Tom Bird 24 y/o

Great Britain

CCI5* -L Starts (total since 2008): 5

68 - Cowling Hot Gossip

Biography

Tom made his Badminton debut last year on Cowling Hot Gossip (stable name ‘Jasper’), finishing 39th. The pair has also completed Burghley twice, in 2024 and 2025.

Tom backed Cowling Hot Gossip himself and has competed the 14-year-old throughout his career, starting him in international competition in 2019. He is part-owned by Tom’s aunt, Helen Kerry, who bought the horse as a five-year-old from his breeder, Myles Nicholson, her neighbour’s brother.

Tom lives near Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire, where his parents, Fran and John Bird, own and run Cotswold Hills Riding Centre. He trains with Christopher Bartle, Pammy Hutton and his mother, who evented to advanced level.

He plays hockey in winter, captaining the local club team, and is a Manchester City football fan.

Entries

Cowling Hot Gossip

SHBGB, United Kingdom, 2012
16.1hh , bay , gelding

Sire Away with the Fairies

Dam Just Jazz (Welton Ambassador)

Breeder Myles Nicholson

Owned Helen Kerry
Fran Bird
Tom Bird

Stats & Insights from

PB – Dressage(CCI5*-L)

43.2 - Burghley 2025

PB – Finish(CCI5*-L)

85.2 - Badminton 2025 - 39th

Dressage(Last 6 tests avg.)

41.9

XCJ – Clear Rate(Last 10 runs)

80%

SJ Faults(Last 6 avg.)

14

Insights

This will be a sixth CCI5* start for Tom and a second visit to Badminton.
Cowling Hot Gossip has completed three from three starts at this level, including clear rounds in the cross-country both here (2025) and at Burghley (2024).

Badminton Record

2025 – Cowling Hot Gossip 39th

Notable Results

2025 Burghley CCI5*-L – Cowling Hot Gossip 26th
2024 Bramham CCI4*-L – Cowling Hot Gossip 5th
2024 Burghley CCI5*-L – Cowling Hot Gossip 33rd
2023 Ballindenisk CCI4*-L – Rebel Rhyme 7th
2023 Blenheim CCI4*-L – Cowling Hot Gossip 44th
2023 Bramham CCI4*-L – Rebel Rhyme 2nd
2023 Burghley CCI5*-L – Rebel Rhyme 30th
2023 Kronenberg CCI4*-L – Rebel Rhyme 18th
2022 Blair Castle CCI4*-L – Cowling Hot Gossip 8th
2022 Bramham CCI4*-L – Rebel Rhyme 13th
2022 Kronenberg CCI4*-L – Cowling Hot Gossip 11th
2022 Kronenberg CCI4*-L – Rebel Rhyme 10th