When Team Lothlorien was looking for a young individual to add to its riding roster, William Martin’s resume had to be a game-changer. Read More
The 19-year-old is competing at Spruce Meadows with a two-fold aim: get experience as a rider and give his young horses that experience.
The 19-year-old is competing at Spruce Meadows with a two-fold aim: get experience as a rider and give his young horses that experience.
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When Team Lothlorien was looking for a young individual to add to its riding roster, William Martin’s resume had to be a game-changer.
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The 19-year-old boasts two North American youth championships, both in 2022 and ’23, which did nothing but boost his pretty green profile.
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“It’s huge,” Martin, originally from Vineland, Ont., admitted. “You really need a good team when you’re a young rider. Young riders don’t know everything … so it’s important that you have good people around you. I had very good people around me at that time, like (Irish trainer) Andrew Bourns. My parents were with me every day, whether it was mucking stalls in the morning or shipping the horses, they were there.
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“It gets your name on the radar. I don’t know if it’s crucial, but I think it’s a huge step and it makes you more valuable for opportunities in the future. I think there’s hundreds of ways to get to the top level, but it’s definitely a big help if you can establish yourself.”
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Reaching the top rung is undeniably Martin’s ultimate objective. He’s competing at Spruce Meadows this summer with a two-fold aim: get experience as a rider and give his young horses that same experience.
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“Personally, I think that competing in this ring at Spruce can do so much for your riding,” he pointed out. “I think that when you’re in the big ring like this and there’s big intimidating jumps and you’re always jumping walls and water and technical lines … through the process of just getting in the ring and doing it repetitively, it gives you huge confidence for later shows; it can actually make other shows seem simple. It’s a great boost of confidence.”
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Martin isn’t a newbie at this venue. In fact, he was here in 2023 when, at just 17, he was triumphant in the AON Cup 1.40m class during the National tournament — his debut in the International Ring.
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“That was really special,” he said, recalling the performance put up by his mare S.I.E.C. Larissa. “I came last year with an 18-year-old, and jumped the five-star ATCO Cup. We had one down, it was the wall, I remember clearly,” he grinned sheepishly.
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For the last four months, he has been with Ariel Grange’s acclaimed Lothlorien Farm, rubbing shoulders will Irishman Daniel Coyle, the 16th-ranked rider in the world, and rising Czech star Vaclav Stanek.
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“It’s huge, especially being Canadian,” said Martin. “I’ve looked up to Ariel’s team for a while. She knows her horses and she’s given a lot of people great opportunities and so has her family. I’ve worked with many Irish trainers. I enjoy a lot working under Daniel and I’m also learning a lot from Vaclav, as well.
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