Welcome to The Debrief, where we’ll recap the experience of a rider or equestrian following a big result or otherwise memorable competition or achievement. Click here to read more editions of The Debrief.
In this edition of The Debrief, we spoke to arguably the friendliest person in eventing, Adam Short, head #supergroom to Tom McEwen. Having learned the tricks of the trade under Jackie Potts at William Fox-Pitt’s yard, he became Tom’s right hand man in 2020.
Later this month, Adam will be taking a trip to Paris with Tom and JL Dublin, as part of Team GB but Tom and ‘Dubs’ have already enjoyed several podium finishes, not least of all in the 5* at Kentucky – and of course Adam was there to take care of their every need. Adam also accompanied Tom to Kentucky last year, where he and Dubs also finished second. Ahead of their trip across the English channel, we sat down with Adam to find out where his journey with horses began, and to hear what he thinks of the Best Weekend All Year.
Adam cheers on Tom and “Dubs” at Kentucky in 2023. Photo by Shelby Allen.
It may come as a surprise to Eventing Nation readers that you do not come from a horsey family, and have also moved several hours away from home to pursue your chose career path. Could you tell us a little about your journey and how you ended up dedicating your life to horses?
Well, when I was three years old, I wanted a dog for Christmas…but my mum wouldn’t get me a dog, because we lived right in the centre of Newcastle [a city in Northern England, for U.S. readers!]. Instead, she decided to get me a few riding lessons at an amazing place called Stepney Bank Stables, which is just the most phenomenal charity and I still love it so much there. So I started riding there a three, and just kept on going and going.
When I was around 13, I started to develop my riding a little more, and began to travel round the local area, riding other people’s horses. I charged £10 a horse to try to make a little money out of it, but it wasn’t until I had completed my first year at University that I thought actually, horses are the direction I really want to be going in.
That was when I applied for a job with William [Fox-Pitt], and I was so lucky to get the job – it was one of those things where I applied but didn’t even think I’d hear back! I got on so well with them, and had the most fantastic three years there, and learnt so much. William, Alice, the whole family, they’re just great – and Jackie Potts, who has worked for William for about three hundred years (she won’t mind me saying that!), is the most helpful, knowledgeable great human ever, who taught me so much.
Adam with William Fox Pitt and Jackie Potts.
You have mentioned that you did a lot of riding when you were younger. Did you never want to pursue a competitive riding career yourself?
I think from a young age I always wanted to ride, and even when I moved to William’s, I still had it in my head that I was going to ride around Badminton and Burghley one day. But then I actually walked the courses, and realised that I maybe didn’t want to do that! It’s funny because when you are younger, you rarely learn about the grooming side of things – all people think about is learning to ride, but when I moved to William’s and had the opportunity to travel with him and the horses, I realised that this was kind of my ideal job.
Having made that decision, do you no longer ride, or is that part of your role too?
Yes, I do still ride – when I first went to William’s, he gave me the ride on an older horse, and I took that up to Intermediate level. So even when I was there, I was still learning, doing more competition riding. I would ride some of the younger horses too, and take them around their first BE100’s, and when I moved to Tom’s I did a little of that too.
But then it got to the point where, although I was still enjoying my riding, it became quite difficult to combine that with being a travelling groom. If you’re travelling, then obviously you’re not at home with the horses, and similarly, when I was at events, trying to look after Tom and his horses, it was then hard to try to ride mine at the same time. It just gets quite a lot – like trying to be a ack of all trades, instead of a master of one! Far better to put your all into one thing, and doing that to the best of your ability, instead of rushing around and half-arsing two jobs.
Photo by Shelby Allen.
You mentioned Tom there, and I think perhaps now, most of our readers will associate you more with Team McEwen now. When did you move there, and why did you decide to move away from William?
No real reason; William’s yard was getting a little quieter, with a few less horses, while I was wanting to get busier. So I moved to Gloucestershire and after a little bit of freelancing, I started working for Tom. This is now my fourth season with him, and I love it just as much there as I did at William’s. Lots of nice horses, nice people and I’m really busy going to all of these wonderful places.
One of those places, is of course Kentucky! You, Tom and JL Dublin – ‘Dubs’ – have made the trip out there twice now. Is it really ‘The Best Weekend All Year?!’
100%! I would say that it’s my favourite 5*, for sure. I’ve been twice now, and I think I enjoyed it even more this time around. I mean, I still had a brilliant time last year, but this year was even better. Once you’ve been somewhere once before, and you know the lay of the land, you know where everything is and how it all works, then it makes it much easier and even more enjoyable.
