“Where Eventing Lives”

Welcome back to Go Eventing, the podcast where the heart, soul, and stories of the eventing world come to life. This week, we're going across the pond to bring you a conversation with one of European eventing's (and EN's) most beloved riders, whose career is defined as much by emotional intelligence and patience as it is by podium finishes.

The eventing world is built on partnerships with horses, family, teammates, and the sport itself. This episode explores all of it — the highs of an unexpected 5* win, the humbling reality of balancing a competitive career with motherhood, and what it takes to build something lasting in this sport, from a breeding program rooted in love to a legacy built on the belief that dreaming big is non-negotiable.

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🔎What’s Inside Season 2, Episode 4?

Host Sally Spickard sits down with two-time Belgian Olympian Lara de Liedekerke-Meier for a multi-faceted conversation that spans the full arc of a life built around horses. Based at her family's breeding operation at Arville, Lara is as thoughtful a horsewoman as she is a competitor — someone who has balanced ambition and patience, personal goals and team responsibility, and a family life as one of two parents at the highest level of sport. From her emotional victory at Luhmühlen to her reflections on the state of eventing in Belgium, Lara brings the kind of perspective that can only come from decades in the industry and a genuine love for every horse in her barn, both past and present.

🔥In This Episode, We Cover...

Listen in to some exclusive interview clips following a triple US Equestrian Open Qualifier calendar combo. Sally speaks with Colleen Loach, who took her fourth consecutive win of the season on FE Golden Eye at the Event at TerraNova 4*-S. We check in with Tommy Greengard after his 1-2 punch win on Balladeer Kilbrickens Lad and second-place finish with That’s Me Z at the Galway Downs 4*-S. She also shares a call with Lucienne Bellissimo regarding her Stable View 4*-S win on Dyri, where they finished on their dressage score in an incredibly competitive class.

Additionally, join us in congratulating Asia Sieve for winning the Five Star Eventing Tours Horse Hero Contest, from which she will receive a free all-inclusive trip to the Burghley Horse Trials!

Lara takes us behind the scenes of Arville's breeding program, one built on a deep and lasting emotional connection to her mares. She traces the role that intuition and patience have played in building a program filled with a lot of love and a little bit of luck, and reflects on the horses — including the pivotal Nooney Blue — who have shaped the trajectory of her career. The conversation takes a beautifully honest turn as Lara revisits her unexpected 5* win at Luhmühlen that left the eventing world without a dry eye in the house, letting us in on her rollercoaster of emotion, surprise, and what it meant to achieve something she hadn't dared to hope for. She and Sally dive into the challenge of managing expectations in a sport where so much is outside your control, and why striving to learn from failure is one of the most important skills a rider can develop.

Lara speaks candidly about what motherhood has given her as a competitor: perspective, prioritization, and the reminder that her children love her for who she is, not what she wins. She reflects on the way horses mirror that same lesson with their own timeline, needs, and expectations, stressing that the best thing a rider can do is resist the urge to impose their goals where they simply don't fit.

The episode also turns to the broader landscape of eventing in Belgium — one Lara believes has genuine potential, but strives on its behalf for more commitment, more training infrastructure, and more dreaming from its riders. She speaks with real investment about the next generation, the role of team dynamics in nurturing young talent, and how funding and training opportunities in Belgium compare to the sport's powerhouses like Great Britain. Her message to up-and-coming eventers is clear: ambition isn't optional — it's the foundation our sport is built on.

[Read it on EN: FEI Releases Tribunal Decision + Statement from Tine Magnus (BEL) Following Positive Test at Paris Olympics]

Follow along with Lara and Arville!

Instagram: @laradeliedekerke @eventingarville

🎧 Tune In to Eventing Everywhere with EN

Head over to EventingNation.com to read all the latest from all levels of eventing across the globe. Connect with us @goeventing, or you can reach us anytime at [email protected].

📌 Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review Go Eventing wherever you get your podcasts! Let's keep building this community together.

#GoEventing #EventingNation #WhereEventingLives

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The Go Eventing Podcast powered by Eventing Nation is your front-row seat to the heartbeat of eventing. From exclusive athlete interviews to behind-the-scenes insights, we bring you closer to the horses, riders, and stories that make our sport unforgettable.

Our vision: Celebrate the stories of eventing while connecting fans, riders, and supporters worldwide.

What makes us different: