The USA’s William Coleman and Diabolo, winners of the 2026 Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI5*L – and a partnership brought together by Australian equine agent Sharon Ridgway. Image by US Equestrian.
When Will Coleman and Diabolo stood at the top of the leaderboard after the recent CCI5*‑L at the Kentucky Three‑Day Event, it marked a career‑defining moment for the American rider and his team. For Australian equine agent Sharon Ridgway, it was the validation of years of quiet work behind the scenes — work that rarely attracts headlines, but without which elite victories like this are far harder to achieve.
Sharon Ridgway was the agent who first paired Will with Diabolo — a horse that is now a five-star winner, on debut — produced in Australia by the Tinney family and ridden to international success by Gemma Tinney. While riders and horses stand in the spotlight, Sharon is part of the village that builds those partnerships, often long before a podium result seems possible.
“I work with upper‑level riders to build long‑term partnerships,” Sharon explains. “That means being the person who is constantly searching for horses that will fit into their team, so they don’t have to.”
Sharon Ridgway at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Image supplied.
TIME-POOR RIDERS, HIGH-STAKES DECISIONS
At the elite end of the sport, risk is expensive. Professional riders are often juggling competition schedules, owners, sponsorship commitments and multiple horses at different stages of development. Finding the right next horse — one capable not just of reaching the top, but staying there — is a significant challenge.
“Elite riders are incredibly busy professionals,” says Sharon. “They’re time-poor, but they still need to know that there’s someone on their team leaving no stone unturned to find the best potential stars.”
For Sharon, that role goes far beyond scrolling sales lists. Many of the horses she identifies are not officially on the market at all.
“Often, the horses I spot aren’t actually for sale,” she says. “That’s where trust becomes everything. Sellers need to know the process will be confidential, because if a horse isn’t publicly on the market, they don’t want speculation, disruption or wasted time.”
This discreet, relationship-based approach is part of the reason Sharon maintains almost no social media presence. “The true stars of the sport are the athletes and the horses,” she says. “I’m just a small part of the team that helps put them together.”
Transparency and communication are essential to Sharon’s role. “Most of these high-level elite horses are expensive and they’re often being purchased by a group of owners, so for me there’s zero tolerance at this level for undisclosed commissions… everything’s got to be transparent, I think that’s a vital piece of the puzzle.”
Sharon is also very involved in not just sourcing the right horse, but also the logistics. Buyers often rely on her to help organise the vetting, transport, quarantine, and insurance. “There are many little bits that go together to make it all go smoothly… there’s an awful lot that can go wrong if you don’t know what you’re doing,” she warns.
THE MAKING OF A KENTUCKY PARTNERSHIP
Sharon’s relationship with Will Coleman is built on trust. By the time Diabolo entered Will’s radar, Shaon already had a deep understanding of what the American rider needed.
“He’s got more patience than
you could ever imagine…”
“He’s an absolute perfectionist,” says Sharon of Will. “He’s got more patience than you could ever imagine; it’s not about the short game for him. He likes to buy horses from other countries and in Diabolo’s case, from a different hemisphere, and those horses do take time to adjust to a new program. He’s a beautiful, calm and incredibly talented rider and a super nice guy!
Will Coleman and Diabolo on their way to winning the CCI5*L at the 2026 Kentucky Three-Day Event. Image by AK Dragoo Photography/K3DE.
“With someone like Will, I know exactly what his requirements are — his likes, his dislikes, the type of horse that works for him,” she adds.
When Will travelled to Australia to meet Diabolo, it wasn’t a speculative trip. It came after years of observation, data‑gathering and analysis on Sharon’s part.
“For a busy rider to jump on a plane — whether it’s to Australia or to Ireland, which is where I found Will’s Kentucky CCI4*S runner up, Very Dignified — you’ve got to be very sure you’re not wasting their time. That responsibility sits very heavily with me.”
(Very Dignified also has an Australian connection, being purchased via Robbie Kearns — whose girlfriend is Australian five-star rider Isabel English.)
Will Coleman and Very Dignified, who were second in the CCI4*S at the 2026 Kentucky Three-Day Event. Image by AK Dragoo Photography/K3DE.
Diabolo’s success with Will hasn’t appeared out of the blue. The duo made the American team for the Paris Olympics, before an unfortunate minor injury on arrival curtailed their plans. However, it has been onwards and upwards since then — and there’s every chance there will be another Olympic opportunity for the combination.
