Biography

Sammi Birch

British-based Australian rider Sammi Birch (46) first competed at Badminton in 1999 gaining 7^th place on her debut with Hunter Red. She last competed here in 2022 completing with Finduss PFB (25^th) her entry this year also. Last year the pair was 8^th in the 4*L at Blenheim.

Sammi who is based near Cirencester, grew up around horses and started eventing on her father’s homebreds – mostly thoroughbreds that didn’t make the grade on the track. Her first Badminton horse Hunter Red was homebred. In 2000 she represented Australia at the WEG in Jerez (15^th Frederick Hunter) and in 2003 with Enchanted placed 3^rd at the Australian 4* Adelaide and the following year placed 2^nd with Black Odyssey and was Olympic reserve with Enchanted. In 2005 she moved to the UK. In 2016 with Hunter Valley she was the travelling reserve for the OG in Rio.

Sammi is married to Edward and the couple has an eight-year-old son. When not riding Sammi enjoys sleeping, sunny beaches and going home to Australia. She trains with Alex Franklin.

Findus FPB owned by Parkfield Breeding and Sammi Birch, is a 14-year-old Dutch-bred KWPN registered gelding. He is by the Hanoverian Saffier out of a mare by Sarantos. He was originally produced by Heidi Woodhead – Sammi took the ride in 2019. At home he is known as ‘loopy Luis’ as he is pretty mad.

Hunter Valley II (aka Gizmo) owned by Lyndon and Judy McLeod and Edward Birch, is a 17-year-old Australian Sport Horse gelding. He was bred by Sammi’s father Lyndon McLeod and is by the Trakehner cross, Wirragulla Hamlet out of a mare by Brilliant Invader (sire of Blyth Tait’s Olympic ride, Ready Teddy).