CHRIS PRATT International Show Jumping Athlete
Riding-Training-Coaching
Philosophy
Horses and mankind have long held an intrinsic relationship, be it for commerce or companionship. For all their power, horses are also the most generous and trusting of creatures. This has led to a symbiotic partnership in the modern world, including sport. Horses can jump, dance, race, pull, carry, herd, and chase. If we train correctly, with patience and empathy, horses will do almost anything we ask of them.
That is the fundamental basis of my training and riding methods. Helping our equine partners understand the questions being asked of them. Assuring them they are safe. Providing them with as much comfort in their daily lives as possible. The more you give to your horse, the more they will give to you in return.
Every horse is different. Every day I am grateful to learn something new from each one.
Coaching and Training
While based in Europe, Chris coached members of the Japanese show jumping team, including Shota Ogomori, who would go on to win a team bronze medal under his guidance at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia. During this time, Chris had the opportunity to work with the legendary Paul Schockemöhle, who was acting as Japan’s chef d’equipe in the lead-up to the Tokyo Olympic Games.
After returning to North America, Chris worked alongside Shane Sweetnam for two years, in 2022 and 2023, helping the Irish Olympian manage riding and coaching duties at his busy Sweet Oak Farm. Various Sweek Oak clients benefitted from Chris’s vast knowledge and experience as he accompanied them on European tours as well as stops on the Major League Show Jumping tour.
Chris operates Epic Stables with locations in Wellington, Florida, and Lexington, Kentucky, where his world-class facilities offer the ideal training ground for ambitious competitors. Balancing riding with coaching duties comes naturally to Chris, and his expertise has proven invaluable in assisting both professionals and amateurs alike as they pursue their competitive goals at the highest levels of the sport.
Athlete Biography
For veteran Canadian Equestrian Team member Chris Pratt, it all began with four goats. Having grown up in the city, Chris moved to a farm north of Toronto at the age of 10. There were sheep, chickens, and goats – every type of farm animal except horses. After Chris repeatedly asked for a pony, his father finally relented, trading four goats for what would kick-start a lifelong career for his son.
Chris found success both working independently and as a professional rider for other stables. After operating his own training business, Chris accepted a full-time position with the Grange family’s Lothlorien Farm in 2004. He was named to Nations’ Cup teams for the 2005 Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ tournament in Calgary, AB, followed by the 2006 Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL, where he jumped double clear riding Mustique to clinch an important victory for Canada. Chris made his major games debut later that year riding Rivendell at the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany.
In 2007, Chris relocated to southern California and formed Epic Stables. Balancing coaching and quality horse sales with his own competitive pursuits, Chris enjoyed great success. A stand-out season in 2016 saw him win four grand prix events, including the $350,000 CSI5* Grand Prix, riding three different horses during the HITS Desert Circuit. He followed up by winning the $100,000 Grand Prix of Del Mar that spring with Concorde.
With the goal of pursuing the sport at its highest level, Chris based himself in the Netherlands for 2018 and 2019 where he represented Canada at CSIO5* La Baule, France, and CSIO5* Rome, Italy. With talent greatly respected by his peers, Chris took the reins on several of Eric Lamaze’s horses when the former Olympic champion stopped riding competitively, scoring an impressive win in the 2020 Sparkassen Youngsters Cup at CHIO Aachen riding Newberry Balia NL. He then worked alongside Shane Sweetnam for two years, helping the Irish Olympian manage riding and coaching duties at his busy Sweet Oak Farm in 2022 and 2023.
In 2024, Chris began riding for Karen Dwight-Long and Glen Fleischer’s Take The High Road, LLC. With their support, Chris is back in the international spotlight as a member of both the Canadian Show Jumping Team and the Northern Lights team for Major League Show Jumping. Having produced a double clear performance in the 2026 Wellington Nations’ Cup – just as he had done 20 years earlier – Chris is strongly favoured for a repeat appearance at the upcoming 2026 World Championships in Aachen, Germany.