From the beginning, those close to the horse believed in his potential — in particular as a five-star horse.
“[Kentucky] was Diabolo’s first five‑star, but nobody involved doubted he could do it,” Sharon explains. “Will, his team, the Tinneys… we all had massive faith in him. He had to prove he could do those extra minutes [on cross country] at the level, but the belief was always there.”
Watching Diabolo at the final trot‑up at Kentucky only reinforced that confidence. “He came out absolutely pumped — wild, even,” she recalls with a laugh. “He looked like he’d had the weekend of his life and was ready to go again.”
WATCHING THE WORLD, ONE LIVE STREAM AT A TIME
Sharon’s belief in a horse isn’t based on instinct alone; her process is meticulous. “I’m an avid watcher of live streams from all over the world,” she explains. “If I see a horse that catches my eye, I immediately document it.”
From there begins a deep dive into results, breeding, veterinary history, competition gaps, rider changes and performance patterns. “There’s information everywhere now, if you know where to look,” she says. “You can build a very clear picture of a horse before even making contact.”
Platforms like ClipMyHorse.TV — that broadcast events from around the world and allow you to search by horse — are central to that process. During the season, Sharon’s weekends often involve watching events live through the night.
“Kentucky was brutal,” she admits. “The big classes start at four in the morning for us. But nothing compares to watching it live — you feel the atmosphere, the pressure, the excitement.”
Where possible, Sharon also attends events in person, particularly Olympics and FEI World Championships. “I was at Paris, I was at [the 2022 FEI World Championships in] Pratoni, I’ll be at [the 2026 FEI World Championships in] Aachen this year,” she says. “Watching trot‑ups in the flesh is incredibly important to me.”
WHY TROT-UPS MATTER
While vetting remains non‑negotiable and Sharon would never see a horse sold without a vet check, she believes horse inspections at events can reveal a lot — particularly the second trot-up post-cross-country.
“You can learn a lot watching the first trot‑up and the final trot‑up,” she explains. “Some horses finish looking fresh and mentally thriving, such as Diabolo in Kentucky. Others are doing the job kindly, but you can see it’s taken a bit more out of them.
“Some pull up easily because they’re genuinely hardwired for the job. Others get through on bravery and professionalism. Both can succeed, but it tells you different things about suitability.”
THE MODERN EVENTER
Although firmly rooted in performance rather than pedigree alone, Sharon has strong views on breeding trends in modern eventing.
“The sport is evolving,” she says. “With the Olympic format being shorter [compared to the FEI World Championships or a CCI5*L], people are often looking for more modern types.”
While she values Thoroughbred blood, she cautions against simplistic assumptions. “You can’t just look at a percentage and say, ‘This horse is 70% Thoroughbred, so it must be suitable,’ or dismiss a horse because it’s only 30%,” she explains. “There are always exceptions — some horses just have something in their makeup that makes fitness come easily.”
Jumping ability, however, is usually non‑negotiable. “Jumping is incredibly heritable,” Sharon says. “Movement is less so. A horse can have limited dressage pedigree and still move beautifully if the conformation allows it.”
Diabolo, by stallion Diarado, fits that modern brief perfectly. “Diarado is one of the best jumping lines in the world. He’s been hugely influential in both show jumping and eventing — [Tom McEwen’s] JL Dublin being another standout example of his progeny.”
Diarado (Diamant de Semilly x Corrado 1); this influential breeding stallion is one of many carried by International Horse Breeders in Australia. Image supplied by IHB.
“Five of them have actually
won a five‑star…”
A 30‑YEAR CAREER IN QUIET RESULTS
Once an eventer herself — both in the UK and here in Australia — Sharon understands the sport from a rider’s perspective. “I always had a good eye for a horse. Initially, I produced a lot of horses myself and sold them. However, I worked out quite early on that selling your own horses that you’ve put two or three years of blood, sweat and tears into is heartbreaking… but if I could sell somebody else’s horse that I’d watched and studied, that seemed a better way forward for me. It’s now something I’ve been doing for 30 years.”
Kentucky marked one of many career milestones for Sharon, but it was far from an isolated success. When she recently sat down to reflect, even she was surprised by the numbers.
“I worked out I’ve sourced 16 horses that have competed at five‑star level,” she says. “And five of them have actually won a five‑star.”
That list stretches back decades: horses for William Fox‑Pitt, including Thoroughbreds Macchiato and Navigator; Brookleigh for Emily King; TS Jamaimo for Chris Burton; and All Luck and CP Qualified, both for Shane Rose, among many others.
