Tuning in…
Tuning in…
Castaway
1 appearance
Horse trials rider who won Olympic bronze and silver in 1984, and world and European titles.
On the island
Eight records
Moonlight SerenadeFavourite
I always remember my parents playing it, especially in Singapore days when it was just evening and having drinks on the veranda and things. So it's it has good memories for me.
The pony was named Misty after the record. Again, another one that particularly my father enjoyed, and ever since I listened to it as a child it's been a big favourite of mine.
Fred Wise, Ben Weisman, Kay Twomey, Bert Kaempfert
Elvis was a great love of mine and I always thought that he'd definitely wait for me to grow up. ... One of my favourites was Wooden Heart, which um was in the film G.I. Blues. And it was one of the first grown-up films I went to see, so it was very special.
Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford
I met Mike and Angie Rutherford just after I won Bramham, which was the stepping stone to continuing on in the sport. ... And when we came back we went to my first ever live concert which was Genesis and this was one particular track that they played so it's really because they're good mates and I think they're brilliant
Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie
Firstly I think it's a marvellous song and also I felt very strongly about Bob Giddoff's whole approach to the problem in Africa. I felt very touched by it all and I was quite keen to perhaps drive one of the lorries out there with food.
Very special because he performed on stage at the closing ceremony and when he was singing everybody joined arms and we all sort of swayed to the music and he was quite a sort of favourite of mine anyway and to have him there live on stage was quite something.
It's a very, very good bouncy record and I find sometimes when I'm going to a competition and I'm a bit nervous about it, if I play something like this it gets me really going and I ride cross country a bit more with a bit more flair shall we say.
I Just Called to Say I Love You
When I met Hamish, my husband, this particular record ... was number one. And I think I'm right in saying that it was the first number one hit for Stevie Wonder. And I'm a great fan of Stevie Wonders. I think he's a remarkable man.
In conversation
Presenter asks
1:47What kind of an effect do you think all this travelling around [as a child] had on you?
I really did love the travelling. I mean, as a child, I remember, certainly in Singapore days, of thinking of nothing but going to the swimming pool and eating ice creams, and loved the the sun. ... And also, really meeting different people, different races. And I think ... in a sense, I was fairly well educated in that way.
Presenter asks
5:17How old were you when you first started riding?
Three. ... I think I was rather determined to get on board and I think mummy got so fed up ... that she said, Oh, you better get on then and so I did.
Presenter asks
7:53You were very unhappy at boarding school and you became anorexic, didn't you?
Yes. I was very unhappy because I I think I missed my parents so very much, and because they were so far away, it seemed at that age to be years before I'd see them again. I think the reason I got anorexia was a great friend of mine and I decided that we were too fat, you know, vain as ever, and we went on a diet and I just didn't stop.
The keepsakes
The luxury
never ending supply of smoked salmon
I'd like to take with me a never ending supply of smoked salmon.
Presenter asks
10:55What was the first breakthrough for you in your chosen career?
Well, I think probably when I won the junior European championships with this super horse called Giuboni that was bought for thirty five pounds by my grandfather, I think that really gave me the incentive to want to compete and to go on within the sport.
Presenter asks
12:45What happened exactly [in your bad accident]?
I came up a long, steep hill the horse was quite tired ... and he for some reason hesitated over the first part of the fence ... He actually left one foreleg down and somersaulted over the fence and I went hairing in towards the road head first literally ... So I put my left arm out and I forgot to bend it ... And so I ended up smashing the wrist and the elbow sort of went shooting out in the wrong direction.
Presenter asks
17:07How do you describe the relationship you have with a horse?
Well, it's a sort of I think probably a harmony between horse and rider. Very much like, shall we say, skating, where you have, say, Torville and Dean. And they are absolutely as one. ... When you're coming into a fence, the horse, let's face it, has never seen the course before, we have, and you have a sort of code.
“I always thought that whatever my brother did, who was four years older, I could do better, or definitely equal him.”
“She took me home and she said, Either you eat or you don't ride. And it was the fact that I wanted to ride that actually made me eat again.”
“I was never frightened of hurting myself, but I was concerned that I couldn't ride, and I felt that my riding had gone completely downhill, and I'd lost that certain rhythm and balance and confidence in order to compete.”