Christine Bates - Eventing
Christine has been an elite-level rider for the last 20 years producing many horses to international level. Originally from Perth, Western Australia, Christine moved to Sydney in 1994. Christine’s professionalism and commitment to her sport was most recently acknowledged in her receipt of the 2015 Anna Savage Best and Fairest rider award.
Together with her husband, Matthew Bates and 11-year-old son, William, Christine runs a successful horse breaking and equestrian business in NSW’s Hawkesbury district. They recently added a dedicated cross-country training course to their facility enabling them to cater to all levels of both rider and horse. A core focus of their activities is the regular hosting of riding clinics and cross-country training series aimed at supporting the skill development of all participants.
A seasoned professional, age proves no barrier- at 42, Christine continues to perform at the highest level of her sport. With an impressive track record, her sights are now firmly set on achieving success with multi-event winning horse, Adelaide Hill. This successful rider-horse combination was previously short-listed for the 2016 Rio Olympics and 2012 London Olympics. Christine was also listed for the Atlanta and Sydney Olympics, as well as being the reserve for the 2002 World Equestrian Games in Jerez. Under the direction of coaches Prue Barrett, Craig Barrett, Rod Brown and Sam Lyle, Christine is now pursuing a campaign in the UK and Europe, to further enhance her bid to gain selection for the World Equestrian Games in Tryon, USA.
Career Highlights
RIDER MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS – CHRISTINE
1st - 2018 Sydney 3DE CCI3*
1st - 2018 Berrima International Horse Trials CIC3*
1st - 2018 Sydney Eventing CIC3*
1st - 2017 Adelaide 3DE CIC3*
7th - 2017 Melbourne 3DE CIC3*
2nd - 2017 Sydney Eventing CNC2.5*
1st - 2015 Melbourne 3DE CCI3*
7th - 2012 Sydney 3DE CCI3*
1st - 2011 Sydney 3DE CCI3*
2nd- 2011 Melbourne 3DE CCI2*
4th -2011 Melbourne 3DE CCI2*
5th -2010 Adelaide 3DE CCI2*
1st - 2010 Melbourne 3DE CCI1*
2nd -2002 Melbourne 3DE CCI3*
1st - 2002 Kooralbyn 3DE CCI2*
3rd -2001 Melbourne 3DE CCI3*
1st -1999 Melbourne 3DE CCI3*
1st- 1999 Sydney Test Event CCI2*
HORSE MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS - ADELAIDE HILL
Adelaide or A.K.A 'Spooks' is a 15yo chestnut gelding standing at 16.2hh. He is a Warmblood X Thoroughbred X Stock horse sired by Stirling Sprite.
1st - 2018 Sydney 3DE CIC3*
1st -2015 Melbourne 3DE CCI3*
11th-2013 Adelaide 3DE CCI4*
7th -2012 Sydney 3DE CCI3*
4th -2011 Melbourne 3DE CCI2*
1st -2011 Sydney 3DE CCI3*
11th -2011 Adelaide 3DE CCI4*
5th- 2010 Adelaide 3DE CCI2**
1st- 2010 Melbourne 3DE CCI1*
Five minutes with Christine:
When and where did you begin this sport? I started riding when I was two years old - I would sneak out of the house and coax the horse to come down to the gate so I could climb on, much to my mother’s chagrin. I joined Darlington Pony Club in Perth, Western Australia when I was 5 years old and competed in my first One Day Event on Mandy at 7 years old. We were eliminated in both the cross country and show jumping, which not only motivated me to do better next time, but also taught me the importance of working in partnership with my horse. I certainly learnt my lesson.
Why this sport? My passion for this sport started through the love of horses. Not only do you have to collaborate with your horse to be successful, you need to master three different disciplines: dressage, show jumping and cross-country.
Tell us about your sport? It is a time consuming sport which involves three separate disciplines, each of them an Olympic sport in their own right. The challenge is to teach a horse the skills and agility required to move from one activity to the next. Dressage, ballet for horses, requires a high level of control, submission and suppleness. Show Jumping requires the horse to be both a high and long jumper, whilst cross country is all about speed, control and trust.
