Emile Faurie

Emile on Rascher Hopes
(c) Kevin Sparrow

Emile is one of the UK’s top international dressage riders and trainers and has represented Great Britain at World, European and Olympic level. He is a British Dressage judge and the World Class coach for the National Start and Potential squad.

Emile - who according to his mother talked about horses as soon as he could speak - only began riding aged 16 after successfully pestering his parents, who finally gave in and bought him lessons for his birthday.

Moving to England in 1980 from South Africa, Emile spent three years at Talland School of Equitation, starting out as a as a working pupil, eventually riding the advanced horses.

He then went to Germany to work for Performance Sales International, helping to back and prepare young horses for auction. The training he received there taught him the foundations of recognising a good young horse.

After a brief spell out of the saddle, Emile got his lucky break when he was given the ride on Virtu, who was available as his former rider, Carl Hester, had gone to work for Dr Bechtolsheimer. Emile had a successful partnership with the horse, going on to win individual bronze and team silver medals at the 1993 European Championships in addition to being British Champions in 1993 and 1994.

A decade later, he won team bronze in the 2003 European championships with Rascher Hopes. Emile has represented Great Britain at two Olympic Games, three World Equestrian Games and three European Championships. He was travelling reserve for the Athens Olympics 2004. He has since had numerous wins at Grand Prix with Dream of Heidelberg and Livello.

In 2010, Emile narrowly missed selection for Team GB for the World Equestrian Games at Kentucky. He also hit headlines for making a public stand on riding safety declaring that Heath Farm was a 'hats only' place to train.

Having trained with a number of Germany’s ‘Greats’ including Klaus Balkenhol and Conrad Schumacher, he has an excellent eye for how to bring a horse and rider together in a harmonious partnership. Based at his fabulous training centre in Oxfordshire, Emile teaches a wide range of dressage talent from young riders to international Grand Prix competitors.

He set up the Emile Faurie Foundation in 2006, with a mission to help disadvantaged youngsters experience the joy and fulfilment of equine sport and help them follow their dreams while developing personal and social skills along the way.