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Here's what the cast of 'The Saddle Club' looks like in 2022

Hello world, this is them (now)

By Team BEAUTYcrew

May 31 2022

We don't care where we are, how old we are, or who we're with; if we hear three taps of that little chime bell, we're launching into a rendition of 'Hello World' that would rival the original. Okay, we're lying; nothing could stand up to something of that quality, but we'll definitely try.

The Saddle Club is truly the epitome of iconic Australian television. It had everything: phenomenal female friendships, extremely cute guys of all ages (no wonder our mums agreed to watch with us; hi Max), and of course, plenty of horses and plenty of heart.

It was packed with drama and romance, too; the snake episode still lives rent-free in our fears, every fall was more tragic than Romeo and Juliet, and we've never felt more alive than when (spoiler alert, kind of; the episode aired in 2001) Stevie kissed Phil. Swoon alert.

But while Spotify puts no respect on the show's name (and none of the albums are available to stream; an outrage), you can watch the whole series on Stan. Apparently there was even a third one five years after our faves departed – who knew...

Also, Chris Hemsworth was in it before we even knew what a 'Chris Hemsworth' was, and if that's not a reason to re-watch, we don't know what is.

Still pining for Pine Hollow like us? Enjoy this trail ride down memory lane – here's what the cast of The Saddle Club looks like all these years later...

Sophie Bennett (Stevie Lake)

The queen of headbands, one-liners and Phil's heart, Stevie was basically the blueprint for the front fringe back in the day. Bennett (who's actually Canadian, not Australian; somehow the accent went completely over our heads as kids), is still a beaming blonde beauty, but left the bangs behind long ago. She recently took to TikTok to chat about the experience of the show, and good news: it was in fact a fun one overall. Phew.

Images via: ABC/@sophiemaude

Keenan MacWilliam (Carole Hanson)

We said it then and we'll say it now – nobody had cool-factor like Carole. A gal with a great head on her shoulders (and even greater hair on that head, may we add), she was as great at show jumping as she was at wrapping snake bites. Something MacWilliam (another Canadian, FYI) is stellar at IRL? Pulling off bleached blonde, apparently. But don't you worry, she also posts plenty with her gorgeous brunette curls.

Images via: ABC/@keenanmac

Lara Jean Marshall (Lisa Atwood)

Ah, Pine Hollow's resident perfectionist: Lisa. Well, it seems Marshall (the only actual Aussie of the top-tier trio) may have that same attention to detail when it comes to her skin and haircare routines; she's barely aged a day, and her glossy raven mane (sorry, we had to) is as glossy and gorgeous as ever. In fact, considering how similar she still looks, if she'd be willing to reprise the role, we wouldn't say no...

Images via: ABC/@larajean_marshall

Nathan Phillips (Red O'Malley)

Speaking of facial hair... Red was the ridiculously lovable stablehand that everyone on planet earth (Kristi, eventually Veronica, us) had eyes for. Are you sensing a theme? Pine Hollow had some cuties. Sure, Phillips looks a little different now, but he'll always be Red in our hearts.

Images via: ABC/@zengoat8official

Heli Simpson (Veronica di Angelo)

Damn, did Veronica have it out for our favourite girls; she was snobby, spoiled and an all-around savage for most of the show. But hey, she did save Pine Hollow in the end, and that's on character development. Simpson has also had a bit of an evolution since her stint as a child actress; not only is she now in the medical field, but she's also gone from honey bronde to a cool brunette (massive move, we know).

Images via: ABC/LinkedIn

Kia Luby (Kristi Cavanaugh)

She was Veronica's sassy sidekick with a raging crush on Red, but Kristi Cavanaugh also happened to have a ponytail game that, well, rivalled the actual ponies. And their tails were shiny. Luby seems to prefer down-dos in her own life, also opting to top up her tan and lighten her locks since the show.

Images via: ABC/@kialubyofficial

Glenn Meldrum (Phil Marsten)

Introduced as a member of the rival pony club, Phil gave Stevie some serious competition when he first hit the scene. However, he had no competition whatsoever in the battle for our affections. Meldrum (AKA the character's real-life counterpart) is still as cute as ever, though we will say it's a crime to cover up a head of hair as glorious as Phil's.

Images via: ABC/@glenn.meldrum

Brett Tucker (Max Regnery)

Max taught masterclasses in ethics and handsomeness in each and every episode, so it's no surprise most of us harboured innocently adoring schoolgirl crushes on him. Tucker has aged like a fine wine, too; he just embraces a little more facial hair these days.

Images via: ABC/@bretttucker3

Aisha Dee (Desi Biggins)

Okay, we know 'Desi Briggins' may not ring any bells for fans of the OG (and TBH we know as much about the 2009 continuation of the show as we actually do about horses), but Aisha Dee definitely deserves an honourable mention because of her general icon status. The Aussie actress of course went on to star as the inimitable Kat Edison on The Bold Type, and we can't wait to see what Dee does next.

Images via: ABC/@aishtray