about jill
Jill Thomas is a Canadian Advanced level Event rider originally from Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, where she grew up on a ranch with cattle and horses. As a child, she had a well-rounded equestrian education including both English and Western disciplines, until she chose Eventing after being introduced to the sport through Pony Club.
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Jill later developed her Eventing education by working for 5* rider, Allison Springer, for 5 years where she learned the ins and outs of an upper level Eventing barn. She was lucky in that time to ride everything from top-level horses, to sales horses, to young horses. It was also during that time that she began her partnership with her current upper level horse, O.B.O.S. Darko, aka “Obie”.
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Together, Jill and Obie have competed at many of the top events up and down the east coast of the United States with top placings at the CCI4*-L, CCI4*-S, CCI3*-L, CCI3*-S, Advanced, and Intermediate levels. Jill is also currently producing Bon Vivant DSF, aka “V”, and other young horses up through the levels and the future is looking very bright with her string of horses.
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Jill operates her business, Jill Thomas Eventing, out of Middleburg, Virginia and Aiken, South Carolina, United States which has positioned her to train with some of the top Eventing, Show Jumping and Dressage trainers in the world, including Boyd Martin, Phillip Dutton, David O’Connor, Tim Bourke, JJ Tate, Katie Prudent, Kim Prince and Richard Picken.
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Jill works with horses and riders of all levels, with a focus on a solid foundation of basics. She enjoys training, teaching and competing, and rounds out her skills by also competing in pure Dressage and Show Jumping, in addition to Eventing, with a goal to represent Canada on the World stage.
career highlights
2021
7th place - Pine Top Intermediate HT OI (OBOS Darko)
18th place - Stable View Spring CCI3*S (OBOS Darko)- Top Placed Canadian
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2020
7th place - Pine Top Intermediate HT OT (Bon Vivant DSF)
1st place - Pine Top Advanced HT OT (Bon Vivant DSF)
7th place - Maryland HT OT (Bon Vivant DSF)
2nd place - VHT International OM (Bon Vivant DSF)
8th place - Maryland HT OP (Bon Vivant DSF)
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2019
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YEH 5yr old Finals - Qualified (Bon Vivant)
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2018
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4th place - Pine Top OI
8th place - Fair Hill International HT OI
15th place - Jersey Fresh International CCI3*-L
11th place - Chatt Hills HT Advanced
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2017
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5th place - Morven Park International CCI3*-S
12th place - Virginia International CCI3*-L
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2016
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1st place - Pine Top P/T
4th place - Full Gallop Farm OP
6th place - Carolina International OP
2nd place -The Fork OP
7th place - Virginia International CCI2*-L Top Placed Canadian
3rd place - Surefire Farm OP
3rd place - Maryland HT OI