A true team effort.
For me one of my stand out moments for Badminton 2024 was when Emily Gibson my long standing Head girl won the Stable Managers Grooms Award. Head girl is the wrong word because she is so much more than that, as is Lily Wilson. One is my left hand and one is my right. I literally couldn’t function without them.
These two girls having been with me for over six years are out and out stars. Their care, love, dedication to my horses is quite outstanding.
They have become very special to me. How they cope with me I really don’t know. My way with how I deal with the horses must be so challenging for them. I’m often having to change my mind on things due to the way the horses are feeling, thinking and reacting to situations. This weekend was one of the most challenging examples of that. I will write about that in another news story if people are interested.
As riders we get so wrapped up in our own feeling of nerves and anxiety that we loose focus on what our poor grooms must go through, particularly on cross country day. Watching their beloved steeds tackle the demands of the course just praying above all else that they come back safe and happy.
They really are the unsung heroes and they deserve every bit of recognition they get and more.
