At just 18 years old, Sam Walker is the youngest of Canada’s influencers, with hoards of groupies on both sides of the border and a social media following unparalleled by most of Canada’s top equestrians.

The son of hunter/jumper trainers Scott and Dee Walker, Sam grew up on the Ontario show circuit competing on ponies and then horses. He rode in his first national grand prix when he was 13 at Caledon Equestrian Park aboard Andino Z. With solid industry contacts combined with show ring results and a strong work ethic, Sam secured a working student rider position with leading American trainer Missy Clark. Courtesy of that relationship, Sam landed his first FEI grand prix mount, Fursa Van Den Dael, in France in 2017.

2018 was Sam’s breakout year. That summer he was a member of Canada’s FEI North American Young Rider Championships team where his anchor ride was crucial in helping the team secure the bronze medal. That fall, Sam was just the fourth Canadian to win the prestigious ASPCA Maclay National Championship, and just days later he claimed the Running Fox CET Medal National Final.

His success continued in 2019 with 54 FEI starts, winning seven of them. He was a member of the gold medal team at NAYRC, again as the anchor rider, and continued on to individual silver. In the fall, he won the Medal Final at the Washington International Horse Show and days later came third in the Canadian Show Jumping Championships at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair.

It’s thanks to Sam’s influence that increasingly these days, junior hunters and jumpers play second fiddle to a coveted spot in a medal final. Equitation is now the main event, with riders using the hunter or jumper divisions as a mechanism to keep sharp for the medals, rather than the other way around. This has led to Canada seeing an increase in horses being purchased and developed so riders can be competitive in this important division.

Walker wears his success well. He is humble, kind, and inclusive – a great role model for the current generation of juniors aspiring to follow in his footsteps.

Foreseeable Future

“To make my first Canadian senior team appearance and to jump my first 5* grand prix.”

Mission Possible

“In 10 years I see myself helping run the family business and training other young riders to the top level of the sport. I hope that more young riders get into the jumper ring earlier in Canada so we can build depth in our future teams!”