At just twenty-four, Paige McBain has already made her mark on Australian Jumping. A standout win in the Rider’s Cup at Waratah Showjumping, an impressive debut in the World Cup ranks, and a home base that blends competition and breeding at Greengrove Stud, it’s a story of focus, family, and belief in the process.

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Paige’s introduction to horses was far from inevitable. Her family were skiers, spending many weekends in the Snowy Mountains, but a childhood fascination soon changed their routine. Every trip past a local riding school brought pleas from a determined three-year-old to stop for a pony ride. That small ritual soon led to Pony Club, then eventing on an off-the-track Thoroughbred under the guidance of James Mooney and Maidie Dodd. By her teenage years, boarding school and horses balanced carefully alongside her studies, but the choice was already clear, Jumping would be her path alongside her law degree.

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Paige credits much of her development to early days spent training under Martin Gostelow and now her current coaches Dave and Tallara Cameron of Redleaf Lodge. Their program, she says, gave her structure, precision and the discipline to match her natural feel. Joining Redleaf set a path towards competing at World Cup level.

That partnership also opened the door to some remarkable horses, including Carlos Jd Z, her World Cup partner. “They’ve found incredible horses for me over the years,” Paige says simply, but it’s clear that their mentorship has been about far more than just the horsepower.

Family is at the core of everything Paige does. Greengrove Stud Farm, on the NSW Central Coast, has become both a home and a business. Originally an Arabian property, the farm was transformed by her parents into a breeding and training operation.

Her mother was the driving force behind the breeding program, believing it could provide both sustainability and opportunity for future riders. A foundation mare sourced by Rowan Willis has produced a line of horses that continues to shape Paige’s career,  among them, her promising Greengrove Caspian.

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Breeding, Paige says, has taught her patience. After producing several foals each season, she’s learned to balance ambition with practicality, now focusing on just one or two a year. “It’s a fine line between having too many horses and not enough,” she explains. “Breeding is expensive, and success doesn’t always come quickly. But when it works, when you see one of your horses perform, it’s worth everything.”

Paige’s recent victory in the Rider’s Cup at Waratah Showjumping marked a defining moment. The class, designed by international course builder Anderson Lima, tested every rider. Paige and Carlotta produced one of the standout performances of the weekend, handling the technical track with composure and precision.

“I didn’t expect to win,” Paige said afterwards, smiling at the memory. “It wasn’t until someone told me I had that it sank in.” For a rider stepping up against some of Australia’s best, it was a confidence-shifting result,  proof that she belongs at that level.

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This year’s World Cup season has been a steep learning curve. Competing at Caboolture, Waratah and Tamworth has introduced her to the intensity of top-tier sport, the FEI protocols, the logistics, and the mental preparation that come with it.

“It’s a completely different mindset,” Paige reflects. “Every ride counts. You learn to manage the horse, the travel, and yourself differently.”

Her eighth-place finish at Tamworth was particularly rewarding. Under lights and in front of a buzzing crowd, she and Carlos delivered a polished couple of rounds. “Tamworth has always been my favourite to watch,” she says. “To actually compete there was something I’ll never forget.”

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Paige’s path hasn’t been without hardship. In late 2024 she suffered two serious head injuries, one from a fall at home and another from a riding accident. In between, tragedy struck when one of her horses died in a loading accident shortly after winning the Bega Cup Grand Prix.

The recovery from her accidents was slow and confronting. “It changed me,” she admits. “I had to learn to manage my energy, to accept I couldn’t do everything. But it also reminded me how much I love what I do.”

Through it all, quitting never entered her mind. “I’m lucky to have the horses and the opportunities I do,” she says. “You can’t take that for granted.”

With her first World Cup season nearly complete, Paige is already setting new goals, small, steady improvements, a double clear at this level, and the continued development of her homebreds. Longer term, she dreams of one day representing Australia at the World Cup Final. “That feels achievable,” she says.

It’s a grounded view from a rider who understands how far she’s come, and how much lies ahead. Between the breeding program, the young horses coming through, and a deep-rooted love for the sport, Paige McBain’s story is only just beginning.

Hear directly from Paige on the recent ‘All Clear’ podcast episode available now on the following platforms:

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