Tom Strawson

From a lifelong passion for hunting to an unconventional return to eventing, the Badminton first-timer reflects on the lessons that have shaped him, his unexpected ambitions – and the cheap retrained racehorse now thriving at five-star

- WORDS PIPPA ROOME PICTURES NICO MORGAN MEDIA

I'M NOT sure I should really be referred to as an event rider," says Tom Strawson, as he names two ambitions in life as hunting a pack of hounds and winning the Melton Hunt Club Ride.

It's an unusual statement for a Badminton first-timer to make, but then Tom is an unusual debutant for this week's spring five-star, where he'll start on Public Address (Brian), with whom he was 21st at Burghley last year.

At 37, Tom has been point-to-pointing's Midlands Area champion jockey three times, works full-time in property and won the Harborough Ride this spring. Eventing is not the only, or even the thickest, string to his bow.

"Hunting is my major love in life," says Tom. "It's been huge in terms of educating me as a jockey and it's also massive in terms of educating horses.

"I think a lot of people don't actually realise the benefit of taking younger horses hunting in making them brave, travelling through any going and teaching them to settle in a busy environment. It's something I really value.

"And to win the Melton is on my bucket list. I had an epic battle with my hunting mate Rowan Cope in the Harborough and no doubt we'll renew that in the Melton in the autumn.

"About three years ago out hunting with the Quorn when I was riding Brian, Rowan and I had a £1,000 bet I could get him round Burghley... I'm looking forward to the day he coughs up!" But before the Melton, there's the little matter of this five-star in Gloucestershire...

HORSES have always been in Tom's family.

His father Paul evented and then pointto-pointed, his grandfather Michael was a young rider selector and Tom is the third generation of his family to be in the Brocklesby mastership.