Article: Meet Emilie Conter
Meet Emilie Conter
Emilie Conter is a 23 year old Belgian rider, she has been a TUS ambassador for the past few years and we are very honored to have her on our team.
We asked her when she started riding and why:
Both her parents were running the stables together and since very young, she didn't know anything else but horses. She was probably already sitting on a horse when barely 1 year old. Riding has always been part of her lifestyle since day 1 and even though she tried dancing, golf and tennis, the horses always ended up being number 1 priority and what she really enjoyed doing.
Emilie realized she wanted to become a professional during her first years as a junior rider. She has never looked back or thought of anything else. She finished high school and is currently on her last year of college studying Business Management. It's an online program, so it's very flexible and does not interfere with her show schedule.
When asked about her daily routine, this is how her days look like: She starts riding at 8am and normally finishes at 4pm. Once done, she goes for a workout or dedicate sometime to college work. Her favorite workout has been pilates lately. Emilie is a busy rider and shows mostly every week.
At the moment, she has 11 horses under her responsibility. Balento is the best horse and the one she trusts 100%. According to Emilie, he is the one that makes her feel more comfortable when jumping bigger classes.
We asked her about the pros of riding together and against her sister, Zoe Conter, and the pressure there is being part of such a significant equestrian family business: According to Emilie, she and her sister always want the best for each other and there is mutual support every time one goes in the ring. She does ask Zoe a lot of advice, but has not lied that if there is a chance to beat her sister in a class, she will for sure try to. Being together in Nations Cup representing Belgium is something very special to Emilie and winning the European Team Medal in 2016 along her sister was a special achievement.
In terms of the pressure she feels, no one can escape that in the equestrian world. Having a family business is challenging in both good and bad ways. "The most important thing is that even though we stand as one, there is still respect when we have different opinions."
The hardest part of Emilie's career happened in 2020. She had just recently stepped up to the bigger 4* classes and both her horses were sold. It was a great opportunity and nothing different could be done. "Selling horses is part of what my family does for a living, but it also gives me the opportunity to get to ride new horses frequently. Building a partnership with new horses always fills my heart."
During the WEF 2023 season, Emilie obtained fantastic results and had beside her a much experienced trainer, this being Helena Stormanns. Emilie has shared with us that Helena brought significant changes here and there that have contributed to her success in the ring. "She gives me a lot of confidence, which was what I needed the most when she arrived. She makes me believe everything is possible if you go fight for it!"
Finally, Emilie's goal is to have a top placement in a 5* GP. But along that, she also remains loyal to her longtime goal of developing young horses and bringing them to the highest level. Achieving this always adds something special.