Reese Keenan – chasing goals and loving every moment of the ride

Australian Jumping

For someone who lives five hours from the nearest major show, Reese Keenan has achieved a lot in a short space of time. From winning the New South Wales State Junior Championship to being named the Equestrian NSW Jumping Junior Rider of the Year, her rise through the junior ranks has been fuelled by determination, family support, and an unwavering love of horses.

Reese grew up in rural New South Wales, where long hours on the road are simply part of the sport. “I train with Stephen Dingwall at Cavalier Performance Horses in Murrumbateman, which is about two and a half hours from us,” she said. “It’s a full day trip every time we go over for a lesson, but he’s really good. He’s helped me so much.”

Horses have been a constant in Reese’s life. “They’ve always been a big part of my life,” she said. “Mum did reining when I was growing up, so I’d steal her horses and compete on them. I started in Pony Club, then did a bit of Stockman’s Challenge, but I always ended up trying to jump the horses, so we decided to give Jumping a go.”

That decision quickly set her on a new path. “I started jumping around 2022 and got my first proper Jumping horse. Then I got Vivi (PPP Vive Le Mop), and he’s been really, really good.”

Vivi has been central to Reese’s success. “We’ve got a really good bond now,” she said. “The first year I did Juniors I was just stepping up to 1.20m, and I was knocking rails. Stephen kept telling me to just keep showing up, keep being consistent. By the second year, things started to click. He’s such a special horse.”

Training from such a remote location means balancing everything carefully, including her studies. “I made the decision to do uni online so I can fit everything in. Riding and travelling take up so much time, and I just couldn’t make it work with in-person classes,” she said. “I’m studying a Bachelor of Accounting. I love numbers and spreadsheets, it’s probably not what people expect from a showjumper.”

Planning shows takes serious organisation. “We try to go to two big shows a month, often the ones Stephen is at. If he can’t be there, Mum helps me warm up. She’s amazing,” Reese said. “She’s done so much for me over the years. When I was little, she’d take me to reining shows and I’d go out riding with her at three in the morning because she didn’t want to leave me alone in the truck.”

Reese’s small but dedicated team of horses all have their place in her journey. Alongside Vivi, she campaigns La Luna Barichello, La Luna Cucinelli, and La Luna Countess FZ. “Barichello’s out for a spell at the moment, but he’s such a cool horse. Cuccinelli has jumped World Cups and now I do Juniors on him. He’s so cruisy and fun. Countess has the most amazing jump, I just love her.”

Winning the NSW Junior Championship last year was a turning point. “That was one of the first big things I’d ever won,” she said. “It was my first rug and such an amazing feeling. Vivi jumped so well that day—it really felt like everything came together.”

Soon after, Reese was named Jumping Junior Rider of the Year at the Equestrian NSW Awards. “I didn’t expect it at all,” she said. “But looking back, we were out competing all the time and Vivi was just incredible.”

Reese has since made the move into Young Rider classes, most recently competing at Willinga Park. “That was my second Young Rider show. We started at Waratah, which was a big step up, and then went to Willinga. Vivi jumped amazing there,” she said. “It’s definitely a big mental jump, though. I still get nervous walking the course and think, ‘Wow, that’s really big.’ But once I’m on the horse, I just focus. Stephen’s really helped me with that.”

Above: Reese Keenan and PPP Vive Le Mop in the recent Jumping@Willings Young Rider Final.

Her goals for the rest of the year are clear. “I’m going to Australian Championships for the Juniors, it’ll be my last year in Juniors, so I’m hoping for a good result,” she said. “That’s what we’ve been working towards all year.”

Beyond that, her dreams reach far further. “I’d love to have a career in the sport,” she said. “Accounting is more of a backup. I love young horses and I’d love to train them right through to World Cup level and take one overseas to compete. I’d also love to coach one day and have a little team to go around the shows with.”

When it comes to role models, Reese doesn’t hesitate. “I really look up to Jen Woods,” she said. “After hearing her podcast, I see a lot of myself in her.”

Her advice for others chasing similar goals is simple but powerful. “The best advice I ever got was from Stephen: keep showing up and be consistent. If you do that, the results will come.”

Between the long drives, online study, and endless hours of preparation, Reese’s story is one of quiet grit and genuine passion and we are sure that we will be seeing a lot more of her on podiums in the years to come.