Monica Spencer moves to Florida ahead of Paris 2024

New Zealand eventer Monica Spencer (pictured here at the World Championships with Artist) has moved to the United States in her pursuit of a place at the Paris 2024 Olympics. — Monica and Artist and the 2022 World Championships.

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

New Zealand five-star eventer Monica Spencer is making a “sink or swim move” to the United States as she “gives it her all” for Paris 2024.

This week Monica, who was part of the New Zealand bronze medal-winning squad at the 2022 World Championships, flew to the US with her husband Andrew, and the couple’s two-year-old son Gus, on a “family adventure with a high performance twist”.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

TOPICS

Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.

‘Some may think I’m mad’: top rider moves across the world ahead of Paris 2024

Last year Monica was based in Pennsylvania at Somehowe Yard with her top horse Artist, but she has now made a more permanent move, and will be based in Ocala, Florida, at the same stable as her countryman Edward Ewbank.

“Some may think I am mad taking three two-star horses up there with me but I am covering my bases. I think all of these horses have Olympic potential,” she said.

“This is the big move – sink or swim!”

The plan is that Monica and her family will be based in the US through to the LA Games in 2028.

“Artist will only be 16 then too, so may be a contender as well,” said Monica.

Monica is now focusing on the CCI5* Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event on 25 to 28 April, which she will be targeting with Artist. It will be the pair’s Kentucky debut, and third start at five-star together. They were seventh at Maryland 5 Star in October.

Monica has found the US “hugely welcoming”.

“There’s a real hype around eventing there and they have two five-stars now so that’s cool,” she said.

“The climate suits me and I see it as a good place to build a business and prepare for pinnacle events. It is certainly close enough to Europe with US riders having made it pretty easy to shoot over and do the big ones. There is a lot of opportunity in the US and that excites me.”

You might also be interested in:

‘Spectacular, but fair’: inside the mind of the Paris Olympic course-designer

‘His abilities are undisputed’: Olympic medallist to coach elite team ahead of Paris Games