Soon after showjumping power couple Matt Sampson and Kara Chad moved into their first permanent base, in West Sussex, ready for the 2026 season, they invited H&H to pay a visit. We bring you seven facts you might not know about the pair, from what they’ve named their foals to their philosophy on jumping exercises.
1. Matt’s “horse of a lifetime” is Ebolensky (Lennie), a 17-year-old grey mare who won the London International grand prix in 2022. She has had two embryo transfer daughters, both by I’m Special De Muze, who are now six. Look out for them on the circuit – their names are Specialensky and Extralensky.
“They both have a super mentality and jump really well,” says Matt. “Lennie might have more foals – she took to it really well.”
Matt with Ebolenksy – known at home as Lennie.
(Image credit: Elli Birch/Bootsandhooves)
2. Matt is a brilliant catch rider. He started riding James Davenport’s stallion Daniel, who is now 18, a couple of years ago, when he went to the Davenports for training before Hickstead.
“I didn’t have a horse for the bigger classes, so James said would I like to take Daniel,” Matt recalls. “I’d always loved that horse. So I jumped him over 1m20, then took him to the show and went on to ride him in all the big classes at places like Spruce Meadows and London with some fantastic results.” Matt still only rides Daniel at shows, an arrangement that clearly works very well indeed.
“I just borrowed him for the show,” Matt said. “He’s just a good horse, and good horses do special things.”
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3. Matt and Kara are huge fans of turning their horses out. One of his top rides, Fabrice Dn, spends his whole winter break out in the field.
“He lives out as much as possible,” says Matt. “And at the end of the year he goes out for the winter. He loves it.”
4. The couple rarely practise jumping exercises at home, and almost never jump higher than 1m 30.
“We might use poles in front of a fence, but we don’t use specific exercises – I’ll barely ever use a grid exercise,” Matt says. “We start out with horses with a good technique and build up through good flatwork and strengthening. Sometimes I’ll build a course on the ground using poles and practise pace, adjustability and stride patterns without jumping.”
Kara jumps a small fence on Udo.
(Image credit: Elli Birch/Bootsandhooves)
5. The name of the couple’s business, Maplepark Farms, is an amalgamation of their two backgrounds. Maple alludes to Kara’s Canadian nationality, while Matt grew up at his parents’ riding school and livery yard Parklands Equestrian Centre near Sheffield.
6. Matt left school at 12 years old – “because I was riding 17 ponies a day!”
“I’ve always been pony-mad; it’s all I’ve ever done,” he says. “I used to play ice hockey, roller hockey and rugby as well and one time when I broke my arm the only thing I really missed was riding, so Mum and Dad realised it was my thing so it’s been that ever since.”
7. The couple have two dogs. Harry is a Spanish rescue dog Matt picked up as a puppy when he was on the Sunshine Tour, who loves life in the truck on the show circuit, while French Bulldog Maple is the one who calls the shots.
Matt and Kara with Harry and Maple in tow.
(Image credit: Elli Birch/Bootsandhooves)
And one more thing: keep an eye on Kara’s ride Chicago, who was bred by John Whitaker.
“We think he’s one of the best horses we’ve ever had the pleasure to work with,” says Matt. The LA28 Olympics beckons.
For the full interview behind the scenes at Maplepark Farms, pick up a copy of this week’s H&H essential guide to the season (in shops from Thursday 19 February).
Martha is an experienced journalist who is mad-keen on horses and dogs. Her reporting CV includes the Paris Olympics, European championships, Aachen World Equestrian Festival and World Cup finals. After growing up with assorted liver and white springer spaniels, she enjoyed 14 years with two rescue dogs. Now, her constant companion is Fidget, an extremely energetic and habitually muddy black and white springer. Martha has written on topics as diverse as a top horse’s clone to the best GPS trackers for dogs, as well as equestrian and rural matters for Country Life, The Field, The Times, The Spectator and The Telegraph alongside Horse & Hound.
