Jess Somerfield
EquaCare Sponsored Rider
Jess grew up in Perth, Western Australia, finding a passion for horses from a young age when she moved next door to a riding school. Jess spent most days at the riding school, learning all about riding and schooling the naughty ponies in exchange for lessons. It was pretty safe to say, she was hooked.
Through Ponyclub, Jess competed in eventing, showjumping, dressage and mounted games - going to State levels at 11, National level in 2007, and on the BEATS squad at 12 years old, and continued up to old 1* level (new 2*) at the age of 15.
In 2009 Jess took her first OTT Thoroughbred ‘Wildfires revenge’ to 3* level (now 4*) competing at Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide. Since then she has produced many horse up the grades including the wonderful Lakeview Albion who really got her name out there. Upon meeting her partner Lachlan, Jess pursued the riding further, taking the ride on head stallions for two studs - Ottaba Warmbloods & Sharellen Warmbloods; stepping up her riding to the next level and beginning to move from completing events, to winning them.
In 2017 Lachlan & Jess purchased their very own farm in 2017, 110acres in Denman NSW, to build and develop into an equestrian facility and Wildfire Equestrian was created. Since then, Wildfire has grown into a full time larger scale business, slowly adding more facilities each year, into a paradise training & coaching center. Jess has continued to grow her team, producing many young horses through to FEI level, including multiple 2/3* 3 day event winners.
Her current team of horses includes the wonderful Finch Farm Carpentaria who is just stepping up to the 4**** level and has had amazing results at the major Australian events on the eventing circuit. Added that she also has a team coming through behind him of HB Zara who is established at 2** looking to step up to 3*** next year and a new ride in APH New Sensation who is looking like he is going to be a super competitive top level prospect with very competitive results at 1* level.
Johannes Holtzhausen
EquaCare Sponsored Rider
Johannes is a Hunter Valley based dressage rider. Born in South Africa and moving to Australia as a teen, Johannes pursued a riding career originally in show jumping. After moving from the city of Melbourne to the country side Johannes started training and working with Maree Tomkinson.
Johannes mainly concentrated on producing show horses but the love of dressage was too strong.
Johannes and the Downie Family found Fransisco RW in 2019 as a 4yr old unbroken colt. Pete (Stable name) was bred by the late Amanda Shoobridge and was destined to be her next superstar. After Johannes broke Pete in, he started competing with success from prelim to advanced and he is not stepping into Inter I/Prix St George Level with scores of up to 80%. Pete has not always been an easy ride but over the last 2 years have really come along way to be one of the easiest horses to have and compete.
Emma Cox
EquaCare Sponsored Rider
Emma is a lifelong horse lover who began her riding journey at Centennial Parklands Equestrian Centre in Sydney—where she still trains more than 20 years later. Her first horse, an Australian Warmblood, joined the family when she was just 13, and together they competed up to Advanced level as a young rider.
After her mare retired, Emma was offered an off-the-track Thoroughbred (OTTB) as a project horse. That opportunity sparked a deep love for the retraining process and introduced her to the world of showing—a discipline she’d never tried before. Emma and that first OTTB learned the ropes together and achieved great success before his tragic passing during the COVID
period.
Since then, Emma has dedicated her focus to retraining
off-the-track Thoroughbreds for the show ring. Every horse she competes is one she’s brought along from the very beginning. It’s this journey—from the
first ride to the first show and beyond—that fuels her passion.
Her small but mighty team of OTTBs is powered by EquaCare, and Emma has seen consistent results in their condition, recovery, and overall wellbeing—especially important with the amount of travel involved in their
campaign season.
🐎 Stable Stars & Their Favourite Products:
- Regal Edition – Gut Balance Formula
- Rule Breaker – Remedeaz Oral, Immune Support + Remedeaz Oil
- Tourbillon Diamond – Protein Booster Pellets + Hoof Health Formula
Emma’s personal must-have? Remedeaz Oil. She uses it for coat shine, hot oiling, itch relief, hair regrowth, and greasy heel—calling it her “liquid gold in a bottle.”
EquaCare is proud to support Emma and her OTT team as they continue to shine in the show ring, one retrained thoroughbred at a time
MATT SNELL
EquaCare Sponsored Rider
Matt Snell is a highly respected show horse rider and judge based
in Arcadia, NSW, known for producing beautifully presented, well-educated horses with softness, presence, and polish. Originally from Armidale, Matt has spent a lifetime around horses and has built a boutique team that regularly competes at the highest level of the sport.
His quiet, methodical training style has earned him numerous
accolades at both state,royal and national level, including championship titles at prestigious events. Matt has produced and campaigned a wide range of successful show horses over the years, each one reflecting his ability to bring out their natural elegance, softness, and ring presence.
In addition to competing, Matt is a qualified Royal and National
level judge, and his eye for detail and balance is widely recognised across the industry. He takes pride in developing each horse from the ground up, focusing on long-term soundness, confidence, and condition.
With a busy show calendar and a team of horses that travel frequently, Matt trusts EquaCare to keep his horses feeling and performing their best. The range has become a core part of his daily routine, supporting topline, gut health, skin condition, and post-show recovery.
MARK KIDDLE & MALCOLM MACRAE
EQUACARE SPONSORED RIDERS
We’re beyond excited to officially welcome Mark Kiddle and Malcom MacRae from M&M performance Horses to the EquaCare family as our sponsored riders!
Mark is a familiar face in both the show horse and dressage arenas, known for his polished presentation, exceptional horsemanship, and unwavering dedication to the horses in his care. With years of experience and countless ribbons to his name, Mark’s passion goes far beyond the competition ring—he’s someone who truly lives and breathes horses.
Together with his partner Malcolm MacRae, Mark runs the highly regarded M&M Performance Horses. This dynamic duo has built a boutique training and competition stable that’s all about producing happy, healthy, high-performing horses. Their program is a seamless blend of elite standards and personalised care, where every horse is treated like a champion.
It’s that commitment to excellence and wellbeing that makes Mark and Malcolm the perfect fit for EquaCare. From building topline to maintaining digestive health, they’ve seen incredible improvements across their team—especially since introducing their standout favourite: EquaCare Gut Balance Powder. With noticeable results in gut comfort, nutrient absorption, and overall condition, it’s become an essential part of daily life at M&M
Performance Horses.
Mark and Malcolm have integrated several EquaCare products into their horses’ routines.
“EquaCare has made a huge difference to our horses. The results speak for themselves—better condition, better focus, and healthier guts,” says
Mark.
With an exciting competition calendar ahead, we can’t wait to support Mark and the M&M Performance Horses team as they continue to raise the bar in both dressage and show horse competition.
We’re proud to have Mark and Malcolm as part of Team
EquaCare—here’s to a big season ahead!
