Tina and Michael Smith
Both Tina and Michael Smith are originally from Bromley, South East London and met at a riding club camp in 1987. Michael had been interested in horses from an early age, and at 18 was both show jumping and eventing, while Tina became interested in riding through her uncle, who met and married a riding instructor, and bought her six riding lessons for a birthday present.
Tina is a McTimoney chiropractor by trade, qualified to treat both humans and animals, and currently works at a clinic in Plympton. Michael first joined the civil service and later worked in a company trading in dairy goods, soon becoming self-employed importing ginger products for the food manufacturing industry, and now supplying over half of the UK market. He became interested in cavalry tactics and mounted warfare, taking part in military re-enactments on horseback and at the same time became more serious about dressage - often referred to as “ballet on horseback”. He was soon entering competitions in the South East, with great success. A friend suggested he take his horse to the medieval mounted games at Herstmonceux Castle, East Sussex, and after three days of competition he achieved a surprising joint first place.
His interest in mounted games soon moved on to tent pegging – the ancient tradition of removing wooden ‘tent pegs’ using real swords and lances while riding a galloping horse. Riders compete in team, pair or individual classes and competitors must have good coordination and weaponry skills, whilst riding the horse at speed over a distance of 100metres, correcting the horse’s line one-handed. Europe has a developing tent-pegging circuit, but the sport originated in the Middle East alongside polo and hunting wild boar, and today it is still most popular in arid countries such as Pakistan, South Africa, Egypt, and India. However, it is slowly becoming more prominent and popular in the UK with team members from Devon competing at county level, nationally and internationally.
Michael began alternating between dressage competitions and tent pegging, but found his horses were too big. He borrowed Tina’s smaller polo pony whilst she was out of action and then bought his own. Tina became fed up with always following Michael around so finally decided to take up the sport and was soon competing alongside Michael - together they made a formidable pair. In 2009 Tina and Michael attended their first serious international competition and since then have competed all over the world representing their country, most successfully as part of Team GB in the International Tent Pegging World Cup in India in 2015, with Michael gaining an individual silver medal, and Team GB winning gold in Indian File. Tina was the first British female rider to ride down a tent-pegging track in Pakistan gaining two silver medals. Sadly, after a fall from her horse whilst competing, she broke her hip. However this injury spurred her to take qualifications in judging and she’s now one of only two female international accredited judges in the UK and recently adjudicated the World Championships in Egypt.
Tina helps to organise events in the South West with one meet each month through the summer season in each county alongside regional and national competitions. Conditions in the UK do not lend themselves to tent pegging, traditionally a desert sport - wind, rain and cold are not ideal when riding at speed on horseback with either a 7-foot,6-inch-long sword or lance and target pegs only a few centimetres above the ground.
Michael is a qualified tent-pegging coach, and also the patron of the local Devon team, the Dartmoor Demons, currently coaching a number of youngsters and adults including a 14-year-old girl from Truro whom he hopes will be match-fit for the next international competition in Holland. Michael says: “I really enjoying teaching tent pegging from scratch as you can stop both rider and horse from picking up bad habits. It is an excellent, inclusive sport for all ages and horse-riding abilities as you can soon learn the skills required and you don’t need an expensive horse”. The British team receives no formal UK funding or coaching, and has developed its success through the dedication of its members and its in-house training. Michael and Tina are keen to develop more regional training for riders interested in tent-pegging.
As I leave I notice the logo on Tina’s sweatshirt ‘ride it like you stole it’ which is fitting given the high-octane buzz of tent-pegging. Michael tells me that this is just a hobby, but I feel it is so much more than that.
For more information visit the Facebook pages of British Tent Pegging Association and Tent Pegging South West
Congratulations to BTA rider and coach Michael H V Smith and his fab pegging pony Naranja (AKA: Nu2) on their new set of wheels! This impressive prize was battled for at the Punjab Lancers competition in Birmingham yesterday and awarded to the 'Best Rider.' The biggest prize ever in UK TP
Michael has also just taken ‘Best rider’ at the Punjab Lancers competition in Birmingham and won a car for his trouble – literally the biggest prize ever in UK tent pegging.