The grooms that will potentially be part of Team GB at the 2008 Olympic Games have spent a day in specific training to ensure that they have all the necessary knowledge and are prepared for the tough environment that will discover in Hong Kong.

The day, which was held in Reading, was organised by the UK Sport funded World Class Performance Programme and was attended by over twenty grooms. A second training session will be held at the end of January in Nottingham for the northern based grooms. This is the first time that World Class has held such an event and Performance Director Will Connell said “ the grooms are essential part of the Team and if we are to be successful in Hong Kong, it is is a no brainer to insure they understand the protocols we will be adopting during the build up to the Games and during the Games. It is also essential to get their input in to how we make Hong Kong successful"

Due to the strict quarantine rules in China, the equestrian events in the 2008 Games will be held at Sha Tin, in Hong Kong. This will mean a 13 hour flight for the horses and hot and humid weather conditions. John McEwen, who has attended six Olympics, explained to the grooms how important the cooling of the horses would be, and how this didn’t just apply to the event horses, but also the dressage and showjumpers. “Handling the climate will result in medals”, explained John “and Beijing will be very groom dependant.”

Event groom Jackie Potts had attended the Test Event that occurred in 2007 and she gave an insight into the lay out of the stables and some top tips how the grooms should take care of themselves to ensure that they are able to cope with the jet lag and extreme conditions. Jackie explained how it rains almost every day in Hong Kong, so good, waterproof footwear is essential to avoid trench foot!


The grooms were then treated to an experienced view of what it means to be a groom at an Olympics from the 2007 Kuster BEF Groom Award winner – Jenny Ellis. Jenny told the audience, “To groom at an Olympic Games should be one of the best experiences of your life. By keeping a professional head, solving potential problems before they arise, and having a little give and take between team mates and riders will give you the chance to make the most of your opportunity. Really enjoy the experience, after all, without a doubt it is a great honour to have groomed at an Olympic Games.”


To learn more about the World Class Programme, visit the website  CLICK HERE

and to find out more about Equestrian at the 2008 Beijing Olympics CLICK HERE

Published: 09 Jan 2008