What is it about competing that appeals to you? By nature I am very competitive - the desire to win resonates strongly with me, whether that is on the field or in life generally. There is nothing better than producing a winning horse from scratch. It truly is an amazing sport - you never stop learning about yourself as a rider or the horse. But most of all I enjoy both the camaraderie and challenges it brings.
How did you get to where you are? My early riding career involved both Pony Club and Junior Eventing in Western Australia. After finishing school I moved to Sydney as a working pupil, subsequently taking the plunge and setting up my own business coaching students and competing horses for clients. Today I enjoy running my own horse breaking and equestrian business in partnership with my husband, Matthew, at our property in Wilberforce, NSW.
International/National Debut:
Non-travelling Australian-based reserve for 2002 Jerez World Equestrian Games. Member of the winning Australia 2012 Trans-Tasman Team in New Zealand. Reserve rider for Australia 2015 Trans-Tasman Team in New Zealand.
Awards and honours:
Winner of the Anna Savage Foundation Award for the best and fairest event rider in 2015.
High Performance Squad 2015-2016: Generation Next
New South Wales Institute of Sport Scholarship holder since 1994.
Greatest challenge? My greatest challenge is balancing my time between business, motherhood, competing and training however these are also my greatest rewards.
What does a normal day look like? There is no normal, every day brings something new. Horses can be as unpredictable as people, they get sick, injured, tired, bored - I have to mix it up to keep them interested. My business means I am dealing with lots of horses so I need to make sure they are all cared for. And, well, having a nine year old boy … anyone with children will know what I mean!
Hobbies? Cycling and reading - my favourites at the moment are David Baldacci and James Patterson.
When do you get time to relax? What's relaxing? haha...
Injuries? Fortunately there is nothing that major - just a broken wrist and ankle. Interestingly, in 2009 doctors discovered an old neck fracture - I don’t even know how it happened.
Most memorable sporting achievement? Winning the CCI3* at the recent Sydney International 3DE on Adelaide Hill.
Why? I have experienced many highs in my time as an elite eventing rider but i've also experienced the most tragic of lows. In 2016 at this event my working pupil Caitlyn Fischer was killed in a tragic accident whilst competing.Caitlyn's death was not something I though I could ever recover from as a coach, as an elite rider but most importantly as a mum. I'm extremely grateful to the amazing team of people that make up Team Bates and Christine Bates Eventing for standing by me, supporting me and pushing me to keep chasing my dreams especially during these times when it seemed impossible. This win was the hardest to achieve and is why it will always be my most memorable.
Most influential person in career: Prue & Craig Barrett Why? They taught me that the highs and lows were just part of the sport,- it was how you picked yourself back up that counted. They took me from being a rider to a professional eventer.
Tell us about Adelaide Hill: Adelaide was bred by close family friends Beth and Warwick Turner. Beth always believed that Adelaide had the qualities to be the ultimate eventer at the highest level. I have been fortunate enough to have Beth as one of my biggest supporters throughout our journey together. When he arrived he was as wild as a brumby. To this day he still lives with a halter on - otherwise I would never catch him. We often joked that he seemed to have a memory like Dory from Finding Nemo - after 10 seconds he’d forget everything he had learnt. Matthew and I painstakingly got him to the level where he is now, ready to conquer WEG. Some of this preparation has been sheer hard work and the other a box of Nutrigrain every now and then (just ask my groom how she catches him). They do say it is the food for all athletes, after all. No meal is sacred - he is constantly on the look out for food. But just like any athlete he delights in competing.
How does your family feel about your latest campaign? Supportive, out there in full force helping me to fundraise for WEG. My family have been there day in, day out watching the struggles and the triumphs. They couldn't be any prouder.
What is it about Tryon that appeals to you? The dream has always been to represent my country at an international level. I'm extremely lucky that I have a very talented horse in Adelaide Hill and I would love to be able to show the rest of the world just how talented he is.
