When you ask Sam Overton about Oaks Casanova (fondly known to all as ‘Ed’), his voice softens before it lifts. The pair who lit up Waratah Showjumping last month have been together for twelve years, and Sam still sounds a little in awe of the journey they have taken together.

“We got him as a five-year-old who hadn’t really jumped under saddle,” said Sam. “In Perth he popped a cross rail, then a vertical, then a bigger vertical. By about the sixth fence he was at the top of the wings. The jump was only a metre but his hind legs were up there. He was just a freak. We bought him and brought him home.”

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Sam and his wife Carly run Overton Showjumping in Ipswich, Queensland. Sam describes himself as an amateur rider when Ed arrived. “Back then I was competing about 1.20. I didn’t know what I was doing. He wasn’t easy and I was learning. We both progressed together.”

There was a moment when everything changed. “I had an older Grand Prix horse and was doing the 1.45 at an Ag show and Ed came around and just smoked the course. I thought, okay, this horse has a lot extra.”

Ask Sam what Ed is like at home and he laughs. “He’s like a pet dog that wants to hang onto your hand. He grabs my shirt, my helmet, tries to get my phone out of my pocket. He’s got all the naughty habits but he’s so aware of his own body. He’ll never hurt you. He’s incredibly smart, which is also the challenge. He thinks about things.”

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In the ring, that thoughtfulness has become reliability. “He’s little, but he’s an athlete. He’s always had a big stride. I can wait or go forward and he stays balanced. The last five years he’s become so adjustable. You come around a corner a little away and open up the last two strides and he takes big steps, stays balanced and just jumps. That’s why he’s been so reliable for clean rounds at World Cup level here.”

Waratah was a reminder of why people love watching this horse. The World Cup track, built by international course designer Anderson de Moura Lima, asked genuine questions.

“There was a difference in the related lines and the treble,” said Sam. “The treble was short and you had to make decisions. A lot of the time here courses are set to allow horses to travel and keep it simple. At Waratah there were options. There was that six or seven to a 1.60 vertical. You really had to plan your approach.”

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The partnership’s 2022 season remains a high point. They won the Australian World Cup Series and punched a ticket to the FEI World Cup Final in Omaha.

“When we started that season, every course I walked looked really big,” said Sam. “I was just trying to get through the finish pegs. Towards the end people said I could go close to winning it. We just kept doing the same thing. Between Ed and I we didn’t have many rails all season. We were jumping double clears, won one, picked up seconds and thirds and won the series. I wasn’t that confident in my ability, but Ed handled so much.”

Omaha delivered perspective. “It was incredible. Knowing what it’s like now, I’d approach it differently. We based in Ohio, jumped 1.45 and a 1.50 before trucking ten hours to the Final. Then you walk in and the level and the horses are amazing. We were good enough to get there and to jump, but those competitors are next level. I’m still in awe.”

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Ed is 17 now and still competing at the top end. Management is careful and intentional.

“He’s always felt incredibly sound. Late last year he had a minor soft tissue injury, which was unexpected. It was my first show back after breaking my collarbone. He was a little heavier and not as fit, and he’s older,” said Sam. “We took him to WestVETS and he trotted up sound, but the high-quality ultrasound at the clinic picked up a very minor tear. A portable machine probably wouldn’t have found it, and we could have made it worse.”

Rehab took patience and planning. “We could have had him back for the start of the year, but by skipping Jumping with the Stars and aiming for Caboolture we gave him three more months. He came out too fresh at the show so we went home, did more groundwork, and targeted Waratah. There he was fit, healthy and controllable.”

Small changes matter, right down to shoeing and weight. “He’s got two-degree wedges on his back heels because it improves his angles. I also make sure he’s as light as he can be. Last year he was around 550 kilos. I didn’t worry if he was 555 or 545. Now he’s about 530. Twenty kilos is a lot and he still looks great. For him it’s probably worth five centimetres in jump.”

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Sam does not force the schedule. “He doesn’t owe me anything. We’ll pick and choose for the best footing. Keep him fit, healthy and light and try to win what comes our way.”

The Overtons’ IcePack business has been part of the story. “We’ve been doing IcePack for about 27 years. In the last ten it’s grown to a level that gives us the time and financial support to chase the riding. We’ve got incredible staff and it mostly runs itself. That lets us put in the work with the horses.”

There is a thoughtful pipeline in the stable, with a long association with Oaks Sport Horses.

“I’ve got Conchita van de Helle. We bought her from Kate Hinschen and she’s done a few World Cups and we are still improving,” said Sam. “Cha Cha Blue GHP came from Olivia Hamood as a five-year-old. He’s ten now, solid Mini Prix and close to World Cups (editors note that since this interview Sam and Cha Cha Blue GHP placed second at the Tamworth World Cup in brilliant fashion). Then there’s Oaks Cheetah, a six-year-old who is gorgeous. Carly has Oaks Cricket, also six. Both young ones were competitive at Waratah. That’s the base of the sport, bringing them through.”

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There are plenty of quality shows ahead and the diary will be selective. “We’re trying to get to Willinga. We’ve never been and we want to make that happen this year. Then there’s Aus Champs, Stonewall and more World Cups. We’ll pick and choose. The level in Australia now is remarkable.”

On longer-term dreams, Sam is clear-eyed. “If the opportunity came up for a World Championships or Olympics I’d be up for it. You need a special horse. Ed is probably a once-in-a-lifetime horse. You work with what you can get, do the best by them, educate them and see what happens.”

He is also frank about the difference between systems. “Overseas, top riders are professionals with owners who buy the best horses. There’s a continual supply of high-level horses. Here, everyone finds that magic horse now and then and does the best by them. Even if you had the money, there are no guarantees.”

From a five-year-old who had barely jumped to a World Cup Final and another Waratah crowd on its feet, the story of Sam and Ed is simple and honest. A clever little horse, a rider who kept learning, and a partnership that still has more to give.

To hear the full interview with Sam on the ‘All Clear’ Podcast, visit:

YouTube: https://bit.ly/4ng8HEj

Spotify: https://bit.ly/41IBEAC

Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/4glHL40

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