Biography

It will be the fourth competitive visit to Badminton for British rider Simon Grieve (40) who gained his first Badminton completion in 2018 (Drumbilla Metro). Simon is based near Wymeswold in Leicestershire where he runs his own yard. With Badminton entry Mr Fahrenheit he completed Pau5* last year.

Simon was just five when he joined the Pony Club and in 1998 competed at the Pony Club Championships at Sansaw. After leaving school he spent a year working in Debbie and Patrick Edmundson’s yard in Suffolk, riding and competing all types and sizes of horses. During this time he competed the advanced event mare Ashdale Cover Girl with whom he was short-listed for the Young Rider European Championships. Simon then moved to Leicestershire as stable jockey for an Irish showjumper followed by two years as second rider to Sarah Cohen at Preci-Spark event horses. In 2006 Simon set up as a freelance rider. His breakthrough came when he linked up with BE trainer Caroline Moore who pointed some owners in his direction. In September 2012 he completed his first four-star with Cornacrew. In May 2013 Simon was side-lined from the sport for three months after suffering from Paget-Schroetter disease, a rare form of Deep Vein Thrombosis. He recovered just in time to compete at Burghley, an event he has completed six times.

Simon enjoys teaching and music.

Mr Fahrenheit III owned by Dr Polly Taylor, is a British-bred (SHBGB registered) gelding. Bred by his owner he is by Catherston Liberator (also the sire of Tim Price’s 5* ride Xavier Faer) out former four-star event mare Little Tiger by Java Tiger. Little Tiger (bred by Val Gingell) and owned by Polly Taylor completed Badminton four-times (2007, ’08, ’09 & ’10) with Phoebe Buckley. In 2008 after success at Burghley Little Tiger won the prize of embryo transfer – Mr Fahrenheit is one and the other Tiger Mail (by Jaguar Mail) born the same year was 8^th at Blair Castle CCI4*L last year with Phoebe Buckley and is owned by Val Gingell. Mr Fahrenheit is ‘small, feisty and ginger’ and is named after the Queen lyric  ‘flying through the air like a tiger, and they call me Mr Fahrenheit’, from the song ‘Don’t Stop me now’.