Biography

It will be the fifth visit to Badminton for British rider Tom Jackson (30) who is based near Godalming in Surrey. Tom has three Badminton completions and gained his best result to date when 16^th here in 2022 with Capels Hollow Drift – his entry this year also. The pair was also second at Burghley in 2022 a first time at the event for horse and rider. It was also a career best for Tom, who is a former British Junior and Young Rider team member and medallist.

He is currently #21 in the FEI rider ranking and at the end of last year was 10th in the end of season BE top 100 riders.

Tom, originally from Maidstone, grew up surrounded by horses. He was an active member of the Ashford Valley Pony Club and during his teens combined eventing with hunting. In 2010 with Waltham Fiddlers Find, Tom won the 1* at Weston Park and the following year was a member of the gold medal team at the Junior European Championships.

After completing GCSEs, with a sports scholarship at Bethany School, Tom spent two years working for event rider Sacha Pemble and a further year with Dassett Eventing. In 2013 he set up his own yard in Kent and that year with Waltham Fiddlers Find won team silver in the Young Rider Europeans. The pair won the 2014 Under-25 championship at Bramham and was again a member of the British Young Rider team winning team bronze (7^th individual). They were selected for the Senior Europeans at Blair Castle but were withdrawn due to injury. He completed his first four-star at Badminton in 2017 and gained a second completion in 2019.  He was unlucky to gain another Badminton completion in 2018 when parting company from Waltham Fiddlers Find in the showjumping.

In 2019 he relocated to his present base near Godalming with partner Sabrina who runs the yard. The pair was married in November 2022.

In 2021 he won the C4*L at Ballindenisk (Bahira M) and was 7^th at Pau (Billy Cuckoo) with who he won a silver medal in the 2018 World seven-year-old Young Horse Championships at Le Lions.

Tom’s mother used to ride in dressage and his father is a farrier – Tom’s two sisters also event on an amateur basis. He enjoys playing golf.

Tom trains with Pippa Funnell.

Capels Hollow Drift is a 12-year-old Irish-bred Irish Sport Horse. Bred by Jeanette Glynn he is by Shannondale Sarco out of Lucky Crest by the thoroughbred Lucky Gift – she is also the dam of 3* horses With Love (Frankie Reid Warrilow) and Triple Point (Sharon Reilly IRL). He was acquired by his owners as a foal from the breeder and has been ridden by Tom since a 7-year-old. The pair finished their first season together winning the silver medal in the World 7-year-old championship at Le Lions. Capels Hollow Drift completed his first 5* at Badminton last year (16^th) and was 2^nd at Burghley.