Shane Rose

The Australian event rider talks to Pippa Roome about returning from multiple injuries, being based down under and the build-up to Tokyo

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HERE are some facts you may know about Australian event rider Shane Rose. He has collected Olympic team silver and bronze medals. He has won Adelaide five-star twice. He was third at Pau last autumn with Virgil, with whom he hopes to be selected for the Tokyo Olympics.

Here are some facts you may not know about Shane. He breaks in 250 to 300 racehorses every year. He is event director of one of the biggest horse trials in the southern hemisphere, Equestriad. In 2005, he had eight metal plates inserted into his face while in an induced coma after a horse kicked him.

“I can win most competitions over how many bones people have broken,” he says. “I’ve broken most of my ribs, both my legs, both my arms. It’s not all through horses though — boys being boys, they break things growing up.”

The 46-year-old has had two serious injuries in competition — a smashed shoulder and six broken ribs in 2018 and a broken leg in 2003 caused when a horse tried to run out — as well as a host of accidents working with horses at home. But Shane isn’t one to turn these incidents into a drama.

“By working with horses and a lot of them, I put myself in harm’s way more than people who aren’t around them as often,” he says in his laid-back way. “The more I do, the less I have to pay someone to do.

“Horses are great animals. More than 90% of them want to help you and work with you. Occasionally you get one who’s not so pleasant to work with. I try to avoid those ones, but it’s not always possible in my job, but it’s just what we do. I love my job and there isn’t much I’d prefer to do, so I’m pretty lucky.”

All event riders have to be mentally tough, but Shane must be one of the most resilient.