Biography

It will be a Badminton debut for British rider Tom Bird (23) the youngest rider in the field this year. In 2024 with Burghley entry Cowling Hot Gossip Tom completed Burghley – his second completion of the event having finished in 2023, at the age of 22, with Rebel Rhyme. Tom is based near Shipston on Stour in Warwickshire.

In 2023 at Bramham he was the reserve U25 national champion (2^nd Rebel Rhyme) and later that year with Rebel Rhyme completed his first 5* at Burghley.
Tom trains with Chris Bartle, Pammy Hutton and Fran Bird. His mother Fran Bird competed to advanced level including the Open championships at Gatcombe.

Tom enjoys playing hockey and skiing.

Cowling Hot Gossip (aka Jasper) is a 13-year-old British-bred, SHB(GB) registered gelding. Bred by Myles Nicholson he is by Away with the Fairies (a son of the RID Gloun Rover) out of Just Jazz by Welton Ambassador. Just Jazz is also the dam of Cowling High Roller competed to 4* by Sam Gillespie. Jasper was acquired as an unbacked 5-year-old from NES Sporthorses in Otley. He is the first horse that Tom backed (when he was 15), and has since produced. The aim was for Tom to take him to Intermediate level ‘to get some mileage’. He says, ‘the fact that he is here is a huge win’. Jasper is owned by his mother Fran, and his Aunt Helen Kerry.