Sammi Birch: The Dream isn't over yet!

Sammi Birch has spent nearly 30 years chasing the biggest prizes in eventing - but the Olympic start she still wants is what keeps her coming back for more. She opens up about the horses, the heartbreak, the stubbornness, and the wild journey that took her from the Hunter Valley to five Olympic reserve selections and some of the sport’s toughest tracks. Prue and Fi go right back to the start with one of Australia’s most accomplished eventers, from show ponies and dressage to the formative mentors who shaped her career, from the NSW Equestrian Centre, Prue and Craig Barrett and her dad Lyndon. Sammi shares what made horses like Hunter Red, Frederick Hunter, and the formidable Hunter Valley 11 so special, and why some of her best partnerships were also the quirkiest. Sammi also talks candidly about life at Little Park Farm in the Cotswolds with husband Ed, two children, a busy yard, Helen Tagg her head groom for an amazing 27 years, and a team that somehow always seems to have more horses than boxes. She explains why mentoring young Australian riders means so much to her, what it takes to stay at the top of international eventing, and why she’s more excited than ever about the next generation of horses coming through. This episode gives you a real look at what it takes to keep building toward Badminton, Burghley, and Los Angeles. Essential listening if you love eventing, horse people, and the brilliant reality behind elite sport.