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Horseytalk.net Special Interview
Sam Penn

Sam PennA Life in the Day of Sam Penn, an Olympic Eventing Hopeful

Horses are my life. They always have been. Literally from the moment I wake up until the moment I fall asleep, often in front of the television, which has been turned off because I’ve been trying to read a book.

My real name is, of course, Samantha. But I’ve always been called Sam. The only time I’m called Samantha is if I'm in trouble. At school I was called Penfold. He was the side-kick to Danger Mouse. He was the short one with the dodgy glasses.

I live in Peacehaven, Sussex, on the coast, over-looking the sea with my Mum, my Grand-dad and my partner, Keith, who’s a jump jockey with Gary Moore’s stable in Horsham.

I get up about 5.45 six mornings a week. I have three slices of toast, a bowl of cereal or porridge depending on how cold it is. I usually listen to Radio 2 while I’m getting ready.

In the summer, I’ll go to the stables on my old motor-bike. I wear the full leathers but with a pink helmet. My motor-bike was so old, I’ve just got rid of it. I’m going to get another one next summer when it starts getting warm.

Sam PennBefore I go to Golden Cross Equestrian Centre, where I’m the Stable Jockey, I go and see to my own horse, Fred. He is stabled right opposite Golden Cross so it’s useful. His full name is My Friend Freddie and he really is. He’s a 14yo, 16.3 hh black Irish Sports Horse, he events up to Intermediate level, so I usually spend a hour or so exercising him before I go to work. I had only had him a few weeks when I asked Ian, who runs Golden Cross, if I could use his indoor school for exercising. He said, Yes, and I’ve been the Stable Jockey there ever since.

About 8.30 I go across to Golden Cross to begin work. I ride about five or six horses every day. Usually about an hour each one. I reckon I spend maybe, six or seven hours in the saddle every day. I’m lucky. I’ve had some nasty falls but I’ve never broken any bones. Yet. Although I did once break all my front teeth. Like most riders I do have a few aches and pains, I recently went out with a friend who also rides, after we’d had our meal, we got up to leave and could hardly walk. We hobbled out of the restaurant like two old ladies. I don’t know what people must have thought. I really should make more of an effort to get to the gym. It’s silly as I really enjoy it when I'm there but going back out again after work is not always too appealing.

Sam PennMost of the horses I ride are nice and polite. But they still have their moods and moments and querks. I don’t have a particular favourite now. They all have such different characters. My own advanced horses, Captain Christy (Smurf) and 707 (Brooke) are like two grumpy old men, whilst the babies Tickeridge (TIgga) and Pusiden (Sid) are still so cheeky and playful. Even when they are naughty it makes me smile. Their work programme depends on what their competition schedule is: whether they are schooled, either on the flat or over fences, hacked out on roadwork, with which our grooms Kym and Karla who help me, or taken up to the South Downs for their canter/gallop work. Pusiden (Sid) and Dyke Road (Bobby) have only recently been broken so they will each only have about 20 minutes before they have had enough, The older boys will get between 45 minutes to just over an hour, again depending on how well they are going and what I feel they need.

We also take in other horses for periods of schooling. One regular customer refers to it as 'Boot Camp'. I'm never quite sure if that’s a good thing or not, but the horse keeps returning for his stay each year so...

I don’t really stop for lunch. If I eat too much at lunch-time I’m useless for the rest of the day. Instead, I snack all the time, I do try to be healthy but to be honest it’s usually sweets, Jaffa Cakes and Monster Munch!!

I first started riding, I suppose, when I was a few months old. As soon as I started walking and getting in the way my Mum, Sue,  would sit me on top of whichever horse she was trying to deal with at the time to keep me out of the way. The first pony I remember being on was Trissie, A grey Welsh Section A mare who was probably about 500 years old.

