Ellen Adams: Little Bush Kid with Big Ambitions
Article by Tiffany Chapman | Images Courtesy of Amanda Adams
At just 13 years old, Ellen Adams is the kind of rider whose quiet determination and love of horses set her apart. Whether she is in the campdraft arena, tackling a six-bar jump, or practicing dressage in her bedroom turned arena, Ellen’s passion is unmistakable and it has already taken her from a small bush town in New South Wales all the way to the World Finals in Texas.
Her mum, Amanda, laughs as she recalls Ellen’s start in the saddle. “She was two when she first got hooked on horses, and by four, she was riding a borrowed pony that would shimmy and pig root to try and get her off. It only succeeded once. She has always been incredibly determined.”
That determination has carried Ellen through countless early mornings and long days in the saddle. By age nine, she was packing for events the night before, waking at 2 am to recheck her gear. School holidays meant dawn to dusk riding. “She would ride one horse before breakfast, come in to eat, go ride another, and repeat until dark,” Amanda says. “No one ever had to tell her to ride. She was just up and out.”
Ellen’s competitive journey began at Pony Club, where her chief instructor, Stephanie Wooldridge, encouraged the kids’ interest in cattle work. “Our club was full of little bush kids,” Amanda explains. “We built an arena with grants, sourced cattle, and brought in clinics so they could learn.” It was the beginning of what would become Ellen’s pathway to competing at an international level.
In 2024, Ellen topped the under 12 ranch sorting rankings, which qualified her for the World Finals in Texas. With just one day to get to know a borrowed horse, she stepped into classes with hundreds of runs and seven rings buzzing simultaneously. The result was reserve champion in the under 18 division, a top ten finish in the Nine’s Gold Shootouts, and reserve in the bareback and bridleless class, partnering with renowned US horseman Dave Schaffner.
“It was hectic and stressful,” Ellen admits. “But everyone was so supportive, and I made so many new friends.” Amanda adds, “She internalised a lot of stress, but once she placed, you could see the relief. The girls worked hard, stayed steady on tricky cattle, and it paid off.”
Ellen is not one to dwell on results. “She will win a tricolour ribbon and leave it lying around, or come second and be thrilled for her friend who won,” Amanda says. “For Ellen, it is about the ride being good, not the ribbon.”
That mindset is evident across her diverse pursuits. She is a regular in cutting and campdrafting, but also loves jumping, eventing and dressage. With no jumping horse, she taught her cow pony to go over poles, worked up to C grade height, and claimed reserve champion at ISHE Tamworth. At Pony Club camp, when her pony was retired from a six-bar
as it got too high, Ellen waited until everyone left, then jumped it at the winning height just to prove to herself she could.
“She once asked for a bigger jumping horse,” Amanda grins. “Her dad said, ‘That pony has 18 gears you have not found yet.’ Turns out he was right.”
After Texas, Ellen plans to keep building her skills, attending clinics with instructors like Neil Faint and taking every chance to learn from Australian talent. She is already looking ahead to another trip back to Texas and has her sights set even further on Toowoomba 2032.
Ellen’s gratitude for those who have helped her along the way is clear. “Nothing makes her prouder than sending someone a video, riding just how they taught her, and doing well,” Amanda says.
Texas Star Performance Horses has been part of Ellen’s journey from the beginning. “We have known Ellen for five years and have seen her grow into an exceptionally capable rider,” says Amanda Faint of TSPH. “Her natural feel and ability to rate cattle give her a real competitive edge. At our 2024 Clinic Participants Campdraft, she scored 86 and 82 for second and fourth. She is consistent, committed, and one to watch.”
For Amanda, Ellen’s story is proof of what is possible. “We just want people to know this little bush kid went from Pony Club, to building an arena in a town where hardly anyone drafted, to standing on the world stage. If your kid loves it, back them. Borrow a pony, Google how to groom, build an arena if you have to. You really can get there.”
We will be cheering for Ellen as she continues to ride, learn, and chase her dreams both here at home and across the world.
