Oliver Barrett and Sandhills Briar on their way to winning the CCI4*L at Sydney International Three-Day Event in November. Image by Ashley Grant - Theblachat.
Oliver Barrett continued his remarkable rise at the Sydney International Three-Day Event, adding another major victory to his growing résumé. Guiding Sandhills Briar to the CCI4*L title, the 21-year-old now has his eye on Australian team representation.
Oliver Barrett is building a strong track record at the Sydney International Three-Day Event — and, in fact, an impressive record overall for a rider who is still only 21 years of age.
In 2023 he won the CCI2*L at Sydney with Sandhills Briar, and last year he took out the CCI4*S with Sandhills Special. This year, he claimed the headline CCI4*L.
Returning with gelding Sandhills Briar, Oliver delivered a near-perfect performance to win the class, adding just 1.2 show jumping time penalties to their dressage score to finish on 32.2. He also placed fifth on mare Sandhills Gem on a total of 48.2, while in the CCI3*L he finished second with the mare Tempranado on 37.9.
“I couldn’t ask for anything more. I was really proud of each horse; it was a nice reward for a big year,” says Oliver of his success. He notes that all his big results thus far have been special in different ways, but this Sydney CCI4*L victory is certainly up there among the career highlights to date.
“There’s a little bit more at play now with team selections and things like that,” says Oliver of the significance of his win with Briar. “It was really cool to put our name out there on the map. I think the world of this horse, and I think that in the next couple of years, I can start to show him off to the world a little bit. I can’t wait for what’s next.”
Oliver’s results have also gained international recognition, with the young Australian now ranked number one in the FEI Eventing Young Rider World Rankings.
Oliver and Sandhills Briar jumping clear at Sydney International Three-Day Event in November. Image by Ashley Grant – Theblachat.
ALL DOWN TO THE JUMPING
This year’s CCI4*L all came down to the final jumping phase, which brought plenty of pressure for the riders at the top end of the leaderboard. Second heading in the final phase, the pressure was on to jump clear and remain in the hunt for the win. When leaders Shenae Lowings and Bold Venture unfortunately dropped a few rails and fell to third, Oliver and Briar’s clear round saw them hold off eventual second-placed Sophia Hill and Tulara Baltango with less than a rail in hand.
“I think if you’re not feeling the pressure, you’re probably not human,” muses Oliver. “In my case, I’m really fortunate that Briar is a super jumper, and I take a lot of confidence out of that. If you look at his FEI record, he’s yet to have a rail down at any international-level competition. If he had had a rail down, it wouldn’t have been his fault!”
Oliver says that with modern-day eventing, scores are tighter than ever and every rail counts.
“When you look at the scores from any competition, you often wonder ‘what if I didn’t have that rail down?’ There are a lot of ifs and buts with the show jumping. It doesn’t seem like much at the time when you have one rail down or a couple of time penalties, but it does make a big difference because the scores in eventing are just so close now.”
BARRETT BLOODLINES
Nine-year-old gelding Sandhills Briar is by the successful show jumping stallion Christian, who goes back to Carthago, and is out of the mare Sandhills Beetle, by Stirling Sprite (Salute) out of a Thoroughbred mare. Nine-year-old mare Sandhills Gem is another homebred by Christian, out of Sandhills Glint, who is by Staccato and out of a Thoroughbred mare.
Both horses are the product of the Barrett family breeding program, which spans several generations — both horse and human.
Oliver’s mother, Prue Barrett (née Cribb), grew up in a horsey family in Bundaberg and was in the saddle before she could walk. Her mother, Jennifer Cribb, was a keen show jumper who travelled the east coast competing in the 1950s and 60s, and bred Connemara performance ponies when Prue and her sisters were growing up.
Jennifer also had a station-bred Thoroughbred stallion, Harry Lime, bred by well-known showjumper Alan Williams of Nebo. Harry was a beautiful horse ridden by the Cribb sisters, and he sired Felicity Cribb’s Carmody St, who competed at Badminton, Burghley and the FEI World Equestrian Games in 1994 (with Prue also on that World Equestrian Games team alongside her sister, riding Navarone). Ahead of her time in many ways, Jennifer also bred to early Warmblood stallions such as Monopol, Wesuw and Lander.
Prue Barrett and Navarone competing at the 1994 FEI World Equestrian Games in The Hague, The Netherlands. Image supplied.
Oliver’s father, Craig Barrett, grew up in a non-horsey family. The horse bug started when his family moved from Sydney to Coffs Harbour for his father’s work and bought 10 acres — along with a pony.
Prue and Craig met in the 90s and have since been prolific and successful competitors. Both have also long held an interest in bloodlines and breeding.
