FAMILY TIES
As part of H&H’s 140th anniversary this year, we are celebrating Britain’s great horsey families with a series of interviews. In our third instalment, we speak to the multi-garlanded showing dynasty of David Tatlow, his daughter Loraine Homer and her daughter Alice
Celebrating 1884140 2024 years
WE began by discussing some of the family’s earliest memories of the sport:
DAVID:
I first rode at HOYS [Horse of the Year Show] when it was held at Harringay Arena. I can imagine I didn’t have any proper clothes, probably riding in jeans and a jumper.
My father rode show horses and so he was an influence. While you should never speak ill of your father, he went on showing when he was far too old. I didn’t get much of a chance to come into it in my early years, something I vowed I’d never do with Loraine, who in turn has done exactly the same with Alice. She’s given Alice wonderful opportunities from the word go, and I admire her for that.
But that’s enough about me, this is about the next generation.
LORAINE:
I was lucky enough to have a working hunter pony called Cuckoo on loan from Guy Landau and Roy Trigg who got me going in British Show Pony Society [BSPS] classes.
I started in horses early compared to some, and I was serving my apprenticeship under Dad, doing all the working in and preparing his horses for show days.
A few years ago someone asked me what I thought had made Alice into such a good rider and I believe it’s because she’s had to do her own ponies herself, like I did. A lot of kids are just put on for the ring nowadays.
I digress a bit, but it was all quite easy for me and I didn’t really look outside of the box. Those early days when Dad was right on the top were the very best times. Everyone loves winning, but we’ve always done it as a team and as a young girl I was very lucky to have been given some incredible opportunities.
My mum was a beautiful side-saddle rider and she had great success too. To this day she is such a great supporter of Alice. She never misses a show, a point-to-point or a team chase, irrespective of weather, and she’d drive us anywhere at any time.
ALICE:
I started off with Pony Club ponies. One year, Mum and I stood outside the main ring at the Royal International [RIHS] watching the show hunter pony championship and she turned to me and said, “I swear you’ll be in this championship next year.”
LORAINE:
Looking back, it was a totally mad thing
