Biography
I started riding when I was five and was an active member of the Fitzwilliam Pony Club, competing on most of their show jumping teams with 12.2 ponies up to open classes. Both Pony Club and my local Riding Club gave me an all-round education with horses, however, my passion for show jumping remained into my late teenage years. I was very lucky to have success at Area and National level on a range of inexpensive purchases (luckily for Mum’s bank balance!).
My career so far has involved working in Newmarket for the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association where I was Secretary for the National Hunt Committee. I also helped administrate the British Stud Staff Training Scheme. After several years in Newmarket I moved to Lambourn to take up the role of Racing Manager for Brian Meehan. These "proper jobs" enforced a break from regular competitions, and in 2005 I returned to my home village, where, in my absence, my Mother had taken up endurance riding and had even bought an Arab! When explaining the sport to me I seriously questioned her sanity….. in the saddle for hours, and not a coloured pole in sight!!
Soon after moving back I got a phone call from Mum, informing me that she was on the team for the Riding Club Endurance Championships and had also drafted me in to ride her Thoroughbred (as she knew that I wouldn’t ride her Arab). So, 20 miles later, feeling decidedly ill and unable to unclench my fingers having had the ride from hell, I was hooked and was looking for the next ride, but on something else! In September 2006 I completed my first competitive ride at novice level, riding my Mum’s Arab, Parry (Paramal). It seemed a better idea to ride something that knew what it was doing this time!
Following on from that, I was lucky enough to acqure Clover (Perfeq Camilla May) on loan. Within 10 months and with the help of these two advanced horses I had progressed from a novice to an advanced rider and on Clover, had won an 80km Endurance Ride at my first attempt! In the spring of 2008 Parry and I finished 2nd in the FEI 2* event at The Dukeries and followed that up with a win over 101km at Puddingstone. My next goal was to represent Great Britain at some level within the sport, so I approached the Senior Development Squad about joining them. I was lucky enough to be selected with Paramal, as part of the team that travelled to Mont Le Soie in Belgium in May 2009. This just goes to show that with some dedication, patience and hard work everyone can achieve their goals. I also have Quo, a very promising unbroken 3 year-old at home, who I am looking forward to competing in the coming years with high-level International events in mind.