The second foal from Craig’s first broodmare set the tone for the years to come and heavily influenced what would become the Sandhills progeny. That foal grew into the stallion Staccato, a name well known among the Australian eventing fraternity.
In 1999, the couple purchased a property named Sandhills, where they remain based today. Even in the 90s, Prue and Craig recognised that eventing was changing and that the dressage and show jumping phases were becoming increasingly important, so they began breeding a little more dressage and jumping blood into Thoroughbred lines.
Craig on Sandhills Brillaire at Adelaide in 2014. Image supplied.
“Sandhills has produced
countless equine stars
over the years…”
It was Staccato who helped give Craig a career-highlight win: his daughter, Sandhills Brillaire — by Staccato out of Sandhills Glimmer, who was by Galverston (Sir Ivor) — was a super horse for Craig, and together they won the Adelaide four-star (now five-star) in 2014. Staccato was also the sire of Panamera, who won Adelaide in 2011 for Stuart Tinney.
Sandhills has produced countless equine stars over the years. Speaking to Equestrian Life in 2020, Prue conceded that she and Craig have probably bred some of the nicest horses they’ve ever bred in recent years: “It might be a bit of shame, as we might be getting too old to ride them at the top level! But they’re pretty amazing. I do all the groundwork now and all our breakers, and I really enjoy that a whole lot more now than I did 20 years ago.”
Fortunately, they also bred an excellent rider — and have the perfect pilot in 21-year-old Oliver — to ensure these Sandhills superstars reach their full potential.
SPECIAL BY NAME, SPECIAL BY NATURE
Oliver progressed through the grades as a child, and when the family’s two-year lease on a lovely old Thoroughbred ended, Sandhills Special was the horse that “just happened to be there” for him. The 13-year-old mare wasn’t supposed to be the schoolmaster for the kids; Prue had earmarked her as more suited to a professional after riding her to four-star level herself.
It took time for Oliver and Special to click, but the partnership proved invaluable. Shortly after Oliver began riding her, another quality horse arrived — Ballyhoo, via Shenae Lowings — and together these two horses paved the way for Oliver’s experience at the top level.
Oliver competing early on with Sandhills Special in 2017.
“She’s definitely shaped the
rider that I’ve become…”
Oliver had his first FEI-level starts in 2018 with both horses and won the CCI2*L Junior class at Melbourne International Three-Day Event the following year. By 2020 he was riding both horses at three-star level, and by 2023 he was competing at four-star with Special — notably also winning the CCI3*L at Adelaide along the way.
“She’s definitely shaped the rider that I’ve become, she taught me a lot,” says Oliver of the pretty grey mare, who is fit and well at 19 and currently in foal to stallion Checkter (Cellestial x Lord Pezi).
“She was not a horse that you could use a lot of strength with. You had to work out a sympathetic way to train her. I think that’s really shaped the way I ride most of my horses now. She’s also given me a lot of confidence – in all phases, but especially in the dressage.
“On cross country, she wasn’t just a kick-and-steer horse; I had to work out a way we could do it together. I think that shows through with a lot of my horses… you can’t force them; you have to train these horses to want do it.”
Oliver and Sandhills Special winning the CCI4*S at the 2024 Sydney International Three-Day Event. Image by Ashley Grant – The Blachat.
Oliver and Sandhills Gem on their way to fifth place at Sydney International Three-Day Event in November. Image by Ashley Grant – Theblachat.
CURRENT TEAM
Sandhills Briar was the next standout to enter the picture, winning Sydney CCI2*L with Oliver in 2023. In 2024 Oliver and Special won the CCI4*S at Sydney, and earlier this year Briar claimed the CCI3*L at Adelaide.
Besides Briar and Gem, the other horse Oliver has coming through the grades is three-star mare Tempranado. In the lead-up to Sydney, Briar and Gem were second and third respectively at Scone CCI4*S, with Tempranado fifth in the CCI3*S. Seventh in the same class was Feldale Short Black, who until recently was also a mainstay of Oliver’s team.
Sandhills Gem was initially produced by Olivia Barton, who is now competing overseas. Owned by Prue, the mare has formed a strong partnership with Oliver over the past two seasons.
“She’s consistent across the three phases and super scopey. She’s a chestnut mare and with that she has a fair bit of personality – as does Briar – which I think is also what makes them good,” says Oliver. “She’ll really tough it out with you. She’s the type of horse you want to be riding on a rainy, wet day. She’s never going to give up.”
Although Gem and Briar are the same age on paper, he was born in January 2016 while she was born in December 2016 — making her almost a year younger.
Nine-year-old gelding Sandhills Briar, owned by Prue, has been ridden by Oliver since 2022. “He’s such a cool horse to ride. I keep saying it, but he’s super scopey in the jumping. He has a real presence about him. He doesn’t have a weak phase; he’s pretty consistent across the board.”
