Biography
I have been competing in Endurance since the age of 6 when I did my first ever 25 miler, or these days, 32km competitive ride on a borrowed pony, Oatie Crunch. Since that first taste of competition I have been lucky enough to compete some top horses both at home and abroad.
I was selected for the Young Rider Squad at the age of 14 in 2000, when I had been given the ride of Murmansk, an up and coming star who we later purchased. The following year Murmansk and I made our Championship and British Senior team debut at the Europeans in Perugia, Italy. We gained the best senior placing since 1993 finishing 7th, which is a record that still remains today.
Murmansk also took me to WEG 2002 (where we finished 18th) and to Punchestown for the Europeans Championships. Finally after six months in Dubai, we also did the 2005 World Championships. During this time I had younger horses pulling up through the ranks all competing at 3* level. I also graduated from Writtle College with an Animal Science Degree and I continued my qualifications with a Diploma in Personal Training and Sports Massage Therapy, followed by Equine Sports Massage Therapy.
With this I set up ‘Total Training and Therapy’, training and coaching horses and riders of all levels both individually and in groups, lecturing to students, working with nutritionist Jo Bower and other professionals to combine all areas contributing to the ‘Total Approach’ concept in endurance. I am currently doing my UKCC qualifications, working closely with other coaches both in and out of Endurance, to promote and encourage coaching at all levels.
I have two horses on the British Elite Squad for 2011, Java Sunlight (Java who finished 40th in WEG 2010) and Tawmarsh Muharram (Mayday). Both are very special to me with their own unique stories. Java has been part of the family since she was a yearling and Mayday, bred by the late Marcy Pavord, is a son of Murmansk. He has been a star so far and won his first 160 km (3*) at the Bahrain Dukaries Cup 2010. Also in training is a brother of Murmansk who, although has taken a great deal of time and patience to bring on, appears to be living up to his family traits!
My two novice horses are beginning qualifications this year. Plus there are the two broodmares, who are producing some fantastic young stock and have become the base of our breeding programme. My husband Garry is an integral part of my back up team and my son Jack who was two on October 6th 2010. He already rides one of ‘mummy's’ ex-race horses and is a very important hand around the yard when it comes to feeding, grooming and fetching horses in from the paddocks! He has not quite mastered the shavings fork yet! My mother Sue helps me enormously and although she stopped riding many years ago, she still plays a huge part in our success. I am a general fan of sports but most keen on the fast and furious. I think this would be my father’s influence. Cars and skis are at the top of the list when I am not on a horse, however I am definitely not as crazy as I used to be!