Christine has been an elite-level rider for the last 20 years producing many horses to international level. Originally from Perth, Western Australia, Christine moved to Sydney in 1994. Christine’s professionalism and commitment to her sport was most recently acknowledged in her receipt of the 2015 Anna Savage Best and Fairest rider award.
Together with her husband, Matthew Bates and 11-year-old son, William, Christine runs a successful horse breaking and equestrian business in NSW’s Hawkesbury district. They recently added a dedicated cross-country training course to their facility enabling them to cater to all levels of both rider and horse. A core focus of their activities is the regular hosting of riding clinics and cross-country training series aimed at supporting the skill development of all participants.
A seasoned professional, age proves no barrier- at 42, Christine continues to perform at the highest level of her sport. With an impressive track record, her sights are now firmly set on achieving success with multi-event winning horse, Adelaide Hill. This successful rider-horse combination was previously short-listed for the 2016 Rio Olympics and 2012 London Olympics. Christine was also listed for the Atlanta and Sydney Olympics, as well as being the reserve for the 2002 World Equestrian Games in Jerez. Under the direction of coaches Prue Barrett, Craig Barrett, Rod Brown and Sam Lyle, Christine is now pursuing a campaign in the UK and Europe, to further enhance her bid to gain selection for the World Equestrian Games in Tryon, USA.
Career Highlights
RIDER MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS – CHRISTINE
1st - 2018 Sydney 3DE CCI3*
1st - 2018 Berrima International Horse Trials CIC3*
1st - 2018 Sydney Eventing CIC3*
1st - 2017 Adelaide 3DE CIC3*
7th - 2017 Melbourne 3DE CIC3*
2nd - 2017 Sydney Eventing CNC2.5*
1st - 2015 Melbourne 3DE CCI3*
7th - 2012 Sydney 3DE CCI3*
1st - 2011 Sydney 3DE CCI3*
2nd- 2011 Melbourne 3DE CCI2*
4th -2011 Melbourne 3DE CCI2*
5th -2010 Adelaide 3DE CCI2*
1st - 2010 Melbourne 3DE CCI1*
2nd -2002 Melbourne 3DE CCI3*
1st - 2002 Kooralbyn 3DE CCI2*
3rd -2001 Melbourne 3DE CCI3*
1st -1999 Melbourne 3DE CCI3*
1st- 1999 Sydney Test Event CCI2*
HORSE MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS - ADELAIDE HILL
Adelaide or A.K.A 'Spooks' is a 15yo chestnut gelding standing at 16.2hh. He is a Warmblood X Thoroughbred X Stock horse sired by Stirling Sprite.
1st - 2018 Sydney 3DE CIC3*
1st -2015 Melbourne 3DE CCI3*
11th-2013 Adelaide 3DE CCI4*
7th -2012 Sydney 3DE CCI3*
4th -2011 Melbourne 3DE CCI2*
1st -2011 Sydney 3DE CCI3*
11th -2011 Adelaide 3DE CCI4*
5th- 2010 Adelaide 3DE CCI2**
1st- 2010 Melbourne 3DE CCI1*
Five minutes with Christine:
When and where did you begin this sport? I started riding when I was two years old - I would sneak out of the house and coax the horse to come down to the gate so I could climb on, much to my mother’s chagrin. I joined Darlington Pony Club in Perth, Western Australia when I was 5 years old and competed in my first One Day Event on Mandy at 7 years old. We were eliminated in both the cross country and show jumping, which not only motivated me to do better next time, but also taught me the importance of working in partnership with my horse. I certainly learnt my lesson.
Why this sport? My passion for this sport started through the love of horses. Not only do you have to collaborate with your horse to be successful, you need to master three different disciplines: dressage, show jumping and cross-country.
Tell us about your sport? It is a time consuming sport which involves three separate disciplines, each of them an Olympic sport in their own right. The challenge is to teach a horse the skills and agility required to move from one activity to the next. Dressage, ballet for horses, requires a high level of control, submission and suppleness. Show Jumping requires the horse to be both a high and long jumper, whilst cross country is all about speed, control and trust.
