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‘I want to nail a few better results’: Olympic individual silver and twice team gold medallist Tom McEwen looks to the future


  • In this exclusive, subscriber-only interview, Tom McEwen explains how becoming an Olympian has (and has not) changed his life, reveals some of his up-and-coming equine stars to look out for, plus what he’s focusing on for next season and beyond...

    Dual British eventing Olympian Tom McEwen reconsidered his answer when asked whether the Olympics – most recently his efforts in Paris, where he helped secure team gold with JL Dublin (Dubs), also finishing fourth individually – has changed life for him at all.

    “Someone asked me this the other day and I said no, but I think it probably has,” explains the 33-year-old, who also won team gold and individual silver at the Tokyo Olympics aboard Toledo De Kerser. “It doesn’t change your life in a monetary way, although it can help with sponsorships, and in terms of the business I’m running day-to-day, it changes nothing really.

    “But then in other ways, it does change your life because an Olympics increases the public awareness of our sport – you can’t quite believe how many people have paid attention and watched. Like going to the gym, people that aren’t horsey there now know what it’s about to a certain degree and that’s because the Olympics means something to everyone. They might not know how you get a dressage mark, or what the hell a time penalty is, but they understand the principle.”

    Ros Canter, Tom McEwen and Laura Collett on their lap of honour after winning team gold at the Paris Olympics

    Tom McEwen (centre) celebrates at the Paris Olympics on his lap of honour with his team mates Ros Canter (left) and Laura Collett (right).  Credit: Peter Nixon

    Tom adds that although new opportunities in the form of sponsorships and owners might arise off the back of an Olympic appearance, he feels a sense of wanting to give something back to equestrianism too.

    “It provides us riders with the opportunity to give back to the sport, whether that might be teaching at Pony Club or helping at the RDA,” he explains.

    Life after the Olympics


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