Kate Doughty

A message from the Patron

Well 2012 has arrived! Santa has been and the Easter Bunny soon to appear….Aussie Hands is growing and developing and I’m pretty sure there is a big event on in London… they call it the OLYMPICS!!!!!

After a huge year of change, I had to leave my profession of training dressage horses full time and bid farewell to the horse property. This change moved my horse Al Capone out to Berwick and myself back to the city!!! Not long after I found myself working right in the middle of the CBD working in recruitment, assisting elite athletes to gain work experience. I was in the final stages of completing my thesis and training 4 days a week with Al Capone.

After successfully qualifying a team for London Paralympics, I made the tough, but well thought through and planned decision to ‘hand over the reins’ to my team mates, and put my Para Equestrian pursuits aside. This may seem an unfortunate decision to some, but for me it was a step in the right direction to open new doors. I had so many goals I wanted to achieve, and had to decide how to make that happen.

My passion will always be horses, but I wanted to also pursue my career off the horse, and ultimately be able to combine them both. I am still competing at national level in able bodied dressage and winning and riding at the highest level I have ever reached. Al and I are making an even bigger mark on the equestrian map, building our profile to not only as a very successful para equestrian combination but also giving the dressage world a run for their money at the higher levels in able bodied competitions. We have been selected to compete at the prestigious Dressage with the Stars at Werribee late March, in the Prix St Georges cup – an event only 35 riders from Australia wide are accepted to compete in.

I am also fortunate to find myself working full time in a Marketing role for a company the is involved in equestrian.. It can’t get better than that!

We all have skills and talents. We also must not forget about our dreams and passions, regardless how big or small they may be. If one door closes, a new one opens. There is always an opportunity out there, it is just up to you to embrace it and to see the bigger picture. Don’t forget to tell the ones you love how lucky you are to have them, and how special and talented they are…. But the most important person to never forget to remind how special and talented they are, is yourself.

See you all soon,
Kate