Sam PennWhen I was three, I had another grey mare, this time a Shetland called Lisa who was about 12 years old. I had my first red rosette when I was five-years-old, with Treharn Rose Red (Rosie), a 10h strawberry roan Welsh Sec A mare, for the Best Turned Out (although I think technically it was Mum who did all the 'turning out'), class at Southdown Country Fair which used to be held at Firle Place.

I've always been very competitive and was, and still am, hugely supported by my Mum, who taught me to ride and who instilled in me the desire to do things well and that it’s really not just 'the taking part that counts', which is not to say it’s all about winning but that if you are going to do something then do it to the very best of your ability, and if that isn’t good enough to win, then go home, improve and be better next time.

When I was nine we moved to Cornwall. By chance, I was given the opportunity to ride two jumping ponies, Bean and Mink who belonged to Gil Vincent-Ward. I soon decided that jumping was far more fun than showing so my parents bought my next pony, a 13.2h bay Welsh sec B gelding called Defaelog Shadow. With this in mind, he took me up through junior affiliated classes until I was ready to move onto horses when I was 13. I still have Shads, he is about 26 now and long since retired but he is Fred's companion and still likes to go for the occasional ride around the farm.

We came back from Cornwall to Peacehaven when I was 13. That’s when I got Michelham Tartlet, (Moose) A bay, 16 hh, Dutch warmblood mare, bred by Judy Piper. She took me into Senior affiliated and Pony Club Teams. We made it to the Pony Club Championships at Sansaw Park in 1999 both with the Southdown (East) team and as an individual. The team was also 4th in the Schools and Pony Clubs Team Championships at Hickstead the following year.

Sam PennWhen I was 19 my parents divorced and our riding school and my horses had to go as part of the 'settlement'. After a season spent working at Golden Cross I was given the chance to go to Ireland and had the privilege of working for the late, great Paul Darragh gaining a huge amount of experience grooming at an International level. and running the yard at home. It was at this time I had my first real taste of serious Eventing, grooming for Greek International Rider, Heidi Antikatzides at Punchestown 3*. It was after this that I decided my future lay down this path.

When Paul passed away, I felt it was time to come home, so I returned to the UK, and started work for Anne Burnett, the owner of such prolific horses as Jurassic Rising and The Tourmaline Rose. Anne gave me my first opportunity to compete at eventing with Lawful Pursuit (Friday), a 17'2 dark bay gelding. We won our first outing with a score of 21 in a Pre-Novice at Tweseldown, a place that ever since has been lucky for me. After a year with Anne I felt it was time to move on, and it was at that time I acquired Fred.

Since then everything has snow-balled.

At 3.30 pm I’m finished riding. I’ll help on the yard, bring the horses in, clip, muck-out, teach, or be in the office, deciding with Ian on future events,- who what and where etc. .About 5 pm I’ll go back and see Freddie and put him and Shadow to bed I usually then head off for more teaching.

Come 7 – 7.30 I’m back home. The best part of living at home still is having Mum to look after me, so I don’t have to cook when I get home, if I did then I'd probably be living on beans on toast, but mum makes sure I get properly fed after snacking all day.

I then might go on the Inter-net, up-dateSam Penn's Mum my own web-site, do aBlog, read. I will read anything I can get but I especially like anything by Jilly Cooper,Stephen King or Wilbur Smith,I've just finished Lucinda Greens'story of Regal

Who are my idols? Mark Todd. He’s the greatest. Pippa. Mary King and Lucinda Green. Non horsey, Ellen Macarthur
About 9.30 I’m zonked out.

<< Sam's Mum Sue

Do I dream?

Sometimes. I see myself sailing over the final few fences of a show jumping round. Then I’m not sure how but I’m then standing on this kind of box in the middle of a stadium, I’m bending my head down, someone is trying to hang something around my neck........

And then I suddenly wake up

Sam. Her recent sucesses .Sam Penn

Placed at BE Novice Championships 2007 with "On A Par" & Houghton Hall CCI*, now shortlisted for the 2009 CIC** European Championships to be held in Nagykanizsa, Hungary.

