Jack Barker’s unforgettable experience in Seoul

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Jack Barker was in the middle of jumping his horses at home when he picked up a call that stopped him in his tracks—he’d been selected to represent Australia at the KRA Cup, a junior borrowed horse event in Seoul, Korea.

“I was actually riding when Coco (Miles) called,” Jack said. “when she said, ‘You’ve been selected.’ It was surreal. You never expect it—you just hope. So when it happens, it’s a very exciting moment.”

For Jack, it wasn’t just a milestone in his riding career, it was also his first time setting foot in Korea.

“I had no idea what to expect,” he admitted. “But Seoul was beautiful. Really green, which I didn’t expect. Lots of trees and gardens, and the atmosphere had this calm energy to it. Definitely a contrast to Melbourne.”

The hospitality started from the moment the riders touched down. “The Korean Equestrian Federation had everything organised. Straight to a really nice hotel, and then the next morning, off to the showgrounds to meet our horses.”

But first, the horse selection ceremony. “They did it properly. Every rider was called up, country by country, and we picked our horse names out of a hat. Then they introduced us to the people running the event—it was really official.”

Jack drew a nine-year-old chestnut gelding named Bereet. “He was small, but I felt pretty good on him straight away. If I gave him a good distance, he’d jump up. He was careful, he listened, and he was rideable. I felt lucky, honestly.”

Above: Jack Barker and Bereet

The KRA Cup didn’t follow the typical show format. Friday kicked off with a knockout-style class where two riders raced side-by-side on mirror-image courses. “It was more like a showcase event,” Jack said. “They only took the four fastest times through to a final. It wasn’t about beating your opponent, just clocking the best time.”

Saturday was a 1.00m speed class, and Jack flew into fourth place. “We were all clear. It was quick, the courses were twisty, but Bereet was great.”

Sunday’s final class was more technical, set at around 1.10m, with a jump-off for the clears. “I went clear in the first round, so I made the jump-off. A Korean rider put in a really fast clear—about 38 seconds. I went just after him and finished a second or so slower. I ended up third overall.”

And there were great prizes, “They gave out Samsung phones and tablets – I wasn’t expecting that! We also got these beautiful vases to bring home. The prize-giving was amazing and they had a fantastic podium.”

Off the horse, the week was packed with cultural experiences. “They really wanted us to experience Korea,” Jack said. “We had welcome dinners, a martial arts show, traditional games—it wasn’t just a horse show.”

And the infamous party bus? “Every morning, they drove us to the venue on this massive coach with disco lights and music—it was hilarious. Kind of set the tone for the whole trip.”

Language was a challenge at times. “Only about 10% of people spoke English, so we relied on translators a lot. But we made great friends with the New Zealand, Hong Kong and Malaysian teams. There was a solid little group of us who’d eat together, hang out. That part was really special.”

Reflecting on the experience, it’s clear it left a mark. “The whole trip just felt special. It was run so well, and the people were so generous. I’ll always remember that welcome dinner, the lights on the bus, the super official horse draw, and standing on that podium with an Aussie flag on my shirt.”

Jack Barker’s unforgettable experience in Seoul

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