Featured NSW Coach - Jessica Meredith

EA congratulates NSW Feature Coach Jessica Meredith for a job well done. As an EA Level 1 Driving Coach, Jessica’s passion for the sport has not only shaped her own life but has had a profound impact on the students she mentors. With decades of experience at national and international level, Jessica has become a beacon of knowledge and skill that is an inspiration to many.

Jessica has been an EA Level 1 Coach since 2019 and travels across the country to teach all levels of drivers at clinics and workshops for Equestrian Australia and the Australian Carriage Driving Society (ACDS). She also coaches and mentors her regular clients in face-to-face and virtual lessons. Jessica said, “I find coaching incredibly rewarding and the more I coach the more I learn personally and professionally.”

Our Coach of the Month brings a wealth of knowledge to her role in equestrian sport, and has coached athletes in all age groups from grassroots beginners right up to FEI level. What sets Jessica apart is not just her technical knowledge, she has a deep understanding of the sport, born from a lifetime with horses and early involvement in driving.

Jessica explains, "I started out in the sport as a junior and have gone through all levels as a driver, groom, organiser, private coach and international team coach.  Because I have experienced the sport from many angles, I can guide my students with a perspective that comes from having lived it myself.”

Growing up in Armidale, NSW in a family deeply invested in horses, Jessica’s love for all things equestrian was inevitable. "We were involved in many disciplines, I started out in Pony Club then branched out to Polocrosse and Endurance," she recalls. Jessica’s family dedicated countless hours, working behind the scenes and fostering the love for horses that for Jessica  blossomed into a successful career.

"My mum was a hands-on and committed horsie parent, she drove my sister and I all over the country so that we could follow our dreams and reach our goals.  When I look back, I am so grateful for her sacrifices and the opportunities that she encouraged us to explore.” Jessica also mentioned that it was her mum that instilled in her from a young age the importance of coaches and mentors and the impact they have on learning and developing knowledge.

Jessica rode horses from the age of two and began driving at age six. When asked about a particularly special pony, Ricky Ned the 11.3h Welsh Pony was mentioned for the role he played in shaping her love of driving. "Ricky Ned was the ultimate allrounder, I was not a particularly brave rider but found real confidence in the driving seat. Because we had many years of Pony Club and Polocross together, I had incredible trust in Ricky Ned which brought out my own confidence. Although Ricky was only small, he had an elastic stride and was nimble around obstacles, this mixed with my enthusiasm for speed was a great combination and something that really cemented my love for driving.”

Jessica progressed through Pony Club at Kingstown Pony Club (Zone 13) but it was Driving; with phases similar to Eventing that became her main interest from an early age. "Driving is where my heart truly lies. It's a sport that requires a deep connection with the horse, precision, mental stability and speed; a combination of skills that I find exhilarating."

Some significant highlights that Jessica recalls are: winning Equitana Combined Driving at Werribee in 1999 at just 13 years of age, with Ricky Ned. Competing for Australia at the NZ Horse of the Year Trans-Tasman competition, this was her first time driving a horse.  Placing 4th in the world for Dressage at the Pony World Championships in Denmark in 2007 and being the fastest in the world, in 3 of the 8 obstacles at Pony World Championships in Germany in 2009 was an  incredible achievement. Jessica was then given the opportunity to be the Australian Team Coach at the World Horse Singles Championships in Italy in 2010 which was an honour and an opportunity to experience the sport from a different lens – a coaching lens.  In 2011, she progressed to driving a pair of horses and won at Sandringham House HDT, in her first season.

Jessica had been based in the UK for over 12 years before she returned to Australia and life took a new direction when she became a mother. Despite the additional demands on her time, Jessica had a strong desire to continue her driving career and share her extensive knowledge with others.  "I wanted to give back to the sport that had given me so much. In Australia, the sport of driving is small compared to other disciplines and I was keen to explore ways of sharing my passion and knowledge.”  Last year she got back into competing at the 2023 ACDS NSW State Championships and won the Intermediate Small Pony class, driving Carlyle Sunday Best. “I forgot how much I loved competing and the thrill that one gets.”

Throughout Jessica’s career, she has been fortunate to have been mentored by some of the most respected names in the sport. "The late Edgar Lichtwark (GER), an International Diploma Trainer of the German Sports Federation for Dressage, Showjumping, Eventing & Driving, had a significant impact on my journey. Edgar's positive approach to training, his belief in the value of strong bonds between driver and coach, his understanding of contact and his teachings on Achenbach rein handling - a traditional German way of holding driving reins -were invaluable and have influenced the coach I am today."

“Boyd Exell (AUS), my current Coach is a seven-time FEI Driving World Champion and has played a pivotal role in my international career and coaching beliefs. Boyd taught me the importance of understanding bitting, fine-tuning the competitive mind, and the mechanics of the carriage. I am continuously learning as a driver and coach because of him."

Jessica's dedication to the sport extends beyond her personal achievements, she is committed to giving back to the sport and developing future generations of drivers. In recognition of the limited opportunities for young drivers, she took the initiative to create a series of development clinics and youth camps.  "Having started out as a Junior, I wanted to provide opportunities for young drivers to improve their skills and knowledge, hoping they continue in the sport and continuously strive to challenge themselves and improve. These programs have been instrumental in nurturing the next generation of drivers.”

In addition to her hands-on coaching efforts, Jessica has undertaken many diverse roles that link personal development with growth of the sport and her relationship with students. She has served on the EA National Driving Committee and was a respected advocate for the discipline. Her commitment to the equestrian sport was recognised in 2019 when she was named the ENSW Administrator of the Year, acknowledgement for her tireless work as event secretary at the Tamworth International FEI1* & 2* held at AELEC. Furthermore, Jessica has been invited to contribute to numerous education and coaching advisory committees and she continues to shine a spotlight on the sport of Driving.

EA asked Jessica if she had any advice for aspiring coaches, she said. "Coaching is a rewarding profession, it requires patience, understanding, and a genuine desire to help others. When you're passionate about helping, there is nothing more fulfilling than seeing your students grow and excel in the sport both love."

As our interview with Jessica came to an end, she said. “I would like to thank Equestrian Australia for this opportunity and for the work they are doing in the development and growth of Coaches in all disciplines. The more development opportunities and sharing of knowledge there is, the more our equine community will benefit.” 

Jessica concluded. “In a sport as demanding and nuanced as driving, having a coach with vast experience, unwavering dedication and a lifelong love for the discipline, makes all the difference.”