Pokeys Bally Milo, 2nd in the BEF 4YO Evaluations and winner of the BE Young Horse Championship as a 5 year old.
Coco de Cara, winner of the SEEL at Pre Novice Level and 2nd at Aldon Pre Novice 3DE 2008. Now aimed at 1* for 2009.

Sam has gained the ride on "Captain Christy" former Team GB ride of Tina Cooke and placed at 4* Level. Captain Christy will be aimed at a 3* later on in 2009.

Other rides include "Tickeridge" who will be contesting BYEH & BE Young Horse Classes this year.

Fletch, Intermediate Level put in a good performance at Houghton International last year at CIC*. Fletch will be aimed at Houghton Hall, Barbury & Brightling International at CIC* in 2009

Seven-O-Seven a new ride who has competed up to intermediate level.

Sam trains with International Eventer, Pippa Funnell and List 1 Judge Mary Ann Horne.

Sam. Her Horses

Sam has an enviable string of horses and is supported wholeheartedly by the owners of the horses that she rides.

Tickeridge


Tickeridge
Breeding: By Royal Brook Cruise
Owned by: Slice of Pie Syndicate
Current Record: Lycetts 4 Y/O BE Breeding Champion 2009. BYEH Finalist 2009.
Aiming to move up to pre-novice in 2010 and qualify for 5yo championships.


Captain Christy

Captain Christy
Breeding: By the formidable 'Cavalier Royale'
Owned by: Mrs Lou Furlong
Past Record: 1066 British Eventing Points, former Team GB performer & ride of Olympic Medallist Tina Cooke.
Had an easy 2009 after injury but finished fit and well with OI at Tweseldown.
Goals for 2010: Aimed at CIC***


707

707
Breeding: by Skyliner
Owned by: Mrs Sophie Bunch
Current Record: Consistant performances at Intermediate & Open Intermediate this season. Winner of SEEL Intermediate and Retraining of Racehorses leagues also 3rd in Overall Leading Horse and Rider league.
Aims for 2010: Moving up to Advanced and hopefully CIC*** later in year


Coco de Cara

Coco de Cara
Breeding: By Derby Sire Terimon
Owned by: Mrs Sue Becvar
Past Record: Consistently placed at BE100o, winner Aldon BE100o 3DE 2009, Qualifier for British Dressage National Championships (Elementary) 2008/2009
Goal this Season: Gain consistency at Novice and move up to Medium Level dressage


My Friend Freddie

My Friend Freddie
Breeding: Carmel Head out of Kerrygold
Owned by: Sam Penn
Past Record: Consistantly placed at Open Novice level
Goal this Season: Moving up to Intermediate and a CIC 1*later in the year


Coevers Diamond Clover

Coevers Diamond Clover
Breeding: Coevers Diamond Boy (ISH), out of Sarah's Clover by Clover Hill
Owned by: Mrs Susan Goode
Record: Consistantly placed at BE100, 7th in first Novice outing at SofE. Qualified Lycetts 5yo Championships
Goal this season: Currently on the market but if not sold will be aimed for novice level and 6yo classes in 2010


Wild South

Wild South
Breeding: New Zealand bred TB
Owned by: Mrs Susan Goode
Past Record: Grade A Showjumper came 4th in the Hickstead Eventers GP (ridden by Ellen Whittaker. 2008) Previously evented by Piggy French. Placed at Novice & Intermediate. Completed Aldon 1* 2009.
Goal this Season: Currently for sale


Dyke Road

Dyke Road
Breeding: By Cult Hero
Owned by: Slice of Pie Syndicate
A new ride for 2010, this 4yo was backed and turned away as a 3yo, restarted Oct '09 will compete in dressage and sj over the winter months, ready to make his eventing debut in March 2010.
Pusiden
Breeding: By Puissance
Owned by: Slice of Pie Syndicate
Purchased from Brian Lear Sept '09 as an unbacked 3yo, now backed and ridden, will be aiming for 4yo Lycetts qualifiers and BYEH 2010. *Photo coming soon*

 

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