An owner who believes. A rider who delivers. A horse that brings them both together. That is the story of Jamie Winning-Kermond and Rachel Peel, and the mare who is changing their horizons, Tulara Wat Colblensky, known at home as Juno.

“I grew up in the city and found horses through a riding camp at Centennial Park,” said Jamie Winning-Kermond. “From there I just kept going.” Rachel Peel’s beginning could not be more different. “I grew up on a farm in the Hawkesbury. My grandfather brought home a horse for me and my sister when I was three. It never stopped after that.”

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Their paths met at Yandoo. Rachel arrived as a school student, training with Emma and Josh Collins. “I spent a week there in the holidays and never really left,” she said. Jamie and her husband Jamie ‘Kerm’, had just come back from Europe, and a working relationship quickly turned into a partnership built on trust.

Juno entered the picture while Rachel was looking for an Amateur horse. “We went to Phil Lever’s and tried two,” said Rachel. “One of them was Juno. We ended up buying both, which was unplanned.” Jamie saw something early. “Even over 1.20m it felt like cavalletti. I kept telling Rachel this horse would help her step up because bigger would feel easier.”

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The plan at first was simple. Rachel would compete Juno as an Amateur while Jamie gave the mare miles. “I got busy with work,” said Rachel. “Juno was getting better and better. I felt she deserved to see big jumps, so I handed the reins to Jamie.” From there, the relationship shifted.

They built a framework that left no one guessing. “We sit down for dinner and plan the year,” said Jamie. “We talk through when Rachel wants to ride, when she is away, and what the big targets look like. That way it isn’t week to week. It is a clear 12 months.” Rachel leans on that structure. “I leave the details to Jamie, Kerm and the team. They always do what is best for Juno.”

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Milestones came quickly. Section 3 champion at Sydney Royal. A Futurity win at Waratah. Then the leap to World Cup level. “Every time you go in the ring, even on a big track, she never feels like it is a huge effort,” said Jamie. “That is reassuring. If I do a decent job, she is not struggling.”

Caboolture made it real. “I had never done Caboolture,” said Jamie. “The footing was good. The courses were good. I focused on producing a clean first round to tick an MER. Rachel and Lynn (Rachel’s mum) were there. That made it special.” Rachel will never forget it. “I was so nervous,” she said. “We never tell Jamie to go fast or slow. We trust the plan. When the last fence came down for another combination and it hit that we might win, it was surreal. I had broken my arm the week before and only just got cleared to travel. I was so thankful to be there.”

Above: Jamie Winning-Kermond and Tulara Wat Colblensky at Caboolture.

Those highs only work when a partnership is strong enough to handle the lows. “If something goes wrong I get angry at myself,” Jamie said. “But coaching helps. I hear the advice I give my students and I make myself follow it. Bigger picture. Learn and move on.” “We are on the same page about everything,” said Rachel. “I do not hover. If there is something I need to know, Jamie will tell me.”

Trust runs beyond rider and owner. It includes the people who work with the horse every day. “Steffi (Whittaker) knows every inch of Juno,” said Rachel. “If anything is off, she has it covered.” It includes the breeder and past connections who still care and regularly check in. It feels like a shared story.”

Jamie has ridden for owners her whole life and has been an owner herself. That dual view shapes her feelings about where Australian Jumping can go. “Owners matter,” she said. “They put good horses under good riders and help the sport move forward. What I would love to see is a stronger community for owners in Jumping. Eventing does it well. Imagine an owners group at shows where people meet, share the ride and feel recognised. It would make involvement more appealing and keep talent in the system.”

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For Rachel, the reward is simple. “I am an Amateur and happy to be one,” she said. “Owning Juno lets me be part of World Cups without needing to ride them. Being in the Yandoo team on those weekends, everyone cheering for each other, is something I will never take for granted.” Her advice to anyone thinking about ownership is just as simple. “Work with someone you trust. With Jamie and Kerm, there is no stress. They, along with Josh, think through the footing, the schedule, when to step up or step back. That trust makes it enjoyable for everyone and better for the horse.”

That last point sits at the heart of every decision. “Sometimes the right call is not to start,” said Jamie. “Picking the right downtime is as important as picking the right target.”

The goals stay clear but flexible. “We set out to make her consistent at World Cup and Grand Prix and to get the MER secured at the outdoor rounds,” said Jamie. “She did that in three starts. Now we are talking through what next year looks like, including the possibility of going overseas if the timing and the horse say yes.” Rachel agrees. “We have always said we will see where Juno wants to take us. She will tell us.”

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Owner and rider relationships come in many shapes. This one thrives on preparation, honest conversation and a shared promise to always do right by the horse. It is dinners with a calendar on the table. It is a groom who knows the mare’s moods. It is a breeder’s text after rounds. It is an owner who gives space and a rider who shoulders responsibility. And it is the quiet moment after a World Cup when everyone breathes out and smiles because the plan, the patience and the trust all showed up when it counted.

Jamie put it best. “If someone asks you to ride their horse, it is a huge compliment. You put pressure on yourself to be worthy of that trust. Sometimes that means ribbons. Sometimes it means giving the horse the right round on the right day. With Juno, and with Rachel and Lynn, it has become about seeing how far the horse can go. That is a privilege.”

Rachel’s voice softens when she talks about the mare who started as an Amateur dream and became so much more. “She is a lovely horse. Brave and generous. Being part of her story with Jamie is the most enjoyable thing I have done in the sport. I cannot wait to see what comes next.”

Here directly from Jamie and Rachel on the ‘All Clear’ Podcast:
Live now on the following platforms:

YouTube: http://bit.ly/4mUfJOG
Spotify: http://bit.ly/4gTNWfI
Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/3ILg2NO

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