A 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.
Before 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.
Most 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.
When 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.
When 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-date
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 .
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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*