Unbridled With Boyd Martin

By Jan Westmark

Eventer Boyd Martin is a fan favorite who draws a crowd wherever he goes thanks to his great riding, quick wit, easygoing personality and charming accent. Boyd grew up in Australia as the son of winter Olympians Toy and Ross Martin and believes it was an ideal environment for him as the Australian culture emphasizes sports. Boyd is married to dressage rider Silva Martin and they operate their farm, Windurra USA, in Cochranville, Pennsylvania. “Every day I wake up and train horses all day and I still can’t believe people would actually pay me to do this,” he said. “I can’t believe I’ve made a career out of riding and competing around the world. I’m very grateful.” A dual citizen of Australia and the United States, Boyd has competed for the United States in the Olympics, the World Equestrian Games and Pan American Games. Boyd writes a monthly eventing column for Sidelines, answering questions and sharing his vast knowledge on the sport. This month we’ve changed things up and ask Boyd the questions.

What’s your favorite memory from growing up? 

With the horses, it was the camaraderie of jumping off the school bus, running down the road and throwing a saddle on my pony, then meeting up with the other neighborhood kids to ride in the national parks, racing and jumping and galloping around until it was dark.

What do you miss about Australia?

I love being an American and wouldn’t change it, but I’ve missed all my best friends’ weddings, family Christmases, family and friends’ funerals and family barbecues. Sometimes it’s hard when you’re on the other side of the world.

What’s your favorite thing about being an eventer?

In eventing, you have fitness, jumping, dressage and cross-country, so every day the horses are doing something different. I love the variety of having multiple tasks with my horses — it never gets monotonous or old.

What’s your favorite thing to do when you aren’t riding or showing?

Working on our property in Pennsylvania; we bought a large piece of property in 2011 and I take a lot of joy at the end of the day in playing around on the tractor shifting around the cross-country jumps that Eric Bull built for us, grooming the Attwood Equestrian Surfaces galloping track, enjoying the great outdoors and trying to make our farm better and better.

If you weren’t involved with the horse world, what career do you think you would have picked?

That’s a very scary thought; I think I’d be a professional gambler in Las Vegas.

If you had a week off, what would you do?

I’d never have a week off!

Who inspires you?

I’ve been surrounded by many great sports people in my life and looked up to many people. I’ve taken bits and pieces of all of them, who have spurred me on to make me who I am.

What talents do you feel you have?

I’ve got a bit of natural ability, a very good work ethic and a never-say-die attitude.

Do you have a personal motto or catchphrase?

Without struggle, there’s no progress.

What are your favorite horse shows?

In the horse trials in America, we have a very good network of local shows that are great to get the young horses out, all a couple of hours from our farm: Plantation Field, Fair Hill, Waredaca and the Maryland Horse Trials. I love that you can put the horses on the trailer in the morning, finish all three phases in a day and be home that afternoon. They’re not glitzy, but they’re great events. On a global level, Burghley (England) and Kentucky are my favorite 5*s, with massive courses, a huge number of spectators and a real championship feel.

What’s your favorite item of clothing to wear?

My Ariat hoodie — it’s designed for cowboys and it’s the most comfortable item of clothing I own.

Most embarrassing thing you’ve ever worn?

Back in Australia, I once thought I had a broken leg, but it was only badly bruised. They said I needed to stay in the hospital for a night for observation, but I escaped the hospital and walked down a main road in the hospital gown with my backside hanging out!

What three items can usually be found in your refrigerator?

French vanilla coffee creamer, Silva usually has multiple bottles of sweet wine, and Nox loves kids’ yogurt.

What’s something people don’t know about you?

I held the Australian schoolboys’ record for 1500m when I did track at school — I ran 1500m in four minutes seven seconds.

What’s your favorite thing about being a dad?

Now I have another person, exactly on the same IQ level as me, for Silva to look after.

What’s your favorite meal?

Salmon

What kind of pizza do you like?

I don’t eat much pizza, because I have to keep my weight down for riding, but I like Hawaiian with onions and black olives — I eat it at the end of the year.

What would be the best gift in the world?

To be able to ride a complete eventing season injury-free

If you could have a superpower, what would it be?

To get the horse to read the dressage test and know where it’s going

What’s something everyone should try at least once?

Experiencing a third-world country; I went to Everest base camp in Nepal on a family holiday as a kid and I still remember it to this day.

How would you like people to remember you?

A good guy who tried his best at everything he did and did a good job looking after his family.