'We all hate doing anything badly'

As part of H€SH’s 140th anniversary this year, we are celebrating Britain’s great horsey families with a series of interviews. In our third instalment, we speak to the multi-garlanded showing dynasty of David Tatlow, his daughter Loraine Homer and her daughter Alice

WE began by discussing some of the family’s earliest memories of the sport: 

DAVID: I first rode  at HOYS [Horse of the Year Show] when it was held at Harringay Arena. I can imagine I didn’t have any proper clothes, probably riding in jeans and a jumper.

My father rode show horses and so he was an influence. While you should never speak ill of your father, he went on showing when he was far too old. I didn’t get much of a chance to come into it in my early years, something I vowed I’d never do with Loraine, who in turn has done exactly the same with Alice. She’s given Alice wonderful opportunities from the word go, and I admire her for that.

But that’s enough about me, this is about the next generation.

LORAINE: I was lucky enough to have a working hunter pony called Cuckoo on loan from Guy Landau and Roy Trigg who got me going in British Show Pony Society [BSPS] classes.

I started in horses early compared to some, and I was serving my apprenticeship under Dad, doing all the working in and preparing his horses for show days.

A few years ago someone asked me what I thought had made Alice into such a good rider and I believe it’s because she’s had to do her own ponies herself, like I did. A lot of kids are just put on for the ring nowadays.

I digress a bit, but it was all quite easy for me and I didn’t really look outside of the box. Those early days when Dad was right on the top were the very best times. Everyone loves winning, but we’ve always done it as a team and as a young girl I was very lucky to have been given some incredible opportunities.