Two weeks before the Royal Horse Show CSI5*-W, Alex Matz wasn’t planning to compete there. He was stuck on the wait list until 10 days out, when a phone call let him know he was in. Cue a flurry of planning to get himself and two horses up to Toronto. 

The scrambling paid off: Matz had the best horse show of his career, topping two Fédération Equestre Internationale classes on his long-time partner Cashew CR, then scoring his biggest win yet when he and Ikigai topped the $200,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Toronto on Nov. 9. It was the 28-year-old first five-star grand prix win.

Ikigai, a Dutch Warmblood stallion (Elvis Ter Putte—Okori-Retti B, Iroko) owned by Collin and Virginia McNeil of 5 Star Partners, joined Matz’s string three years ago when he was at the 1.40-meter level.

“This is my second year going,” Matz said. “Last year we had an incredible time just because of the atmosphere. [Show manager] Peter Doubleday does an incredible job running the show, and in my opinion it’s one of the most special indoor shows we have in North America. I wanted to go back, but I didn’t get in until about 10 days before. I’m thankful I got in off the wait list, and I took advantage of it.”

Matz’s win with 11-year-old Ikigai was his first five-star grand prix win.

“COVID was the year before, so the horses were kind of behind,” he said. “He had a lot of talent, but he was behind for an 8-year-old. The first year he did everything so easily, but I felt like I was riding his talent. Then as you jump bigger tracks and bigger courses, the horse has to have talent, but you have to be a team too. Now I feel like we’re really becoming more of a team. He’s fighting for me and understands what I want.”

Watch Matz’s jump-off round with Ikigai at the Royal.

As one of four children of Olympic team silver medalist Michael Matz and Pan American Games team bronze medalist D.D. Matz, Alex grew up in the saddle. After graduating from Vanderbilt University (Tennessee) with a degree in economics, he spent time in Europe working for former world champion Jos Lansink in Belgium. After another stint working for John and Beezie Madden, Alex went out on his own to open Vintage Farm Sales in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, and Wellington, Florida.

We caught up with Alex to chat about his top horses, his first time riding in a senior championship competition, and growing up in the Matz household.

Talk about your partnership with Ikigai.

He’s 11 years old but relatively inexperienced at this level. He’s always been the most naturally talented horse I’ve ever ridden. But he sustained a minor injury, so he spent most of his 10-year-old year on the sidelines recovering, so we’re a year behind and just starting to jump a lot of big tracks. He’s a horse myself and my parents and the McNeils have always believed in. There have always been high expectations for him. I think we’re finally starting to become a team and click.

He is a fast learner, but in a lot of situations you can’t really learn until you do it. Until you do a 1.60-meter jump-off as fast as you can, you don’t really know what that’s going to be like. There are a lot of firsts you have to do: You have to jump a 1.60-meter course; you have to jump a 1.60-meter jump-off; you have to go as fast as you can in a 1.60-meter jump-off. There are a lot of experiences that way that will make you and the horse better.

He’s a very chill horse. His demeanor is incredibly calm and quiet for a stallion. For a long time I was in awe of his talent and quality, and I didn’t really push him. I babied him. That can backfire when you don’t do your homework properly at home and on the flat; then they’re not as prepared as they should be when they go in the ring. He does everything you ask, but if you don’t push him at home he’s not going to give you an ounce more. You have to make sure you’re asking the questions at home and doing all the proper homework, so he is as prepared as possible in the ring.

What kind of ride does he like?

I think most people could ride him. He’s very rideable. He’s scopey. He’s careful. As long as you make him work at home, and he’s fit enough, I think anybody would find him a joy to ride.

You rode Ikigai to the best U.S. result at the Longines League Of Nations Final in Spain. What was that first championship experience like?

It was incredible. It was extremely motivating. I’ve jumped some big classes, but I’ve never been around such a high level of horse-and-rider combinations. That was probably the coolest thing for me: to be around so many riders that have been so successful and see the quality of their horses, see how they manage and train those horses. It was really, really inspiring for me as a young rider. You hear about how amazing championships are, but until you’re really there and see the pure level of sport, it can’t really be appreciated. I was honored to be chosen. The horse jumped incredibly. I made a mistake that I won’t make again and had a foot in the water, but we’ll learn from that. I couldn’t have been prouder of my horse. He didn’t touch a rail all week. I hope we can have more opportunities like it.

You also won two classes with your long-time ride Cashew CR. Talk about that partnership.

He’s a horse that I know so well. I’ve had him for eight years, and he is one of the smartest horses I’ve ever met. He knows exactly when it’s go time. He’s so fast, so handy, so careful. I think every show I’ve gone to this year, unless I’ve made a big mistake, he’s had a high placing. He’s won five or six FEI classes this year, and he was second and third in a bunch. He seems to be getting better and better with age, but I think my riding has improved to allow him to showcase his talents.

He’s a barn favorite. He’s really been the one that has allowed me to jump in my first U25, two-star, three-star, four-star, five-star, development tour and Nations Cup. All that I did with him. I owe him a lot. He’s still spunky and as spry as ever [at age 16], so as long as he has that, we’ll keep showing.

Talk about your time spent riding in Europe.

That was a great experience. After school I went to Jos Lansink’s, which where I got Ikigai. I went there and got the opportunity to ride young horses for a couple months. It was the first time I was able to consistently ride more than a couple horses. My mom had always kept horses with us through school, but typically one or two, and so to get time in the saddle and jumping and to see a European program and build the connections was very valuable. You never know where opportunities will come from.

Tell me about your business, Vintage Farm Sales. What do you focus on?

We’re relatively small right now, but I have a couple horses that I ride, and then we also offer training, and we would take horses to resell; that’s sort of situation-specific. It’s more of a competition and training barn. My brother, Robert, has been helping the last year with some students and helping me keep my horses in good shape when I’m off at shows. It’s a really good group of people we have on the team. It’s small, but I think it will also grow a ton.

I started the farm after Jos. [First] I worked for John and Beezie [Madden], then the horses I was riding for them—one got sold then the other got a little injury. It was COVID, and it worked out that there were more opportunities for me at home. We live in an area with a lot of eventers, so I’d go jump some eventers’ horses. I bought a 6-year-old with my mom, and Cashew was coming back. I had the 6-year-old and Cashew, and I could possibly drum up more to ride at home during COVID. That’s when I started Vintage Farm Sales, and it’s just kind of grown from there.

What was it like growing up in the Matz household? How did horses figure into your daily life?

There was definitely always access to ponies and access to simple lessons and horsemanship that we didn’t even ask for. I must say my parents never pushed us to follow a career in horses. Horses were important to them, and as it’s turned out it’s important to me, [and my siblings] Lucy and Robert. [My brother] Arthur knows how to ride, but he doesn’t have much interest.

My mom thought that education was really important, so that was the priority until we got our degrees, and then we could pursue whatever we wanted. The horses were always accessible, which I’m super fortunate for, but never thrust upon us. If we didn’t want to ride ponies, we would not have a pony. My parents didn’t feel like they had to get us one. It’s expensive and hard enough.

Do you still consult with your parents? Do you consider them mentors?

They’re very much involved in the training. They don’t insert themselves, but whenever I school at home it’s almost always with my dad. I discuss a plan most of the time with my parents. My dad has helped me a lot with [Ikigai] this summer on the flat. He is constantly available and trying to do the best he can to help me succeed. In Florida they watch most of my classes because they’re there. My dad was at the Royal, and they both came to Barcelona [for the Longines League of Nations Final]. It varies. The last week of [Spruce Meadows (Alberta)] my dad came, and my mom came for one weekend of Spruce. At the important ones they’re normally there.