What a year that was. Again another season has come to an end, all the turkey and trimmings eaten and time to recap on the stellar year of equestrian adventures I have been lucky enough to enjoy with my team of riders and clients, before the fitness work kicks off in preparation of the new season.

There have been so many highlights, I decided to pick out my most memorable moments in photos from the 2022 season. Here are my picks:

Yasmin Ingham & Banzai du Loir on their victory lap at FEI World Championships, Pratoni del Vivaro

I could have picked so many photo highlights from Pratoni, each one sprinkled with glistening volcanic dust. But this one is my favourite. The realisation that they’d done it; they’d come and conquered the world together!

It’s a privilege to capture moments like these. To capture all the hard work and sweat and tears finally turning into Gold. I remain ever grateful that I get the opportunity to do this. For all of the challenges this season has bought, it’s also bought me epic moments, working with the best riders and clients a shy girl like me could ever have dreamed of!

Pratoni laid host to so many dreams and memories. It was a feast of world class Eventing action and I keep pinching myself that I got to go and enjoy the event first hand. Where might my adventures take me in 2023?!

Will Rawlin & Optimus Actinium, Osberton International Horse Trials

I’m so lucky that I get to work with too many amazing riders & their team of equine and human heroes. To me, this is the reason I do what I do in a single photo - to capture that bond between horse & rider; equestrianism is teamwork and this photo is teamwork.

Piggy March & Vanir Kamira, Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials

I love this photo - when I was lucky enough to go on the course preview drive with a select few media colleagues a few weeks before the big event returned to action, I admired this fence. It’s mind blowing top spread, world class construction by Guy Herberts team and the anticipation of how close the crowd were able to enjoy the 5* spectacle was noted.

Unlike many of my cross country plans, this one paid off and I happened to time my passing of this fence with Piggy and the heroic Tillybean approaching at speed. They made light work of this huge fence and the resulting photo turned out as hoped. The fact they went on to win only made the plan all that more sweeter.

Laura Collett & London 52 after their dressage test at Badminton Horse Trials presented by Mars Equestrian

Laura Collett & London 52, Badminton Horse Trials, May 2022

I could have chosen so many photos and matching memories from Badminton. To be back on the hallowed turf made me completely giddy for the first couple of days. From sprinting up to the Quarry then back to the lake for particular riders only 30 mins apart was memorable for the reason of feeling like I needed oxygen to revive me. Through to watching Allstar B make such light work of the Lake. To the deafening silence immediately following Nicola’s fall. It’s a Badminton that will linger long in the memory for sure. I was so lucky to be there working for a number of clients and also from being there, to start a few new client journeys too.

The was an incredible atmosphere in the main arena just before Laura and London trotted under the archway. The sense of their time had come. The nervous anticipation that we were about to watch something special.

When most of the camera clicks had stopped once they’d left the dressage arena, I can remember just following their walk out through my viewfinder, just watching in awe of them. When the provisional final score came through, I was delighted I contained my composure long enough to capture those special moments on camera.

Allstar B & Ros Canter through the Lake at Badminton Horse Trials presented by Mars Equestrian

Legend - Allstar B & Ros Canter, Badminton Horse Trials, May 2022

I shall never forget that fateful afternoon at Somerford when I got the devastating news that the King had passed away. An equine legend that will live long in my heart and thanks to his wonderful supergroup Sarah Charnley, I can remember with fondness each time I look at my stunning bracelet.

Not just because this was the last ‘big event’ I got to photograph him at, but I shall cherish the photos I managed to capture at Badminton the year of the King. He had his customary glint of delight in his eye as he made light work of Eric Winter’s tough Badminton cross country, delighted to be galloping amongst his fans. He always has been a pleasure to photograph; always looking to be having the time of his life out on cross country. I may never photograph a horse that enjoys his job as much as Alby did again.

Ballaghmor Class presents at the final Horse Inspection at FEI World Championships, Pratoni del Vivaro

I’ve chosen this one, as although I take thousands, if not millions of photos each season, a good head shot of this legend of a horse has eluded me for some time. Whilst I have many (too many to admit to publicly hehe!) of this horse, I’m either not quite in the right place or the moment passes before I can scurry into the right place.

The equestrian enigma that is Ballaghmor Class & Oliver Townend, FEI World Championships, September 2022

In Pratoni, for once, I was in the right place, at the opportune moment and I feel like I’ve done him some sort of justice. He stands so proud, like he knows how much he’s achieved in the sport, at the highest level and how much we all respect him. He has a charming sort of arrogance about him, understandably so given his enviable 5* record and I have been trying to catch this in a photo for a long time.