Chris Burton and TS Jamaimo. Image by Julie Wilson/FEI.
“Early on, I found a Thoroughbred down the road and showed him to Phillip Dutton, when he was riding for Australia — True Blue Girdwood,” she says. The Aussie Thoroughbred travelled with Phillip to the USA when he moved their initially, going on to compete at an Olympics, two World Championships and several five-stars.
Sharon has also played a pivotal role in developing young riders. “New Zealand’s Jesse Campbell came to Tasmania as a teenager to try a talented Thoroughbred I found. That horse became his first Young Rider team horse and helped set him on his professional path.” Jesse went on to ride for New Zealand at both an Olympics and FEI World Championships.
LIFTING AUSTRALIAN EVENTING
While Sharon operates globally, her commitment to Australian eventing remains strong. She is passionate about both exporting Australian horses and importing quality horses back into Australia to raise domestic standards.
“We’ve got beautiful homebred horses here,” she says. “But bringing in imported horses for professionals and young riders increases competition depth and lifts the whole system.”
Her recent work with Victorian young rider Lamoza Velisha illustrates that philosophy. Tasked with finding horses capable of accelerating the rider’s development, Sharon sourced two very different mounts in the UK.
“They’re chalk and cheese,” she laughs. “[Call Me Cooley] is a sharp, cheeky schoolmaster pony type; the other, Ophelie Van Prinseveld, is a 17.2‑hand mare with huge scope and an incredible temperament.”
“Watching young riders
learn to ride different horses
is incredibly rewarding…”
Lamoza Velisha and Call Me Cooley. Image by Lisa Grund Photography.
The diversity has paid off, with Lamoza producing standout results at Adelaide Equestrian Festival, including two top‑ten finishes in the CCI3*L and a Young Rider team win for Australia in the Oceania Championships.
“Watching young riders learn to ride different horses properly is incredibly rewarding,” Sharon says.
The addition of a young, exceptionally bred mare — rising seven-year-old Quick Chilli, an embryo twin with elite five‑star lineage — has further strengthened the program. The young mare’s breeding is impressive, being out of Gemma Stevens’ (nee Tattersall) 2016 Rio Olympic mare Quicklook V and by a son of well-known eventing stallion Chilli Morning, named Chillis Prince — who in turn is out Mary King’s five-star mare, Kings Gem.
“This mare is possibly one of the best-bred eventing line mares in Australia,” notes Sharon. “Gemma has retained the other twin… so it will be fascinating to watch these twins competing on opposite sides of the world.”
TIPS FOR BUYERS
Having helped countless riders find their match over the years, Sharon of course has some useful tips for those currently searching for their next equine partner.
“Surround yourself with people you trust. Don’t be in a hurry; take your time, bring your coach, ride the horse a few times, and get the vet you really trust to help you navigate whether the horse is sound and suitable for what you want to do.
“Don’t feel pressured; eventing a dangerous sport, we all know that, so to find a partner you’re going to enjoy working with on a daily basis, is really suitable for you, and is going to stay sound… they’re all key priorities when you’re searching for your perfect horse.”
Sharon says temperament, soundness and conformation, and suitability are critical factors. “Temperament is important, and the horse’s soundness and conformation will help them find the job easy — if they are finding the job easy, they’re going to work with you. The horse also needs to be suitable for the job you need to do it right now. Yes, you can learn and grow with the horse, but if you bite off more than you can chew, that’s when you do see things go awry.
“Be honest with yourself regarding what you actually need – and ultimately, you do get what you pay for. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is!”
Will Coleman and Diabolo. Image by AK Dragoo Photography/K3DE.
A GLOBAL MINDSET
Asked how she defines her role, Sharon doesn’t hesitate. “I see myself as a global agent,” she says. “It doesn’t matter where a horse is — it’s logistics at the end of the day. The real skill is matching the right horse to the right rider.”
“For me, the buzz comes on Monday mornings,” she continues. “I look at the results from Australia, Europe, America — and seeing something I played a small part in having a great weekend is why I do this.”
Not for financial gain, she stresses, but for passion. “I’m just a tiny, tiny piece of the village,” she says. “But watching a dream come together — like Kentucky — that’s incredibly special.” EQ
You can learn more about Sharon Ridgway’s work as an equine agent via eventers.com.au or My Equine Agent.
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