Louise Saywell

The new national showjumping champion tells Sarah Radford about her “eat, sleep, repeat” routine and how she maintains her relentless focus despite the pandemic’s disruptions

- Sarah Radford

DESPITE nearly three decades in the saddle, Louise Saywell had never broken a bone until a few weeks ago. The bandage she is wearing on her left-hand marks not only her first “serious” injury – albeit a small one – but also the first enforced break from riding she’s had in a career that’s kept her busy since the age of eight.

“I didn’t even fall off!” she informs me over FaceTime. “I was on a five-year-old and it spun round and my hand went into its neck. Normally I would stay on but I had to get off because of the pain.

“When I think of some of the falls I’ve had where I’ve thought I must have done something, but nothing has happened... and then I broke my hand like that.”

ALTHOUGH Louise, 30, secured her first international successes half her lifetime ago, her approach remains unflinchingly workmanlike. It’s been seven years since she’s had a holiday, she admits, and taking a risk riding the young horses is still as much a part of her daily remit as competing the top ones.

“I’m not in a position not to,” she observes, “but then I’m usually quite happy to get on and give the difficult ones a go.”

The Nottinghamshire yard she shares with her partner of nine years, fellow showjumper Graham Lovegrove, has a mix of all ages in. Louise rides predominantly for owners and at the top shows, while Graham produces their own horses that will ultimately be for sale.