well as tears of joy but I love watching them go on to jump bigger tracks with new riders when they are ready to leave the amateur ranks with me.

What are the most important aspects you learnt last year? I don’t think it’s a new learning but I always try to be mindful of why I do this sport. Ultimately it is for fun so I am grateful for every moment I spend with my horses both in the saddle and in the ring and the amazing friends I have made along the way.

What are your goals for the remainder of this year? To keep enjoying the jumping – we are so lucky to have such a great community in the amateur ranks and the number of people willing to lend a hand and do a pole is very much appreciated as I always travel solo. It is amazing really, as rival competitors, how so many people are genuinely pleased for you when you do well!

My New Year’s resolution was to start getting some lessons but so far I managed just one (very good) lesson with Ethen Ahearne so I plan to fit in more for the rest of the season as I never jump at home, I just hack and do pole work.

Bolesworth is my favourite show on earth and I’ve been invited to jump the five-year-olds there and will go on to Hickstead to jump her in the main arena unless she is sold before then. Combined with her being qualified for Dublin, it’s going to be the most amazing summer – win, lose or draw.