Melissa Galloway

Melissa Galloway made her Olympic debut at Paris 2024 where she rode Windermere J’Obie W (Joey), a horse she has produced from an unbroken two-year-old.

The pair have been hugely successful on both sides of the Tasman winning at Australian and New Zealand championships, claiming records along the way.

In 2022, Melissa and Joey headed to The Netherlands as they started their campaign to make it on the world stage. She is based at Van Olst Stables in Den Hout, which is owned by Anne and Gertjan van Olst. Anne is the head trainer and Melissa’s coach, and she also works closely with world no.3 Lottie Fry (GBR), who is the head rider for the barn. Later the same year they represented New Zealand at the World Champs in Herning.

Joey is a former winner of the New Zealand Dressage Horse of the Year and in 2024 was 10th in the FEI World Cup Dressage Final in the Kingdom of Saudi. They have held New Zealand records for Grand Prix and Grand Prix Freestyle. He was bred by Rania Todd and David Woolley. Melissa calls Joey her “one in a million” horse and the two have continued to impress both on and offshore.