Sam Hobbs
Event Rider
Born and bred in Essex, I spent my early years having fun with the Essex and Suffolk Pony Club.
It’s here that I got my first taste of eventing and I was instantly hooked. Throughout and even before those pony club days I was a regular visitor to Burghley, watching my heroes in absolute awe. I was determined to make that the life for me – I just wasn’t sure how to get there!
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In the year 2000 I remember setting my alarm clock for the middle of the night so that I could watch our eventing team go cross country at the Sydney Olympics with Jeanette Brakewell as pathfinder.
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Leading up to the Olympics I read an article in the Telegraph about Jeanette and her journey to eventing stardom.
I can still remember a passage describing how you could hear her clapped out old lorry before you saw it!
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Sam Hobbs
Jeanette’s story made this apparently out of reach, magical world seem a bit more tangible. So, I wrote her a letter,
not just any letter but a four page essay – begging for a job as soon as I finished my A levels.
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Getting that job was the opportunity I had dreamt of and what a start it was!
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I finished my A levels and headed off to Jeanette’s for my “gap year”. As one year turned in to eight I never did make it to university.
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However, my time at Jeanette’s was invaluable. I lived and learned about the sport of eventing, its highs and lows, an insight into what it really takes to have a career in eventing.
I helped to break young horses, competed my own, helped to keep horses fit and groomed at Burghley and Badminton.
It gave me a taste of the world I wanted to become part of and hungrier than ever to make it on my own.
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My next big break came when I was offered the job of stable jockey for the Preci Spark event team.
After just two months in my new position I spent a week in critical care falling from a five year old and having been dumped off numerous other youngsters, I was seriously questioning my life choices and secretly longing to be back at Jeanette’s!
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Fortunately, I was too stubborn and too determined to give it all up. I enjoyed seven seasons at Preci Spark and continued for a further year after setting up my own business to produce many of their horses. I am proud to say that I rode at Blenheim every year for four years on three different horses for Preci Spark and I produced all of those horses to that level.
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I learnt during this time that for me there is nothing more rewarding than taking a horse from four years old all the
way through to advanced, although it is wonderful also to have the opportunity to take on a horse with more experience!
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Have a look at my YouTube channel to see me competing alongside the best in the world at some of the top venues in the country.
I am now based at the beautiful Blackhill Farm. From here I offer competition, schooling and sales livery.
Do get in touch for more information.
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