I have been involved with horses all my life. As a child I spent many happy days hunting and enjoying Pony Club activities. In my early teens I had classical training focusing on the importance of training each horse as an individual, assessing the horse’s conformation and temperament to give them the best opportunity to succeed.

Equally important was management of their stable environment and care whilst not being ridden, principles that I still very firmly stand by today. As a teenager I rode everything from event horses to PSG dressage horses, gained my Pony Club A Test and BHS teaching qualifications. By the age of 20 I had qualified my first hunter for Horse of the Year Show, never imagining that later in life I would be lucky enough to have two winners there. All my competition horses were shown as part of their education. Whilst working in London I had a chance meeting with the late Robert Oliver and found myself moving to Gloucestershire to work for him, he become a lifelong friend and mentor. I have been on the judging panels of BSHA and SHGB for over thirty years. 

My judging and involvement in show horses has taken me to judging appointments around the world, introduced me to amazing horsemen and given me some lifelong friendships.

I feel very privileged to have been invited to take on the role of President following in the footsteps of many iconic producers and judges and hope to be proactive in maintaining their standards and traditions.