Warwick McLean
Top to bottom: With the young Hanoverian stallion Alessandro, Young Event Horse of the Year 2006; Training with Kyra Kirkland; Demonstrating alongside his father Dr Andrew McLean at the Equitation Science Symposium 2006, Milan; Warwick and Alessandro training at home.
Warwick McLean is the senior resident rider at the AEBC. He specialises in foundation training, behaviour modification of problem horses and performance education in dressage and jumping. All his work, both in-hand and under-saddle, produces relaxed and obedient horses. Warwick conducts clinics in 5 Australian states, 4 venues throughout New Zealand and in the UK, denmark and Finland.
In 2000, Warwick was contracted to assist with the breaking-in of 20 thoroughbred two-year-olds for the Hong Kong Jockey Club. He traveled with the horses to Shatin, Hong Kong, to demonstrate their track galloping to potential owners, before the horses were sold at auction.
In 2001 and 2003, Warwick demonstrated his skills in training the basic responses at Equitana, Melbourne. 2006 saw Warwick spend four months in Europe, receiving tuition from Finnish trainer Kyra Kyrklund. In exchange, he started foundation training for Kyra's three-year-old stock with typically positive results. Warwick gained a mass of Grand Prix level knowledge from Kyra and her partner, Richard White.
While in Europe, Warwick also worked at Brookhouse Stud, owned by Thomas Hoffman and Emma Hindle. Emma is Britain's No 1 ranked dressage rider on 'Lancet' (World Equestrian Games, 2006). During his time at Brookhouse, which boasts 1000 brood mares, Warwick broke-in and assisted in the training of several world class stallions, including 'Diamond Hit' and 'Riccione' and the German Reserve Champion Hannoverian warmblood stallion 'Curator'.
In Denmark, Warwick started foundation training and trained many horses at the Søborggård Heste Center in Seeland and also spent time with Susan Kjægaärd in Jutland. Susan is ranked in the top 100 in showjumping and has reported amazing success with young horses since Warwick's visit.
Other highlights of his time in Europe include riding a Selle Français horse in a demonstration before a crowd of 400 at Haras de la Cense. Warwick also demonstrated training and retraining on a Spanish Warmblood gelding in Milan for the International Equitation Science Symposium, in front of 150 delegates.
Although he has an enviable reputation as a rider of difficult horses, Warwick is also a keen competitor showing success at CIC** Eventing before deciding to concentrate on dressage. He currently competes at Grand Prix level on the Swedish Warmblood ‘Chiaretto' and Advanced/Prix St George on the imported Hanoverian Stallion ‘Alessandro' who he started and has trained himself over the past 5 years.
Warwick was recently selected to join the Victorian Dressage Squad on Alessandro.