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If there is one rider looking forward to the Brussels Stephex Masters with gratitude, it is Nina Mallevaey. In 2021, she visited Knokke Hippique, where she made the connections that would set her on the path to the many victories she is now achieving at the very highest level. Four years on, Nina is French Champion, competed at this year’s European Championships, and rides for an American stable. “If you had told me that ten years ago, I would have found it completely unrealistic and impossible,” Nina laughs.
Nina Mallevaey first learned to ride on a Shetland pony, developing an unconditional love for horses that inspired her to become a professional rider at the age of 18. She inherited her passion from her father, an amateur rider who always kept a few horses. After her Shetland pony came her first horse. At just 12 years old she started competing in the pony classes, and a year later she was selected for the European Pony Championships. She remains deeply grateful to her parents for all the sacrifices, time, and energy they invested in her passion. After finishing school, Nina joined the Sadran family’s stable at 18, where she trained under Eric Louradour and Julien Epaillard. Three years later, she felt it was time for a change. By coincidence, she traveled to Knokke Hippique, where she met Stephan Conter, who introduced her to Eric Lamaze’s Torrey Pines stable. She still remembers nervously approaching the Canadian Olympic Champion. The connection was immediate, and Nina was hired. Her very first big competition for Torrey Pines? The Brussels Stephex Masters – riding the then eight-year-old Nikka vd Bisschop.
That winter she moved to Wellington, where she met Tara and Mark Rein, the owners of Nikka vd Bisschop and now her current employers – though Nina says they feel more like family. With their support, she gained opportunities to compete in the GCT and gradually established herself on the 5* circuit. Today, with Nikka, Clementine, and Dynastie de Beaufour, Nina has a fully-fledged five-star string – and a close bond with each of them. “It’s not just about riding them; you need to invest a lot of time to build a real partnership. The more care and attention you give them, the more they give back,” Nina explains.
Along the way, she learned from some of the sport’s greats: Julien Epaillard, who remains close to the simplicity and nature of the horse; Eric Lamaze, who taught her to believe in herself; and also Laura Kraut and Nick Skelton. More recently, she has been training frequently with Helena Stormanns, who has given her tremendous confidence.
With such mentors behind her and an unstoppable drive of her own, it is no surprise that Nina Mallevaey is today the reigning French Champion – and one of the stars to watch at the Brussels Stephex Masters 2025.
