FEI Rising Stars – 25th September 2025
At just 20 years old, Rachel Proudley has already carved her name into British Jumping history. This summer in Riesenbeck (GER), she delivered a performance of precision, nerve and brilliance to capture gold at the FEI Jumping European Championship for Young Riders – a result that was far more than a single triumph. It marked the arrival of a rider ready to step beyond youth categories and onto the sport’s biggest stages.
With her trademark focus and a partnership built on trust with her horse, Proudley’s golden moment was the culmination of years of quiet determination – and, perhaps, just the beginning of something much bigger.
“All of the work paid off! It was an amazing moment, and it really took a while to sink in that I had actually won the gold and was the European champion,” she recalls, her voice still carrying the excitement of that week.
Proudley made her international debut in 2021 and in 2024 began her journey with Quality Street, the 14-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare she would ride to gold. Known as “Sweetie” in the stable, the mare was owned by HK Horses in the UK, where Proudley rides for Richard Howley and Morgan Kent.
Keep calm and ride on
The week of competition in Germany demanded composure. More than 80 athletes entered the competition, but only the best made the Individual Final at the end of the week.
The format was a true test for the young competitors and their horses. In the Individual Final, the athletes faced the additional pressure of jumping the 1.50m track twice.
“Young Riders is a challenging experience,” Proudley explained. “They’re big courses over five rounds, so there’s a lot of Jumping and pressure throughout a long week to try and stay consistent both for yourself and for the team.”
Howley and Kent crafted a meticulous routine for Proudley and Sweetie from the start of the week – one that kept the mare fresh and focused when it mattered most. Sweetie, an experienced and intelligent horse, has developed a reputation for delivering under pressure. “She’s powerful and consistent and really tries for you, always putting in 110% in the ring and never wanting to touch a pole,” Proudley said with admiration.
The rider’s own composure was just as critical. She knows that the way she feels in the saddle often translates directly to her horse’s performance.
“There is more pressure when representing your country and wanting to do well for your teammates,” she admitted. “But the trick is not to overthink it — to treat it like any other round. Keep calm and ride on.”
It is a simple formula, but one that proved golden.
Behind the highlight reel
The Individual gold and Team bronze medals in Germany were the product of years of preparation, not a single week. The environment at HK Horses has given Proudley access to a string of exceptional horses and the chance to refine her riding at the highest level. Her bond with Quality Street was rooted in mutual respect — one that allowed both horse and rider to dig deep when the stakes were at their highest.
“Every athlete experiences ups and downs,” Proudley reflected. “It’s important not to give up when things aren’t always working out – with enough dedication you will usually come through the other side stronger. The hard work makes the wins like this feel even more worthwhile, as you know how much it has taken to get there.”
Working with HK Horses over the last couple of years has also transformed her outlook. She credits them not just with sharpening her riding, but also with instilling the relentless work ethic that defines successful professionals. “They show me every day what goes into producing horses behind the scenes, and that has been a huge education for me,” she said.
At the same time, she remains clear-eyed about the nature of the sport. “Horses are great levelers – no day is the same. You can be a gold medalist one day and then get humbled by them the next. I think it’s important to just take each day as it comes and keep trying to push forward, always trying to better yourself for the horses to be able to do the best job possible for them.”
Eyes on the future
For Proudley, the Young Rider title represents both achievement and opportunity. It is the biggest result of her career to date, but one she sees as the start of something larger.
“I would love to jump under the Great Britain flag again – hopefully on a senior Nations Cup team, with a long-term goal being the Senior European Championships,” she shared. “And from there, maybe even the Olympics.”
Her approach remains pragmatic – goal-oriented but rooted in process. She urges other young riders to take the same long view: “Work hard, don’t give up, and take the good with the bad. Listen to everyone around you – and take advice wherever you can get it – you never know which 1% will add up to that final result or opportunity.”
A golden beginning
The Young Rider European Championship often serves as a launchpad for future stars, and Proudley’s gold medal has already signaled her potential to the international Jumping community. But if her calm, methodical approach is anything to go by, she is not one to rest on early accolades. Instead, she sees her youth career as a foundation – a proving ground for the bigger stages to come.
For Rachel Proudley, the gold medal was not a finish line. It was a golden beginning.