Above: Lori James and Restauranteur SHP at the 2024 Australian Jumping Championships

Lori James has lived a life in the saddle, from her first pony at age eight to racing as a jockey and now, building a name for herself as a dedicated Amateur competitor. Her journey isn’t one of shortcuts; it’s one of persistence, passion, and deep respect for the horses she’s trained herself, many of them off-the-track thoroughbreds.

Lori’s pathway into Jumping was grounded in Sydney’s Centennial Parklands. She first learned to ride on her dad’s ex-racehorse, later moving on with guidance from Amber Fuller, who helped launch her into Juniors. After leaving school, she dove headfirst into horses, spending her formative years—starting 15 years ago—working for and training with George Sanna while completing an equine nursing degree. Her showjumping career peaked in Young Riders, but the call of racing lured her into the world of trackwork, pretraining, and eventually riding as a jockey.

Above: Lori James on her first winner as a jockey on Indestructible.

When she returned to Jumping years later, Lori found something that hadn’t existed before, Amateur classes. “When I was young, there were no Ammies. You had to jump in with professionals, or the kids flying around on talented ponies—it was hard to find your place,” she explains. “But now, the Amateur circuit gives people like me, who’ve come back to the sport or are producing their own horses, a place to really enjoy it.”

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And she’s not just enjoying it, she’s excelling. Last year, Lori ran first and second in the Sienna Weir Amateur Series with OTT Thoroughbred Restauranter SHP & Warmblood mare Bond Girl SHP, an achievement she still speaks about with humble disbelief. “Bond Girl has stepped up and she’s just brilliant. I always say I taught her everything, but honestly, she knows more than I do.”  With three competition horses in work, Lori certainly has a busy schedule, with her role as the Manager of her family property Sunninghill Park, at Berry on the NSW South Coast.

Above: Lori James and Bond Girl SHP at the Waratah World Cup Show 2024. Photo credit: Elegant-Exposures.

Above: Lori James and Bermuda SHP at the Waratah World Cup Show 2024. Photo credit: Elegant-Exposures.

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But it’s not just about ribbons. Lori is deeply invested in the future of Thoroughbreds in Jumping. Having broken in and retrained multiple OTT thoroughbreds herself, she knows the time, patience, and skill it takes to do it properly. “I’m very precious about them,” she says. “I don’t sell or rehome unless I’m certain the new home understands what they need. They’re not disposable.”

Above: Makaylah Fenwick and The Garrett and Lori James and Restauranter SHP, joint Group 2 TSHA National Champions 2024

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Her most notable retrained horse is Restauranteur SHP, a gelding she once galloped for work. “He wasn’t much of a racehorse,” Lori laughs, “but George [Sanna] saw him trot over a pole and said, ‘Keep an eye on that one.’ So I did.” Restauranteur now competes confidently in Amateur classes, even tackling six-bar competitions. “He’s tricky but he always tries. He gave me the confidence to get back into Jumping.”

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Lori’s voice becomes more passionate when talking about Thoroughbred-specific events. She applauds initiatives like Krissy Harris’s Thoroughbred Sport Horse Association (TSHA) classes at Stonewall Equestrian and the opportunities these provide for OTT Thoroughbreds.

Looking ahead, Lori wants to keep growing her small team of home-produced horses, all while continuing to compete across the country. “The Amateur scene is a beautiful community. It’s competitive, but it’s warm. Everyone congratulates each other. You drive out to places you’ve never been and come back feeling like part of something really special.”

Her story is proof that with a solid work ethic, a good eye for a horse, and a love for the sport, you can still make a mark and also help shape a better future for the Thoroughbreds who gave so much on the track and still have so much more to give in the ring.

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