Lisa is no stranger to the Thoroughbred game; having previously worked as a jockey in the South Island before heading north to base at EventStars.

She’ll often be seen out competing her two OTTB geldings, ‘Mac the Hack’ and George, across a range of disciplines including working hunter, show jumping, and eventing. Her love for the Thoroughbred breed runs deep. She’s regularly spotted riding trackwork in the early hours and even picks up the occasional amateur race ride.

In recognition of her dedication, Lisa was proudly named the winner of the Care & Welfare Excellence Award at the Entain Awards 2025.

When she’s not in the saddle, Lisa can be found in the garden growing Cambridge’s largest vegetables, hanging out with her chickens, or spending time with her pup Heidi.

Tiff plays a huge role behind the scenes. She’s the first to start each morning, kicking off the day with the (very big) feed run and delivering tens of kilos of haylage to each paddock. From there, she mixes up dinner feeds, mucks out the yards and stables, and gets stuck into paddock maintenance: harrowing, spraying, fertilising, you name it.

She’s also the go-to for all the odd jobs that keep the place ticking: painting, hedge trimming, changing rugs, treating injuries, grooming the arena (always with Alvin and Jerry in tow), filling haynets, and even the occasional tail dye job. Tiff takes pride in keeping the team and property in top shape, and she’s always up for giving the ponies a spruce-up.

Her only weakness? A crisp bottle of sav at the end of a big day!

Sadie’s entry to the EventStars team was a somewhat unexpected, yet natural progression. With a background in show jumping and having previously competed up to PGP level, Sadie had been giving one of our homebreds, Bailey, some mileage in the competition arena in preparation for the Schickens. And in true Sadie fashion, she successfully qualified her for HOY - all within one season!

Since finishing school, she’s become an invaluable member of the team, bringing plenty of personality to the yard each day. We’re lucky to be able to steal her off the Thoroughbreds to school the ponies anytime!

Sadie’s own stables are already full with six horses at home, including her OTTB, Jelly. But it’s safe to say there’ve been a few more she’s wanted to sneak home since joining us!