At just 15 years old, Harley McNaughton already knows where he wants to go. And after a recent trip to Ireland to train with Australian international showjumper Jake Hunter at Duffy Sporthorses, that dream feels a little closer.

Harley’s passion for horses started early. “I think when I was three and a half,” he says. “I grew up around horses and just loved watching the sport and being around the animals. Once I did my first trot jumping class, I knew it was what I wanted to do.”

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This wasn’t Harley’s first visit to Ireland. Back in 2018, he made a trip as an eight-year-old, competing in a few shows with the support of his mum Jackie and Jake’s mum Gail, who are long-time friends. That connection eventually led to this latest training opportunity with Jake, and Harley didn’t waste a minute.

“I arrived last Wednesday and pretty much hopped on a horse straight away,” Harley says. “I’ve been riding heaps of different horses, learning how to adapt, how to stay focused, how to keep it all together while riding. It’s been such a great refresher. And I’ve had the chance to help with trot-ups and just see how everything runs at a high-level show.”

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Harley even made it into the ring during the Mullingar CSI2* in Ireland. “I rode one main horse across a few different classes, and Jake also let me ride a bunch of others. It was such a great experience,” he says.

Jake, who has been based overseas for many years now, says having Harley around was a highlight. “I don’t think there was a single person at the show who didn’t know Harley’s name by the end of it,” Jake laughs. “Everyone – the FEI stewards, gate marshals, even the owners – they were all asking for him. He was so friendly to everyone and just threw himself into the whole experience.”

Harley’s got big goals, and he’s not shy about them. “The dream is the Olympics,” he says. “Hopefully LA 2028. I know it’s a big one, maybe a long shot, but if I really focus and work hard, I think it’s possible. And then there’s always Brisbane after that.”

Above: Harley McNaughton and Glenbrooke Archie Bunker at the 2024 Australian Jumping Championships.

Closer on the horizon, he’s aiming for the Youth Olympics. “I was in the FEI Children’s Final and came 11th,  just outside the top ten. But almost all the top riders were on their own horses. There were only four of us in the top 11 who were on borrowed horses, so I was proud of that.”

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Harley’s trip may have been short, but it’s left a lasting impression on him, and on those around him. “The plan is to come back and stay longer next time,” he says.

Jake agrees. “It’s great to see young Aussie riders like Harley pushing themselves and soaking up everything. He reminds me a bit of when I was starting out, just throwing yourself in, being open to everything, and staying hungry.”

With this kind of attitude and experience behind him, Harley McNaughton is a name we’re bound to hear more of in years to come, perhaps even alongside Jake again, this time wearing the green and gold at an Olympic Games.

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