Brierfield, NSW - Seventeen-year-old Sahara Weil is set to make history as she prepares to represent Australia at the prestigious FEI World Equestrian Games for Juniors in Austria, a testament to her dedication in a sport few Australians even know exists.
By Michael Burt
Sahara Weil from Brierfield will soon be saddling up to represent Australia as a Vaulter at the FEI World Equestrian Games for Juniors in Austria on 30 July to 3 August.
Regarded as the Olympics of the junior equestrian world, the Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI) Junior games are held every two years. Sahara was the only Australian to qualify after a grueling selection process.
Sahara, 17, explained that Equestrian Vaulting is a sport that combines gymnastics and dance on horseback, performed either individually, in pairs, or in a squad.
She said it involves executing a series of exercises and movements on a moving horse at a walk or canter, with vaulters performing compulsory and freestyle routines to music.
“I really love Equestrian Vaulting, which I’ve only done for a little over 3 years,” Sahara said
“It’s given me so many incredible experiences and I’ve met so many wonderful people, coaches and vaulters from all around the world.”
“Not many people in Australia have heard about this sport, but it’s huge in Europe.”
The sport has taken Sahara to Italy, Austria and Hungary to train and compete. She is currently living and training in a small town in Germany called Herxheim.
“Once a year I travel overseas to train and compete in Europe, as that is where all the vaulting competitions are, and if I want to be a better vaulter and do well in this sport then that’s where I need to go”
“I have been lucky enough to have been accepted to live and train in Villasanta in Italy, as they have some of the best coaches in the world. I learn so much when I’m training there, and I get to train intensively 3-6 hours every day with better vaulters than me, which always pushes me harder.”
“Sometimes it’s hard moving around so much, and I miss my home and my family, especially on hard training days but I really love this sport.”
When is she home on the farm at Brierfeild, Sahara trains each day on a static barrel, which is her ‘fake horse’ as she currently does not have her horse to train on. She also does strength and conditioning training at the Bellingen Fitness gym in Raleigh, which one of her sponsors.
Training for and competing in equestrian events is expensive and it is difficult to find sponsors willing to support a little-known sport in Australia.
Sahara said a champion effort from mum Susan has enabled her to train and compete with the best vaulters in the world and realise a dream of competing in the FEI World Championships for Juniors.
“I have the best mum in the world, she always does everything she can to help me. She would never admit it, but I know it’s really hard for her to pay for my trips overseas. She always spends a lot of time fundraising for me, selling raffle tickets, hosting fundraising events, and doing sausage sizzles.”
“Somehow she always finds a way, and I couldn’t do this without her.”
You can check out Sahara in Vaulting action on her instagram page @saharweilvaults
Team Conny, CVI Austria, 31.05.2025, photo: Julian Spilker / @spacecat.photoart
