Team GB - Rio 2016

Rio Olympics 2016

I have just received the very exciting news that Chilli and I are in the team for Rio.  It is fantastic news particularly for all those who played a huge part in getting us this far.

The team at home have been a fantastic support, particularly in the early days when I couldn’t ride.  They have really got the horses fit and well, and on good form.

There are lots of other people who have had a big part to play in this and they are hard to mention, but I would like to thank particularly my wife Alice who has supported me throughout. 

I would also like to thank UK Sport and the Lottery who have been instrumental in helping me get back on the road, and Geoff Shayler who really helped to get my sight sorted out in a much shorter time than predicted.

It has obviously been a very tough decision selecting the team, but I am very excited to say that the people joining me are Izzy Taylor, Kitty King and Gemma Tattersall, with Pippa Funnell as travelling reserve.  They have all had brilliant seasons so to be included with them is a great honour.

We have now got a month until we fly to Rio, so I am very hopeful that Chilli will stay in one piece.  He is going to have an outing at Barbury this weekend but may not run cross country, and then we have got two days of Team Training at Addington in a couple of weeks.

I am likely to keep very busy between now and then at Barbury, Aston Le Walls and Dauntsey, which will be good for me, and I am feeling well and very much looking forward to the Rio challenge.