“All part of the day’s work,” says Tina Cook,
daughter of the famous four times champion jockey and trainer,
Josh Gifford, mother of two and now European Eventing champion.“Although
I must admit, it was very exciting. And I did shed a tear or
two.”
To Tina, it might have come as a big surprise. But for everybody
else, especially friends and neighbours in and around Findon
in West Sussex where she lives with her husband and two children,
Isobel and Harry, it’s
been a long-time coming. For few eventers have a pedigree as
strong as her’s and
even fewer are as dedicated
Tina was born into horses. Her father Josh Gifford was four
times Champion Jockey. Her mother Althea Roger-Smith was a successful international
show jumper who won the Queen Elizabeth Cup, came second in the Hickstead Derby
and represented Great Britain in the Nations Cup.
By the time Tina was born her parents were training racehorses.
Ask her what her first memory was and she says riding her mother’s
old pony. Tina and her younger brother, Nick, now also a racing trainer,
rode throughout their childhoods and were active members of the
local Crawley and Horsham Pony Club.
Like many others, it was through the Pony Club that Tina had
her first taste of serious competition. When she was just 17
-years -old, she was selected for the junior team and went to the Junior European
Championships in Rome on a 15.3hh thoroughbred called Song and Dance Man, where
the team won the gold medal.
Not long after that Tina left school and took up eventing “seriously”.
She has, in fact, been eventing full-time since she was sixteen.
When she was twenty she won a Land Rover scholarship to be based
at Gatcombe with Captain Mark Phillips where she trained for
a year.
<< Tina's father Josh Gifford
Even having two children did not stop her competing at the top.
In both cases, she rode until she was four months pregnant and
was then straight back in the saddle and competing just weeks
after the births.
Tina’s next great ride was a horse bought originally for
her brother to ride – Smithstown Lad. She won Individual
Bronze and Team Gold on him at the Junior European Championships
in Dijon in 1988, Team Silver at the Young Rider Championships
at Achselschwang the following year and the National Young Rider
Championship at Bramham in 1991.
After her Bramham win, Tina came out of Young Riders the following year and
took both horses to her first Badminton. The weather conditions were appalling.
Smithstown Lad had a mistake cross country. But Song and Dance Man went clear.
She finished tenth after starting nearly last after the dressage.
Tina was then named as the reserve for the European Championships
on the same team as one of her idols - Ginny Eliot. Unfortunately
fellow team member Karen Dixon and Get Smart had an injury, so Tina made it
onto the squad and took the silver.
Since then she has never looked back. Her successes are almost
too many to mention.
Tina and her brother Nick >>
“I’ve been very lucky,” she says. “I’ve
had some fabulous horses. I’ve
also been lucky because, on a number of occasions, I’ve
been in the right place at the right time. Like everything in
life, it’s a combination of everything. Hard work. Training.
Good team around you. Good health . And, of course, luck”
She was on the gold medal winning team at The Hague on General
Jock in 1994. She has completed and been placed numerous times
amongst others, at Badminton and Burghley, as well as at Gatcombe
and Lexington.
She won another team gold at the European Championships in Italy
in 1995 and again at Luhmuhlen in 1999. She won Necarne and Le
Lion D’Angers
in 1996 and Burgie in 1999. In 2000 she was second at Boekelo
and ninth at the European Championships in Pau and third in Pau
in 2003.
In 2007 Tina was straight back into the saddle after the birth
of her second child, Harry, and came seventh and ninth at Bramham on First
Flight and Miner’s Frolic. Tina and Miners Frolic then
went on to win at Brightling Park and Gatcombe and came second
at Blenheim and third at Boekelo.
<< Tina Cook & Miners Frolic
Following these two top three placing in CCI*** at the end of
2007, Tina found herself in contention for theOlympics. Having made the decision
not to run at Badminton she was eventually named as one of the reserves for
the 2008 Beijing Olympics and began to aim for Burghley. Following the unfortunate
withdrawal of Zara Phillips and Lucy Wiegersma Tina found herself holding a
ticket to Hong Kong and a place on the Olympic team. A clear round in the team
jumping competition helped to secure the team Bronze medal.
She then started the individual round in 7th place and jumped
the most immaculate clear round moving her up the leader board
to the Bronze Medal position - double bronze!
Now she is the European eventing champion
“I love it. I love horses. I love everything to do with
riding,” she says today. “I suppose if I didn’t
I wouldn’t be doing it. I know I was born into riding.
I know it’s virtually in my blood. But it doesn’t
feel like it. Every day feels different. Every day is a different
challenge. Whether riding is in your blood or not, you’ve
got to face and overcome those challenges yourself. That’s
what makes it so exciting.”
No plans for retirement then.
“Oh No,” she laughs. “I’m enjoying myself
too much. There is still lots more I want to do.”
A Gold
Medal in 2012?
She laughs again.
Tina Cook- Major Achievements
1987: 24th & Team Gold Junior
European Championships, Pratoni del Vivaro, Italy (Song & Dance
Man)
1988: Ind Bronze & Team Gold
Junior European Championships Dijon, France (Smithstown Lad)
1989:Team Silver Young Rider European
Championships, Achselschwang, Germany (Smithstown Lad)
1991: 1st National YR Championships,
Bramham (Smithstown Lad)
12th & Team Bronze YR European Championships
(Smithstown Lad)
1993: 1st Bramham CCI*** (General Jock)
Individual
Silver European Championships, Achselschwang, Germany (Song & Dance
Man)
1994: 17th & Team Gold World
Equestrian Games, The Hague, Holland (General Jock)
1995: 14th & Team Gold European “Open” Championships,
Pratoni del Vivaro, Italy (Midnight Blue II)
1997: Ind Bronze European “Open” Champs,
Burghley (General Jock)
1999: 10th & Team Gold European
Championships, Luhmuhlen, Germany (The Gangster II)
2001: 9th European Championships,
Pau, France (Captain Christy)
2002: 22nd World Equestrian Games,
Jerez de la Frontera (Captain Christy)
2004: 9th Burghley CCI**** (Captain Christy)
2008: Team & Individual Bronze
Olympic Games, Hong Kong