posted 13/06/2008

Sponsored Rider Update - Tamsyn's Pointing to the Future

Twenty one year old International Event Rider and serial Medallist Tamsyn Hutchins is adding another string to her bow.  Literally – a string of Point to Pointers.

Having worked with and trained Pointers through the winter with local businessman David Stevens, Tamsyn has decided that she wants to experience the thrill of race riding.  It is a wholly different discipline and can be rated in the same way as Football and Netball.  The same things are involved but needing entirely different skills.

Race-riding is a whole different ball game, and it is renowned as being a very difficult transition to make.  Both Princess Anne, the Princess Royal and Prince Charles tried it, the former enjoying slightly more success than her brother.  Mark Todd, the Kiwi Dual Olympian who has this year come out of retirement to qualify for Beijing also tried it with no great joy.  Let’s hope that Tamsyn’s guts and determination see her steering her way to glory between the flags.  Certainly her petite frame and levels of fitness should take her a long way to achieving her goal.

When asked what had lead her to this decision Tamsyn simply said “I think it will be great fun, and I rather enjoy whizzing around with my stirrups that bit shorter!”  How wonderful that in a society where Health and Safety pervades everything that we do, there are still some adrenalin junkies out there who entertain the rest of us on a chilly day!