Slip collector organiser

Fi Norbury on the childhood thrill of being mistaken for a competitor, perfect grooming and Badminton’s crowds

As a child in the Beaufort Hunt branch of the Pony Club I was asked to be a slip collector for Badminton, which I was thrilled about.

But when the jump I was given was the steeplechase, which didn’t attract many spectators, I remember being a bit disappointed. “No one will see me!” I thought.

But the highlight of my day was arriving in the trailer with my mother, and as we were going into the car park, the policeman stuck his head in the window and said: “Good luck.” I honestly took that as him thinking I was competing.

Now I organise the slip collectors for the crosscountry day, which I’ve been doing since 2017.

It involves choosing 13 children who will be mounted around the course and two on foot (who collect slips from the jumps in the arena). In early December a message goes out from the two local Pony Club district commissioners (DC) asking for anyone in year nine or above to apply, so they need to be 14 years old.