Tom McEwen

Wednesday 7th - Sunday 11th May 2025

Tom McEwen

Great Britain
  • 93 - Strike Smartly
  • 3 - Toledo De Kerser

Biography

British Olympic medallist Tom McEwen (32) completed here last year (4th Toledo De Kerser) gaining his eighth completion of the event. With this year’s Badminton entry CHF Cooliser Tom previously completed in 2022 and that year the combination completed Burghley (12th) also. In 2021 they were second in Pau – a 5* debut for CHF Cooliser.

Tom, who is based near Tetbury is the current Olympic individual silver and team gold medallist. With his Olympic partner Toledo De Kerser, he was also a member of the British team at the 2022 World Championships in Pratoni (12th). He is currently #4 in the FEI world rider ranking (06/04/24).

He is a former Under-25 national champion and has represented GB at Pony, Junior, Young Rider and senior level. In 2007 Tom was a member of the British Pony team winning team gold at the Pony European Championships with Dick Taytoe. In 2010 he was a member of the British Young Rider team that won team gold at the European Championships in Pardubice (14th – Major Sweep) and at the end of the 2010 season he was awarded the Edy Goldman Trophy, for the Under-21 rider with the most BE points, as well as the Horse Trials Support Group Young Rider Training Bursary.

In 2011 he won another Young Rider European team gold at the Championships at Blair Castle (4th – Private Rudolph). In the September of that year he made an impressive four-star debut at Burghley with Dry Old Party winning the best ‘first-timer’ award and at the end of the season retained the Edy Goldman trophy. In 2012 with Diesel Tom won the two-star at Houghton and in 2013 the pair won the U-25 Championships at Bramham. They were subsequently selected for the British Squad for the European Championships (Tom’s first senior championship) in Malmo but Diesel was eliminated at the first horse inspection.

In 2013 Tom made his Badminton debut with Dry Old Party. The pair finished in 19th place and won the prizes for the ‘best placed British rider aged under-25’ and the ‘best newcomer’. The following year he was the youngest rider to have qualified two horses for Badminton (Dry Old Party and Diesel).

Tom comes from an equestrian family. His Mother Ali was a showjumper and Father Bobby, a senior veterinarian, is an associate at Rossdales in Lambourn and worked at Badminton horse trials for over 30 years. His Uncle, John McEwen (MBE), also a senior veterinarian was Vice President of the F.E.I. for eight-years and is a former Chair of F.E.I. Veterinary Committee. Tom’s sister, Ella also formerly competed and rode for the British Pony Team in 2007 and 2008.

At the end of last season Tom married Harriet Fettes.

CHF Cooliser owned by Vicky Bates and David Myers is a 14-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare. Bred in Ireland by Raymond Carroll she is by Womanizer out of a mare by Ramiro B. She was acquired by Tom as a three-year-old. In 2021 she was 2nd at Pau 5* her first at the level and in 2022 completed Badminton and Burghley. She is described by Tom as a ‘very busy little mare, that loves people and is fascinated by crowds’.

Entries

Strike Smartly

ISH, Ireland, 2007
16.3hh , grey , gelding

Sire Ghareeb

Dam Ramble Way (Diamond Lad)

Breeder Mr Patrick Fenlon

Owner(s): Fred & Penny Barker, Stroud, Glos.

Toledo De Kerser

SF, France, 2007
16.2hh , bay , gelding

Sire Diamant De Semilly

Dam Aariane du Prieure II (Papillon Rouge)

Breeder Kristen Drevet

Owner(s): Alison McEwen
Fred & Penny Barker
Jane Inns

Notable Results

2022 – Pratoni CH-M-C 12th Toledo De Kerser

2022 – Burghley CCI5*L 12th CHF Cooliser

2023 – Pau CCI5*L 3rd JL Dublin

2023 – Burghley CCI5*L Ret Toledo De Kerser

2023 – Lexington CCI5*L 2nd JL Dublin

2022 – Pratoni CH-M-C 12th Toledo De Kerser

2022 – Burghley CCI5*L 12th CHF Cooliser

2022 – Aachen CCI4*S 3rd Toledo De Kerser

2021 – Pau CCI5* 2nd CHF Cooliser

2021 – Blenheim CCI4*L 9th Bob Chaplin

2021 – Blair Castle CCI4* 7th CHF Cooliser, ret Bob Chaplin

2021 – Tokyo OG 2nd Toledo De Kerser

2021 – Millstreet CCI4* L 3rd CHF Cooliser

2021 – Bicton CCI4*L 30th Bob Chaplin

2021 – Bicton  CCI4*S 1st Toledo De Kerser

2021 – Aston Le Walls CCI4*S 3rd Toldeo De Kerser

2021 – Little Downham CCI3* 1st Bob Chaplin

2020 – Pau CCI5*L 5th Toledo De Kerser

2019 – Pau CCI5*L 1st Toledo De Kerser

2017 – Burghley CCI4* 4th Toledo de Kerser

2017 – Cappoquin CCI3* 1st Strike Smartly

2017 – Chatsworth CIC3* 1st Strike Smartly

2016 – Barbury Castle CIC2* 1st Joyride

2016 – Bramham CCIU253* 1st Toledo de Kerser

2014 – Le Lions CH-M-YH CCI2* 2nd Toledo De Kerser

2014 – Tattersalls CCIU252* 2nd Rehy USA

2013 – Bramham CCIU253* 1st Diesel

2012 – Osberton CCIYH2* 1st Rehy USA

2012 – Malmo CH-EU-Y-2* 23rd DHI Lupison

2012 – Houghton Hall CCI2* 1st Diesel

2011 – Burghley CCI4* 19th Dry Old Party

2011 – Blair Castle CH-EU-YR2* 4th Private Rudolph

2010 – Pardubice CH-EU-YRC2* 14th Major Sweep

2007 – Freudenberg CH-EU-P 4th Dick Taytoe

Badminton

2023 – 4th Toledo De Kerser

2022 – 12th CHF Cooliser, El Toledo De Kerser (UR)

2019 – 11th Toledo De Kerser

2018 – 7th Toledo De Kerser, 27th Strike Smartly

2017 – 11th Toledo de Kerser

2014 – 31st Diesel

2013 – 19th Dry Old Party