What is it about competing that appeals to you? By nature I am very competitive - the desire to win resonates strongly with me, whether that is on the field or in life generally. There is nothing better than producing a winning horse from scratch. It truly is an amazing sport - you never stop learning about yourself as a rider or the horse. But most of all I enjoy both the camaraderie and challenges it brings.
How did you get to where you are? My early riding career involved both Pony Club and Junior Eventing in Western Australia. After finishing school I moved to Sydney as a working pupil, subsequently taking the plunge and setting up my own business coaching students and competing horses for clients. Today I enjoy running my own horse breaking and equestrian business in partnership with my husband, Matthew, at our property in Wilberforce, NSW.
International/National Debut:
Non-travelling Australian-based reserve for 2002 Jerez World Equestrian Games. Member of the winning Australia 2012 Trans-Tasman Team in New Zealand. Reserve rider for Australia 2015 Trans-Tasman Team in New Zealand.
Awards and honours:
Winner of the Anna Savage Foundation Award for the best and fairest event rider in 2015.
High Performance Squad 2015-2016: Generation Next
New South Wales Institute of Sport Scholarship holder since 1994.
Greatest challenge? My greatest challenge is balancing my time between business, motherhood, competing and training however these are also my greatest rewards.
What does a normal day look like? There is no normal, every day brings something new. Horses can be as unpredictable as people, they get sick, injured, tired, bored - I have to mix it up to keep them interested. My business means I am dealing with lots of horses so I need to make sure they are all cared for. And, well, having a nine year old boy … anyone with children will know what I mean!
Hobbies? Cycling and reading - my favourites at the moment are David Baldacci and James Patterson.
When do you get time to relax? What's relaxing? haha...
Injuries? Fortunately there is nothing that major - just a broken wrist and ankle. Interestingly, in 2009 doctors discovered an old neck fracture - I don’t even know how it happened.
Most memorable sporting achievement? Winning the CCI3* at the recent Sydney International 3DE on Adelaide Hill.
Why? I have experienced many highs in my time as an elite eventing rider but i've also experienced the most tragic of lows. In 2016 at this event my working pupil Caitlyn Fischer was killed in a tragic accident whilst competing.Caitlyn's death was not something I though I could ever recover from as a coach, as an elite rider but most importantly as a mum. I'm extremely grateful to the amazing team of people that make up Team Bates and Christine Bates Eventing for standing by me, supporting me and pushing me to keep chasing my dreams especially during these times when it seemed impossible. This win was the hardest to achieve and is why it will always be my most memorable.
Most influential person in career: Prue & Craig Barrett Why? They taught me that the highs and lows were just part of the sport,- it was how you picked yourself back up that counted. They took me from being a rider to a professional eventer.
Tell us about Adelaide Hill: Adelaide was bred by close family friends Beth and Warwick Turner. Beth always believed that Adelaide had the qualities to be the ultimate eventer at the highest level. I have been fortunate enough to have Beth as one of my biggest supporters throughout our journey together. When he arrived he was as wild as a brumby. To this day he still lives with a halter on - otherwise I would never catch him. We often joked that he seemed to have a memory like Dory from Finding Nemo - after 10 seconds he’d forget everything he had learnt. Matthew and I painstakingly got him to the level where he is now, ready to conquer WEG. Some of this preparation has been sheer hard work and the other a box of Nutrigrain every now and then (just ask my groom how she catches him). They do say it is the food for all athletes, after all. No meal is sacred - he is constantly on the look out for food. But just like any athlete he delights in competing.
How does your family feel about your latest campaign? Supportive, out there in full force helping me to fundraise for WEG. My family have been there day in, day out watching the struggles and the triumphs. They couldn't be any prouder.
What is it about Tryon that appeals to you? The dream has always been to represent my country at an international level. I'm extremely lucky that I have a very talented horse in Adelaide Hill and I would love to be able to show the rest of the world just how talented he is.