The Eventing Season is rapidly approaching its conclusion, with only a handful of events left to run…

But for me that’s it, the batteries have finally run dry (well actually the ran dry a couple of weeks back) and I have called an end to my 2014 Eventing season!!! And what an extraordinary season it has been yet again!

I have covered the best part of 6,500 miles, attended 24 events spanning 53 days plus a couple of days Show Jumping and XC schooling! I have captured in the region 70,000 photos resulting in multiple advertisements and regular contributions to Equestrian Life and Eventing Worldwide.

I have attended three new events (Goring Heath, Rockingham Castle and Purston Manor) and I have been fortunate enough to have been media accredited at all the major events (which I like to refer to as the Stately Home Tour) for a second year running (Badminton, Chatsworth, Rockingham, Houghton, Gatcombe Festival, Burghley, Barbury, Bramham, and Blenheim).

But what really drives me to attend these events is the amazing horsemanship on display, these magnificent creatures piloted by some of the best jockeys in the world and competing on a level playing with the some incredible grassroots talent.

A couple of years ago I established a small group of young, talented and dedicated riders, who I wanted to work with and promote, whilst document the challenges they encounter, while striving to being successful in this incredibly competitive sport.

This year that Team has expanded as I welcomed Charlotte Barber and Lici Hawker on board and together we have had an incredible journey.

There have done some amazing highs.  Watching Imogen Murray jump clear round Burghley completing her CCI4* debut was an emotional trip I will remember for a long time to come!  But there have also been some incredible lows, spending 5 hours in A&E in Swindon and coming home in plaster with a broken humerus resulting in missing 8 events was not my finest moment!!!

Eventing sport is an all encompassing emotional roller coaster, but the excitement, the adrenaline, and the risk, are like a drug, and it always draws you back for more…

I want to thank all those that have made this season so memorable, the eventing community is very welcoming, international community and the lorry pack a huge family.

I have an amazing circle friends on the circuit and I have received some top quality hospitality, I’ve had my breakfast, dinner, and supper made for me. I’ve shared a glass of wine or a cold beer and I’ve drunk endless cups of coffee, all provided by the amazing support teams surrounding these riders, so a huge thank you, to Kim Murray, Jane Clegg, Jane Rockingham, Jane Norton, Denise Aldous,  Ritha Sanderson, Ann Hawker.

But the biggest thank you has to go to my amazing team of riders who have let me invade their space and allowed me to bring you a small incite in to this amazing sport, so Thank you Imogen Murray, Georgie Rockingham, Kelly Aldous, Charlotte Barber, Arabella Clegg, Lici Hawker, Pixie Thomas, Yaz Olsson-Sanderson, and Georgie Norton plus Ellen Svennerstal and Hedvig Wik and Jules Stiller who have I have also been keeping an eye on.  It has been a pleasure and I hope I haven’t got in the way to much!!!

So, what next…

The winter will see me going back behind the scenes, visiting the riders yards, and hopefully some training sessions too, capturing the hard work that goes in to preparing these elite athletes (animal and human) for the new season.

I already have some plans and ideas in the pipeline, and I’m hoping there will be a bigger international flavour to the team next season too.

Plus I will be out capturing some Show Jumping, a bit of Hunting, and hopefully some Shooting too. Oh, and there is still the day job to squeeze in too, I still have to earn the important funds needed to allow me to indulge in my hobby to the extent  that I do.

The New Year will be here very soon and with it the New Season not far behind, I am already looking forward to getting back out there and doing what I do best. So BRING ON 2015 and I hope to see you all very soon
Tim xx