Text © World of Showjumping

Team US is known for giving their young riders the chances they deserve, and their championship and Nations Cup teams are often a good mix of experience and young talent. Last year, one of the American U25 riders to really impress with the US squad was Eve Jobs.

With the chestnut mare Venue D’fees Des Hazalles, 21-year-old Jobs has been performing consistent, strong rounds for the US team. The pair was double clear in five-star Nations Cups in Falsterbo and Vancouver last year and jumped home a team bronze medal as well as finishing fourth individually, just behind Beezie Madden in third, at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru. “For me personally, one of my biggest achievements to date was producing a clear in the first team round in Lima,” Eve tells. “My hope is to continue progress with the US team. Of course, being able to compete at the Olympics and World Equestrian Games would be a dream.”

“Being able to help in a team setting is something that really motivates me; to be able to produce a clear round when it counts the most,” Eve smiles. “I love to represent my country – I think it is the biggest honour there is and I really enjoy the team atmosphere. Therefore, my goals for the future are centred around that.”

“I am a competitive person, so I definitely thrive on the competition aspect,” Eve continues. “As most mistakes that happen in the ring are caused by rider errors, I believe that as a rider – if you are willing to work hard and keep pushing yourself to be better – you can get far. And I like to push myself to do better.”

Eve’s achievements are made even more impressive by the fact that the young American has combined her successful showjumping career with studies at Stanford. “Right now – in quarantine times – my school work is all online, so I have been able to work my daily schedule around the horses,” Eve explains. “I’ve been riding from nine to one and then studying the rest of the day – then you just go to sleep and repeat it all the day after!”

“I major in history with the focus on international policy. I have one more year left and actually it feels bittersweet for me to be getting to the end of it. I think for the future, I will be focusing the majority of my time on riding. However, I do feel that having another part of my life dedicated for something else is really important; it helps with my overall wellbeing,” Eve smiles.

When it comes to balancing academic and equestrian goals, Eve has a simple advice. “My tip for any fellow young rider juggling sport and studies is simple: Ask for help,” she says. “Explain what you do, talk to your professors and find a solution to balance it all out. For me, having a clear plan written down in my calendar with the different assignments I have to do and the shows I will compete at, has helped a lot.”

Based in California, Eve trains with Ben Hey, Sasha Kollmann and Eddie Macken. “Eddie really changed who I am as a rider, he is a phenomenal trainer and a legend in the sport,” Eve tells about the Irishman. “He has helped me build confidence. This is my fourth year training with him and he is phenomenal to learn from. He is so calm and has really helped me understand all the aspects of the sport; he has taught me so much about horsemanship, about setting goals and the steps you need to take to reach them. Eddie has really opened my eyes to the grand scope of the whole sport.”

“When it comes to role models, there are a lot I look up to – such as Beezie Madden, Kent Farrington, McLain Ward, Marcus Ehning and Daniel Deusser, to name a few,” Eve continues. “It has felt pretty surreal to be able to ride alongside them at some of the bigger shows. At the Pan American Games, I was on the US team with Beezie. To be able to watch her ride and operate in a championship setting was an incredible experience.”

The now 15-year-old mare Venue D’fees Des Hazalles (President x Alcatraz) was Eve’s partner at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima as well as the World Cup Finals in Gothenburg the same year, and she has a special place in Eve’s heart. “Venue has been with me for the past few years, I bought her from Fabienne Daigneux who was wonderful enough to trust her with me,” Eve tells. “Venue has taken me to places in the sport that I did not necessarily think was possible. I owe so much to Venue, she is the best thing that has happened – I am so thankful to have found her. Riding her has given me so much confidence. Venue has been the most wonderful horse for me, and our partnership has developed so quickly. Now, when we go in the ring, I know exactly how she is going to react.”

Valentino Tuiliere (Diamant de Semilly x Silvio) – an 11-year-old Selle Francais gelding, Limbridge (Limbus x Cambridge) – an 11-year-old Holsteiner stallion and Charleville (Quasimodo Z x Lancelot) – a 13-year-old KWPN gelding, are other horses in Eve’s string at the moment. “Charleville took me to my first ever Grand Prix classes,” Eve tells. “Valentino, that we bought from Charlotte and Mark McAuley, is a horse with so much potential, and I am really excited for the future with him.”

“I simply love horses,” Eve answers when asked what she enjoys the most with the sport. “I think they are phenomenal animals. Each horse is different and as a rider you have to adapt to them, so you will continue to learn every day – I think that makes our sport so unique.”

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