Another key member of Oliver’s stable is eight-year-old Warmblood mare Tempranado. “She was bred by Alan Skinner, who was a former owner for Chris Burton for a very long time,” explains Oliver. “He owned a horse called Tempranillo, who was ridden at five-star by Chris. At the end of her eventing career, she got put in foal to Diarado… the resulting foal was Tempranado.”
Alan approached Oliver in 2022, asking if he’d like to ride the mare — and the rest is history. Alan sadly passed away last year, but Oliver and Tempranado have certainly done him proud. “I think he’d be pretty proud to say that the horse that he bred out of a horse that he used to own is showing a lot of potential.”
Now owned by Oliver, Tempranado is consolidating at three-star level and looking to step up mid-next year if all goes well.
Oliver and Tempranado placed second in the CCI3*L at Sydney International Three-Day Event in November. Image by Ashley Grant – Theblachat.
And then there are the good ones you need to sell along the way. Feldale Short Black is one of those. A 13-year-old Warmblood x Thoroughbred gelding by Feldale Regardless R (Regardez Moi x Grand Kavalier), he was bred, produced and owned by Oliver’s aunt, Felicity, before recently being sold.
“Throughout the year, I was campaigning Feldale Short Black. I think I’m right in saying he hasn’t been out of the placings at all this year. It was sad to see him go, but I have no doubt that his new owner is going to love riding him.”
SANDHILL SIMILARITIES
So, does Oliver notice similarities among the Sandhills-bred horses?
“Although Special, Briar and Gem, they all have different dams… all our broodmares, they carry similar breeding. A lot of it comes back to Staccato. He has been the backbone of all our dam lines. They all carry a fair bit of Thoroughbred blood… that really shows through.
“The other advantage of them being bred and produced at home is that we get to know them pretty much inside and out from when they touch the ground. That’s a big advantage when you’re going four-star around cross country.”
Craig Barrett riding Staccato at Melbourne International Three-Day Event in 2011. Image by Roz Neave.
Special, Briar and Gem all have a real presence about them. “They’re eye catching and beautiful types to look at,” observes Oliver, noting again that their pretty faces come back to those Barrett bloodlines.
“I don’t know if there’s a particular horse along the line that gives [the pretty faces], but Staccato had a beautiful presence about him and he’s involved in most of our bloodlines. Also, just the stallions that mum and dad have selected from overseas… they have to be nice types, and they have to have a lot of presence about them. Because when they’re doing dressage, you want to be cantering up that centreline and trying to impress the judges as much as you can.
“I think mum and dad have carefully chosen the horses they use and the lines they cross. It’s not just a fluke that most of the progeny are nice!”
While Oliver now completes much of the training independently, having his parents’ eyes on the ground at home remains a huge help.
“I wouldn’t be where I am today without my parents. I’m extremely grateful for the time and effort that they’ve given me. I’m probably biased, but I think they’re amazingly good at producing the young horses to the top level – and over a very long period of time. Like I said, it’s no fluke that these horses are successful. It’s a credit to them and all the work they’ve put in over the years.
“I’m really fortunate that I have these amazing horses to ride and it is a huge thrill to ride the ones they’ve bred. It is hugely rewarding when the results do come off like they did at Sydney.”
With experience under his belt and the success he’s had, does Oliver ever find himself in a position to offer advice to his parents? “I’m not sure at that stage yet,” he laughs. “That might be a while off, but you never know. That might be my goal one day!”
The Sandhills team includes more than just Oliver, Prue and Craig; it also features Oliver’s girlfriend Olivia Shore, along with Ruby Gorton, Hannah Deegan and Bethany Hirst (who was with the team for several years before recently moving on, but has certainly played a part in recent successes).
“The whole Sandhills team, we have a great culture here and we really try to help each other out. I guess a lot of people probably see just the big events, but it’s the day-to-day life of riding and producing the young horses where it all happens.”
The Barrett family, L-R: Jesper, Oliver on Briar, Craig, and Prue with Gem. Image by Ashley Grant – Theblachat.
TEAM SELECTION
Looking ahead, reaching five-star level is a major goal for Oliver — as is making an Australian team.
“Both team representation and competing at five-star are pretty much what drives me… they are huge goals. Obviously, next year, there’s a World Championship at Aachen and I would love to be part of that team. I have the horsepower in Briar and Gem and if we’re not there, it definitely won’t be for a lack of trying, that’s for sure.”
At just 21, Oliver is remarkably philosophical about these ambitions.
“Team representation only comes when you worry about your own goals and aspirations. It only comes after you’ve done everything else. All I can do is focus on the process: my horses, my preparation, and doing the best that I can. And team selection, in the end, should look after itself.” EQ
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