Originally published on Equestrian Life on 1 July 2026.
Australian Paralympic equestrian Lisa Martin is preparing for an FEI World Championship campaign in Aachen, Germany, with the event scheduled for August 11-23 — and she says four years of work have led to this moment.
Lisa, who competed at the 2016 Rio Paralympics, 2022 FEI World Championships, and 2024 Paris Paralympics, has spent the past four years developing her horse Vilaggio from a five-year-old into an FEI-level competitor — a journey she describes as a massive personal achievement in itself.
Lisa Martin and Vilaggio at their final selection event for the World Championships, where they achieved PB scores across all three Grade V tests. Image by One Eyed Frog Photography.
“He is the most
laid-back dude…”
“This has been four years in the making because I bought him as a five-year-old,” explains Lisa of her recent Australian team selection for the FEI World Championships. “To take a horse from five years old on to FEI is a massive personal achievement.”
Lisa describes Vilaggio as a relaxed and people-loving horse, affectionately dubbing him her “Netflix child”. “He is the most laid-back dude who would sit back with his beer and pretzels and watch movies all day,” she laughs. “He is the most gentle horse and loves meeting new people.”
But keeping that easy-going temperament in peak competitive condition is no small task, particularly given the demands of international travel from Australia. “We do have to motivate him because everything is cool,” says Lisa. “To get them from Australia sound and happy and able to go into the arena is a massive achievement.”
With the final Australian qualifier recently completed, Lisa opted to rest ‘Villy’ rather than compete, prioritising his condition ahead of the World Championships. “We’ve done all our qualifiers except one, but we decided not to do the last qualifier and just look after him and save him,” she says.
The idea was to get through LA and even Brisbane
Lisa and Villy competing at Boneo Park. Image One Eyed Frog Photography.
AMBITIONS BEYOND AACHEN
When Lisa purchased Vilaggio as a foal, her ambitions extended well beyond their team selection for the Paris Paralympics and this year’s World Championships in Aachen – the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics and even the 2032 Brisbane Paralympics were considerations. “When I bought Vilaggio five years ago, the idea was to get through LA and even Brisbane,” she says.
Lisa has also spent the past 18 months assembling a dedicated support team, identifying the absence of a specialist trainer as a critical gap in previous campaigns. “The number one problem was that, when we’ve been to other campaigns, I haven’t had a trainer with me,” Lisa explains. “I needed someone who understood the para world and was 100 per cent dedicated. I rang Gary Lung, and he said yes.”
With trainer Gary Lung and groom Mary Warren – both FEI Grand Prix-level riders – now confirmed for the World Championships, Lisa says the team is firmly in place. “I’m building a fortress and creating what’s going to happen at the World Championships and LA,” she declares.
Lisa is frank about the disadvantage faced by Australian competitors on the world stage. “One of the hardest things is our distance from everyone in Europe. We’re competing against ourselves all the time here. You need to be over there in Europe competing against those top people.”
For Lisa, Aachen is not an end in itself but a critical stepping stone toward the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics, where visibility with international judges is just as important as performance. “It’s very important for preparing for LA to go to the World Championships,” she says. “It’s important to be on that stage so the judges see you.”
If selected for LA, Lisa could become only the second Australian athlete after Sharon Jarvis to compete at three Paralympic Games — a milestone she is measured but motivated about.
Lisa and Villy at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. Lisa has also competed at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games with First Famous and the 2022 FEI World Championships with Juicy Wiggle. The 2026 FEI World Championships in Aachen will be Lisa’s fourth major championship appearance on an Australian team. Image by KimC.nu by Ateni AB.
The more campaigns you go to, the more experience you get.
‘HELL OF AN HONOUR’
“It’s experience and a hell of an honour,” says Lisa. “I think it will keep proving my knowledge and experience. Every time you go out, you want to be pushing that percentage up.”
Lisa and Vilaggio have certainly done that, achieving personal best scores across all three Grade V tests at their final qualifier at Boneo Park. They are now also the top ranked FEI athlete globally for their level.
A Grade V classified athlete — the category for athletes with the lowest level of physical impairment — Lisa’s tests include medium canter and flying changes. “I think the media like watching the Grade V because it’s got medium canter, flying changes, and it’s exciting — but I think every grade is exciting because it fits that rider.”
With Vilaggio by her side and a full team behind her for the first time, Lisa says she is ready for what comes next. “Going down the centreline and actually competing, being with my team, the camaraderie and the journey is going to be incredible,” she says. “The more campaigns you go to, the more experience you get.”