Vaughn Jefferis Atlanta Olympics 2
Olympian Clarke Johnstone competing at an earlier Horse of the Year Show. The entire show comes to a halt for cross country Saturday which sees thousands flock to the showgrounds to see the action up close. Photo by Kerry Marshall/KAMPIC
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World eventing champion Vaughn Jefferis has a real soft spot for the Horse of the Year Show.

He’s long been a competitor, having five times won the Show Hunter of the Year crown – Hammerking Only Joking (1991), Play it Again (1992) and Hanalei (1998, 2002, 2003) – and in 1998 also won the Lowry Medallion as Rider of the Year with Hanalei.

The two-time Olympian who was a member of the bronze medal winning team at Atlanta (1996) and won individual gold aboard Bounce at the Hague World Champs (1994), and team gold at Rome (1998). He is a four time national champ, has his name on the Forest Gate Trophy as New Zealand one day champ and the Waiteko Trophy as the New Zealand intermediate one day champ.

He started his equestrian career as a showjumper going all the way up to World Cup level but switched when Sir Mark Todd won gold at the LA Olympic Games. “I didn’t really want to switch (to eventing) but jumped on the band wagon as realistically I knew it would be easier to be successful on the eventing scene,” says Vaughn. “I have no regrets! I lovely my time on the eventing team and it was a great part of my life.”

He was an early supporter of show hunter when it was growing in New Zealand and did very well. “It is a great training tool.”

These days he spends more time mentoring and coaching on both sides of the Tasman than he does in the saddle, but never say never. “I’d have to fit my riding jacket to get out competing in showjumping again!”

This year he and his young charges Ben Weir and Deanna Horsburgh will be bringing a small team to the Land Rover Horse of the Year Show. “HOY has a great energy about it. I remember going as a kid and thinking just how cool it was. It’s a great place to see all the people you don’t see a lot and wander over and watch mates ride a few tests. I just love being amongst all the people and enjoying it,” he says.

Vaughn loves taking the horses he and his team produce to shows and watching their progress.

“In producing horses I work closely with Wendy Skelton who does dressage and a lot of our young horses go to her to get the buttons put on for the flat. She is a big part of our training programmes.”

He lives on 30-acres at Matangi. It’s all part of the plot of land he bought as a kid when he sold “a nice little roan showjumper” for nice wad of cash.

Over the years he has had many nice horses but Bounce is the one the world remembers for his achievements. He’s buried at the stables Arundel Farm. Vaughn is waiting to find the perfect sun dial to mark the grave of a very special horse.