They [the Kentucky team] look after the British competitors and their teams so well. Anything you want, they get it for you – they can’t do enough to help you. One day they were even like, “Have you guys got lunch?” and went and got all the grooms something to eat; they’re just so nice! Last year, I met a guy who transports the horses from the airport to quarantine, and from quarantine to the Horse Park, and he was lovely, and this year he arranged for his wife to drop off their car, so we had a car for the week! He wanted to come and watch the event on the Saturday, so I went up to the office to see if they could get him tickets, and they immediately sent him free tickets – with hospitality too. Other events aren’t always that generous!
Other than the hospitality, Kentucky Horse Park itself is just the most amazing place. That main arena, there is nothing quite like it in the world – or at least, not that I have been to. It’s just so special.
The whole trip is just a really fun thing to do – even down to the fact that the horses fly over, and we pack everything into trunks rather than a lorry. It’s just a way bigger deal – in terms of the preparation – than any other event.
JL Dublin arrives at Kentucky for The Best Weekend All Year!
Can you tell us a little more about the travelling process? Obviously the horses fly over, with the grooms and riders going out on different flights. Do you meet them at the airport, or is someone else responsible for unloading them? Do you worry about leaving your precious steed with someone else?
So this time, we [the grooms] flew out from Heathrow at around 11.30 AM, while the horses flew from Stansted at around 10PM that same night, so we were ahead of them and other people took them to the airport.
It’s funny, because since we have had ‘Dubs,’ the only two times he has ever left the yard without me is when he has gone to the airport. But saying that, you do trust the people who are in charge of them; it’s their job so you know that they’re going to do a good job. Plus, we were in the sky when they took off, so it’s kind of beyond our control at that point! As soon as we landed though, we all took our phones straight off ‘Airplane mode’ and made sure everything was alright.
There is always quite a large European contingent taking the trip to Kentucky. Is there a sense of being part of a wider community when you’re out there – do you and the other grooms stick together?
Certainly, and that makes it even more special. This year, there were five of us grooms on the flight out there – Alison who works for Yas Ingham, Jess who was with Oliver Townend, Chrissy Salmon who was with Susie Berry and SJ who works with Kirsty Chabert. It was such a brilliant group to go out there with – we are all really good friends anyway, and I think that’s another reason I enjoyed Kentucky so much this year.
We stayed together in a hotel near quarantine initially, and then when the horses moved to the Horse Park, we all stayed on site, in RV’s – it was very cool! There were three RV’s between the five of us, and we all had dinner together in the swankiest one every night. It was really lovely.
Saying that, the European competitors are all made to feel very at home by the American grooms – we would all go out and hand graze the horses together, and I made even more friends out there this year.
Adam Short, groom to Tom McEwen, after a stellar Badminton dressage test. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Is there any down time before or after the competition, so that you can explore a little more, and maybe enjoy a few touristy hot spots?
Yeah! We got there on the Saturday and obviously the competition doesn’t start until Wednesday, so the days leading up to that are kind of chill days. We did ride the horses a little before the riders got there, and there was lots of hand grazing. While the horses were in quarantine we did a few fun things too, because we are only allowed in there [quarantine] for like an hour each day. So we took a trip to the Churchill Downs, where the Kentucky Derby is held, and we also managed a night out before the competition started, which is always fun. We had another night out actually, on the Sunday after the competition ended, which is all part of the American tradition. Thank God we weren’t leaving the next day – we were not our best selves…
In terms of your role as groom, do you feel any pressure or nerves when you’re watching Dubs, or are you just happy to see him safe and sound?
To be honest, I don’t really feel any pressure: I’m not really a competitive person. My main priority is to go and do my job the best that I can, and if that means winning then great, and if we don’t win, at least I have still done everything I can to help them to be successful as possible, whether that is getting round or winning. If I can do the best that I can, then I am happy – he could have come first, he could have come last.
Plus, in terms of Kentucky, it is such a big trip, I really do enjoy just being involved in it all, and actually having the chance to take such a massive trip; it’s so rare, so being part of it all is really, really cool.
A second place result must have been the icing on the cake for you then! Was there much time for celebration when you got back to the UK – or were you straight back to work?
Not really! I landed on the Wednesday lunchtime, went straight back to work, packed the lorry and set off for another event the next day. We were there Thursday – Sunday and then came home, unpacked and repacked and set off for Badminton. It really is non-stop, and I’m rarely at home but I love it and it keeps me buzzing. There’s nothing else that I can think of that I would rather be doing, and on top of that, I get to travel all over, and see the world.
Adam will be seeing a little more of the world this month when he travels to Paris with Tom and JL Dublin, and we can’t wait to see what they get up too! Wishing Team McEwen and Team GB the very best of luck out there – and thank you Adam for confirming what we already thought – The Defender Kentucky Horse Trials really is The Best Weekend All Year!
