Jennifer Donald
Showjumping and racing editor
Jennifer Donald is showjumping editor at Horse & Hound. She joined the Horse & Hound team in 2005 after her early career working for BBC Sport, where her achievements included being part of the BAFTA-winning production team working on the Commonwealth Games.
She began as an editorial assistant on Horse & Hound before being promoted to look after riding clubs and products in the magazine, and later earning the title of showjumping and racing editor. The racing side of the job temporarily took a back seat, allowing Jen to focus on jumping editorial both in the magazine and online following her maternity leave, but she regathered the racing reins for the printed magazine in November 2020. She has written on every subject in the equestrian sphere — from turnout rugs to stable management — and has interviewed gold medallists, world champions and winners galore.
Despite coming from a distinctly unhorsey family, Jen has enjoyed a life in the saddle since early rides on an elderly Shetland pony sparked a lifelong passion for horses. She was a keen member of the Linlithgow and Stirlingshire, and Fife Hunt branches of the Pony Club while growing up in Scotland and went on to compete primarily in showjumping and eventing, but has been known to try her hand at showing, dressage and even team chasing. She has also worked as a riding instructor and yard manager.
These days, Jen can often be seen out and about reporting at shows, whether on home soil or overseas, as well as interviewing riders, connections and those behind the scenes, and relaying all the latest news. She has covered three European championships, the 2014 World Equestrian Games, World Cup finals, and numerous legs of the Longines Global Champions Tour, Olympia, Horse of the Year Show, Hickstead Derbys and Nations Cups, travelling as far afield as USA, Qatar, Canada and all over Europe following the showjumping circuit.
Jen is equally happy on a racecourse, however, enjoying the National Hunt season in particular, and still writes regularly on the subject as well as having been a small shareholder in a couple of racehorses over the past few years.
Follow Jennifer
-
-
‘They could have put the jumps up even higher’: John Whitaker’s winning streak continues to London six-bar
-
‘If I can inspire someone today, that’s wonderful’: amateur becomes first female jockey to win Aintree’s Becher Chase
-
‘There are far braver people than me, but the bigger the better’: meet a favourite for the London puissance title
-
‘An unbelievable feeling!’: 26-year-old left lost for words after landmark Rolex Grand Slam win
-
‘We want to honour Katie’s life’: family raises thousands for charity with home-bred racehorse
-
‘Watch and learn, it’s so valuable’: wise words from the Rolex Grand Slam contender
-
‘There are good horses and great horses – he is one of the greats’: British rider enjoys remarkable weekend
-
‘I faced my fears – what an adventure’: ‘disappointed’ Frankie Dettori is first camp-mate voted out of I’m A Celebrity
-
Jodie Hall McAteer: ‘The glitz and glamour of elite showjumping may appeal on Instagram, but logistically it can prove exhausting’
-
‘There’s a snake in my pants!’: Frankie Dettori fails in his first I’m A Celebrity bushtucker trial
-
Meet top showjumper’s home-bred Royal Ascot-winning racehorse, who is a Cheltenham Festival contender
-
‘That was special’: Skelton brothers celebrate 1,000 winners together
-
‘I’m getting old, but I’m still here!’: A legend wins, a 6ft3in fence and a horse called Coolio
-
‘One horse will make dreams come true’: from a hot-headed foal to this epic grand prix moment, the story of Leone Jei
-
9 reasons we love Frankie Dettori
-
Harry Charles enjoys ‘one of the best shows of my career’ and a treble clear helps Great Britain celebrate
-
‘Beyond my wildest dreams’: British university student lines up alongside Harry Charles and Ben Maher for World Cup debut
-
‘A new focus’: top British rider steps back to help UAE prepare for Paris 2024
-
‘She’s the boss, I’m the passenger!’: Ben Maher lifts a World Cup and Vermento resumes his winning ways