In an up close and personal interview with Harry Bateman, he dishes the dirt of what sacrifices he has had to make in order to reach the top of his game.
"A social life is non existent outside of the showjumping world, unless you are willing to wake up earlier than normal and work twice as hard. You can not cut corners when it comes to live animals, they require your utmost attention, you cannot skive off for a day to meet your friends! This sport is the definition of resilience and dedication.
When it comes to stay-away competitions, some being up to a week long away from home, it does allow some time for socialising once competition has finished up for the day. My favourite place for this must be Royal International (Hickstead, Brighton) where everyone can congregate at the local restaurant for the evening. It allows me to meet friends that compete across the globe and rarely see, and that makes competitions sometimes all the more special."
"Be prepared as an aspiring equestrian to save your money, and spend it purely on your horse. Need new clothes, but your horse also needs a new rug? The horse comes first, always. His/her comfort is paramount. Some competitions are also very expensive, let alone the fuel fees and stabling. It all adds up. I am grateful to my sponsors and owners that are happy to help me attend these prestigious shows, and put my name on the map"
