Micheal Haese - Course Designer
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- Sep 1
- 2 min read
Aussie course designer Michael Haese juggles a career in mathematics with his internationally recognised course design. The FEI Level 3 designer, author, and publisher has been designing courses for over 25 years and has travelled extensively to do so. His work has taken him all over the world, from New Zealand, where he designed at the Takapoto Classic, to the FEI Jumping Children’s Classics, which run identical courses globally.
“It was quite an interesting exercise because I have to try to make a fair and appropriate test for everyone,” he explains. This year, Michael heads straight from assisting at Lyon CSI5*-W in France to leading the course design at the Cartown Kiwi Super Classic. “Lyon is the biggest indoor show in the world and an extraordinary one to be part of,” he says.
For him, each show is unique, but his philosophy remains the same. “No matter the size of the show or the height of the jumps, the courses are there to help develop and progress horse and rider. My aim is really to design to prepare combinations for next year’s show. With this philosophy at the core I then aim to produce exciting and interesting competition for the competitor and spectator alike.” Michael is also a strong advocate for grass arenas, echoing the late Dr Arno Gego in calling grass the “queen of surfaces”.
“Horses love it because it is natural,” he says. “They understand it… it gives a wonderful cushioning for them. It isn’t a ‘perfect’ surface and this is good because it requires riders to make subtle adjustments of speed, line and balance. It appropriately favours the rider with the best horsemanship.” While he relishes the challenge of Grand Prix-level jumping, Michael is equally passionate about classes that bring on the next generation. Young horse and pony jumping are particular favourites. “They are such a wonderful format for younger riders to learn from,” he says, highlighting his belief that the best course design prepares not just for the present, but for the future.
