You may not recognise his face, but if you are a follower of international show jumping you will surely know Steven Wilde’s voice. Wilde is the man who leads spectators through each class during a show, throwing light on the mysteries of top-level show jumping. He commentated at the 2012 London Olympics and is a regular on the Longines Global Champions Tour. He has been involved in the Dubai Show Jumping Championship for many years – and he just keeps coming back for more…
How long have you commentated at the Dubai Showjumping Championship?
My first was in 2007 at the old Nad al Sheba site and was one of my first foreign assignments. I was terrified!
What other events do you commentate at?
I commentate full time and am lucky enough to have been involved in everything from the London Olympics and several European Championships, through to the World Endurance Championships. I’m also heavily involved in the Longines Global Champions Tour, which takes me everywhere from Monaco to Shanghai. I work a lot in America and have worked across the Middle East from Qatar to Saudi Arabia and of course the 5* Nations Cup show in Abu Dhabi in Feb.
Do you come from an equestrian background?
My family have all been involved with horses. My mother rode on British show jumping squads in the 1970s and won several international titles. This meant I grew up surrounded by the greats such as David Broome. I’ve taken after my father and been involved in running events through to international level and I am now a consultant to several large-scale events. My sister and mother have both won classes in the International Arena at Hickstead - one for hunters and the other for show jumping, which is nice, as I now head the commentary team there.
How did you get into commentating?
I got into commentating really on the suggestion of other people, who all thought I should “give it a go” and so I did, at the Winter Championships for Dressage and Jumping in the UK. I intended to cover one class and finished up booked for the two weeks! I was very nervous and I was helped every step of the way by an old family friend and eventually I got some confidence but I never intended for it to develop into what it has.
What is the biggest event you have ever commentated at and do you get nervous?
The biggest event was undoubtedly the London Olympics in 2012. Walking out into the stadium at Greenwich was amazing, with massive packed stands hanging on your every word. It was absolutely terrifying but the most exhilarating and proudest thing I’ve done so far. Seeing so many faces you knew in the crowd was amazing and the icing on the cake came when Great Britain as a nation did so well, winning a host of gold medals.
How important is the role of a commentator at an event like the Dubai Show Jumping Championship?
My aim is that people come away having had an enjoyable day and not only have they seen good sport but also they’ve learned something. We get a number of people who haven’t been show jumping before and we want to encourage them and make it fun so they want to come back. It’s then good for everyone involved, for sponsors, organisers, riders and supporters. I’m there to tell the story and help people understand the narrative.
You’ve worked at a lot of showjumping events in the Middle East – how has the scene developed over the years?
The standard of riding has risen and risen and so has the quality of the events. The past five years especially has seen a significant rise and the level of riding has developed with the use of top trainers, the quality of the horses sourced and the commitment of the riders involved.
Who would be your ‘one to watch’ for the future?
This is a hard one as there is a host of young talented riders in the region who now need continued support. Sheika Latifah Bint Juma Al Maktoum is one of a group from the UAE who keep making big strides, driving themselves to higher levels. They will be based in Europe during the summer to develop those skills further, they are a motivated group and working with trainers like Alice Debany Clero to gain new steps all the time.
Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE
