Tom McEwen has riding in his blood, following in the footsteps of his equestrian parents, Bobby and Ali McEwen. Ali was a frequent face on the show jumping circuit and Bobby is a Clinical Director at Valley Equine Hospital in Lambourn. Tom’s sister Ella also evented and rode for the British Pony Team in 2007 and 2008.
Tom has had the privilege of being on the World Class Development (Podium Potential) Programme. The Programme underpins World Class Performance and, together with the Equine Pathway, they comprise the Equestrian World Class Programme. It incorporates the three Olympic sports of Dressage, Eventing, Show Jumping and the Paralympic sport of Para-Equestrian Dressage. During the 2011 – 2016 programme it has allowed Tom to receive training, support and expert advice.
Tom was part of the British Young Rider team who brought home a sixth successive European Team Gold from the 2010 Young Rider European Championships at Pardubice, Czech, July 2010. Tom finished 14th overall in the competition with Marguerite Boucher and Penelope Buckler’s seventeen year old gelding, Major Sweep. Previous to the Young Rider Europeans, Tom was part of the Gold Medal winning Pony Team in 2007 with his ride Dick Taytoe.
In 2012 Tom achieved two notable CCI** victories, firstly at Houghton riding the talented Diesel and then at the end of the season taking the CCI** YR on his home produced Rehy USA. Continuing his great run on Diesel, Tom secured a fabulous CCI3* u25 win at the Bramham International in June 2013 and Dry Old Party completed both Badminton CCI4* and Pau CCI4*, finishing 19th and 11th respectively.
In 2014 Toledo De Kerser, a new ride in 2013, made the move up through the grades from Novice to finish a fine 2nd at the CCI2* Young Horse Championship at Le Lion in France. 2016 was a notable year for the McEwen team, in April they moved into Gatcombe Park in the beautiful Gloucestershire countryside. Tom Won the Bramham U25 CCI*** on Toldeo De Kerser, whom was also on the nominated entry list for Great Britain as a long listed by Team GBR for the Rio Olympics, clearly Toledo De Kerser and Tom have their sights set on Tokoyo 2020.
Tom and Joyride Won the CIC** at Barbury International Horse Trials, with Diesel, Tom’s own fourteen-year-old gelding that previously won Bramham U25 CCI*** in 2013 and completed Badminton CCI**** in 2014, he was placed 2nd in the Event Rider Masters CIC*** at Blair Castle.
2017 was a good year and Tom’s horses performed to the best of their ability. Tom finished 11th at Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials and fourth at Burghley Horse Trials in September, edging him into the top 20 in the FEI World Rankings with 18th which was a huge achievement, in the British Eventing Rankings list he sat just outside the top 10 in 11th and was beaten by superstar Toledo De Kerser who claimed equal 6th spot in the top horse rankings.
Looking back on 2018, this was again another successful year for Tom and his team. The highlight being Team Gold at WEG, his first time in a senior team with great teammates and an even more incredible horse which was a new experience and a great one. Other results include Smith & Williamson Intermediate Champion at the Festival of British Eventing with CHF Cooliser, Toledo de Kerser and Strike Smartly being brilliant at Badminton.
Tom’s plans for 2019 focus on Badminton as an early season big target along with Belton and Burnham Market and of course Chatsworth. Tom is hoping to take a bigger part in the ERM series along with a lot of the younger horses being aimed toward Blenheim. Fingers crossed Tom makes it back on the senior team for the Europeans!