Toledo de Kerser, Farley Hall Horse Trials

There aren’t many BE venues that I haven’t now visited, but I do like to tick off at least one new one each season. On a blisteringly hot day this summer, off I trundled to Farley Hall in Berkshire. What a well-kept secret this delightful venue is. Great course nestled amongst a beautiful old parkland, complete with a quintessential Georgian House as a stunning backdrop. Lots of fun was had and thanks to the impending departure of our Team GB stars to Aachen in the following couple of days, a delight of equine stars came along to enjoy the running venue too.

It’s always a pleasure to capture Toledo at any venue, but he just seemed to shine that bit more around Farley. He proudly put on a foot-perfect display for the small crowd in attendance and was a delight to photograph as always.

Kitty King & Vendredi Biats share a moment after delivering their best ever International Dressage score, Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials

So often a photo isn’t just a photo; it’s the emotion you capture, the special moment to honour an achievement made or goal reached. It’s the years of hard work, sweet, tears and perseverance that you capture in the photo as well.

Kitty King & Vendredi Biats, Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, September 2022

I have been extremely lucky to follow Kitty King and her team for a couple of seasons now - this photo at Burghley meant so much to so many people. To Froggy’s owners who have never ending faith that he was capable of delivering this score. To Kitty who had put in so many hours over and above the norm to deliver what she knew they were both more than capable of delivering. To Tracey who put all that hard work in with Kitty. To Chloe and all the home team who cheerlead them on with me.

This photo for me just captures the relief of a job well done. Of a job executed to perfection. Of all the hard work finally delivering the goal. And Froggy just quietly lapping up the crowds raucous cheers and applause.

Harriet Fettes & JL Dublin share a quiet moment at Little Downham International Horse Trials

**Harriet Fettes & JL Dublin, Little Downham International Horse Trials, October 2022**

Some people definately have more of an affinity with equines than others. I have caught many of these ‘quiet moments’ between Harriet and Tom McEwen’s team of stellar equines. Despite assisting the team with a usually bursting horse box full of horses at each competition, I love that Harriet always finds time to reward and applaud each equine hero after delivering a job well done. I love the look in Dubs’ eye and the gentleness of the moment. Sometimes its not all about big fences and high-adrenaline action, beauty can be found in the quiet moments too.

Ros Canter & Lordships Graffalo at Badminton Horse Trials presented by Mars Equestrian

**Ros Canter & Lordships Graffalo fly the Vicarage See at Badminton Horse Trials presented by Mars Equestrian, May 2022**

I could wax lyrical about the exciting talent that is Walter aka Lordships Graffalo for hours, weeks in fact if you would oblige me, but firstly Walter deserves his own blog and you’ve already endured my waffle for a page or more. And for once, this photo made it onto the list for the justice I finally did the fence, rather than just Walter’s talent. (He is the most exciting 10 year old ever isn’t he?!)

I have got several messages from people asking how my Instagram account looks as it does, why don’t I ever take a bad photo. Let’s put the record straight right here and now. I take far more bad photos than I take OK ones, I delete copious amounts of late take offs, chopped off heads, blurry shots of grass - you’d be amazed how many shots of just grass I have in my collection. They just never see the light of day. (Maybe that’s a good blog post idea right there??)

There are many iconic fences on the circuit that I try to capture and some, for some reason I just haven’t nailed yet. The vicarage vee for me has been on that list. To capture the scale, the fear it creates for a horse and rider as well as the sheer achievement in getting over it clear has eluded me for a few years. This year I feel I finally did it some sort of justice, so for that reason, I had to include it on the list in a terribly self-indulgent moment.

And as I could not leave these little gems out (or clearly have an issue with how to count to ten and stop at ten!) they deserve a ‘Special’ rosette mention…

The Special One had to sneak in onto the list

Gorgeous Gary! Cillnabradden Evo & Poppy share a moment after his dressage test at PC Championships, August 2022

Emily King & Valmy Biats watched by the throng of cheering crowds at Les 5 Etoiles de Pau

Emily King & Valmy Biats, Les 5 Etoiles de Pau, October 2022

Will Rawlin & The Partner looking very sharp at the final horse inspection at Bramham International Horse Trials

Will Rawlin & The Partner, Bramham International Horse Trials, June 2022

Whilst my favourite photo of Piggy March & Vanir Kamira at Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials is above in the list, this one was a close runner-up. I love the look on both Piggy and Tillybean’s faces as they walk in victorious to the prizegiving. Hard work pays off.

Piggy March & Vanir Kamira enter the main arena for the Prize Giving at Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, September 2022

What have been your favourite moments and/or photos of 2022? Do let me know which are your favourites

Well thank you for sharing in my moments and thank you to each and every one of you who kindly take the time to read these ramblings, support my work and generally keep me going in the right direction - I wish you a very Happy New Year, here’s to a very successful 2023 and hope to see you out on course when the new season gets underway in 60-odd days time…

Diary of a fledgling ‘tog:

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2022: Top 10 Favourite Moments of the Year