New ambassadeur Horse Pilot, the american rider Quentin Judge gave us a few minutes of his time to tell us about his career, his goals… live from Florida.
“I fall off for my first competition!”
HP : Tell us about your starts in horse riding ?
Q.J : I grow in Chicago and I start riding in a local stable there. I wanted to ride since I was very young and my first competition was at thirteen, I fall off so I remember very well (laughs)
HP : What are your objective in short terms and long terms? Paris 2024 maybe?
Q.J : It’s hard to say for me because my short term and long term goals are bit the same. I want to be very consistent in this sport. I think that I am at a point of my carrer where I have a couple of very good horses and a very good program.
Sure I would love to go to the Olympics, go to the world championships or go to the World Cup finales, those are a main point of my goals.
I would love to be inside the top thirty/forty riders in the world, go to the best shows in the world and can be a consistent competitor and not just do well one Grand Prix every six months.
HP : How do you organize your time at the stables and in competition ?
Q.J : It’s pretty much the same day to day and in competition. I have a very good team of people working around me and my wife Cayce and I work in the barn together, as far as managing the shows and our staff. We have a few really really good grooms too which is very important to me to take care of the horses and be sure that they are perfectly fine.
My main goal is to not be mistaken, find the right class for the right horse. Not to put a horse in 150 that should be in 145. I prefer take my time with the horses.
“WE TRYING TO PUSH OURSELVES TO OTHER THINGS…”
HP : Out of horse riding, are you doing other activities ?
Q.J : I workout a lot because I am a big guy. My wife and I really try to get out of the “Wellington bubble”, go to museum, not just horses… We trying to push ourself to other things and not just wake up one day at fifty years old only doing horses. I even try to go skiing this year !
“OUR sport changes.”
HP : How do you see horse riding in the us ?
Q.J : I think showjumping and specificly in the US is always getting stronger and always evolving. I think in the last twenty-five/thirty years there is been a big changement. The sport changes, jump got bigger and the courses more technical. The amateur and junior divisions in the us is really really big an strong.
HP : How can you compare the American and European Top riders ?
Q.J : I find that today there is no significant difference. The world top 20 has equitably European and American pilots. I think that at this level all the riders have a very good system with perfectly trained horses, good national teams and a good staff.
“My favorite products ? It’s hard to say !”
HP : Tell us about Horse Pilot in the US and what it your feedback ?
Q.J : I see more people riding in it since the beginning of the WEF (Winter Equestrian Festival, abr) this year. It’s confortable, functional, we really enjoy it.
My favorite products ? It’s hard to say !
I really enjoy the Aerotech riding jacket and I really like the shirts.
Everything is really breathable and with a very light weight, easy to wear… wich is very important especially in Florida in winter!
HP : What is your story with Horse Pilot ?
Q.J : A really good friend show us the brand and introduce us to it. She really believed in the brand and we trust her opinion very much so we look into it, tried a few pieces, and really enjoyed it for the very beginning !
Quentin Judge, a Pilot definitely focused on the continuous performance and well-being of his horses. A name to follow!
© photo : collection privée Horse Pilot
