‘Very exciting news’: British Olympic team rider to become a father

British Olympic eventing team member Tom McEwen is set to become a father for the first time this year, as his wife Harriet is pregnant and expecting their baby in early to mid November.

“It’s very exciting news and definitely feels like we are getting towards the final parts of growing up,” said Tom.

Tom has recently been named on the British eventing squad for the Paris Olympics and he told Horse & Hound Harriet will be going to Paris with him, as will his parents Ali and Bobby. His ride JL Dublin’s owners Jo and James Lambert and Deirdre Johnston will also be making the trip to France to watch their horse at the Games.

“There’s quite a wide range of team coming, which will be great, especially after last time when I was there just with Harriet,” said Tom, who was a team gold and individual silver medallist when he rode Toledo De Kerser at the delayed Tokyo Olympics in 2021, when no spectators and only limited supporters were allowed to attend because of Covid-19.

“We watched a video of my dressage from Tokyo yesterday and thought it looked really odd with those huge towering stadiums empty, so it will be epic to have people there.”

Tom and his long-term girlfriend Harriet (née Fettes) got married last autumn, with Tom going straight from finishing third at Pau Horse Trials on JL Dublin to his stag do – dressing as an air hostess (or possibly a naughty nurse), complete with boots, hat and skirt, for the final press conference.

You may also be interested in:

14 gold medals, stable names and the youngest rider – what you need to know about the British eventers heading to Paris

Power couple and a special Olympic selection – plus Badminton star’s surprise reserve slot

Five-star rider recovering from spinal surgery after fall from muck trailer

JL Dublin – the whole eventing package and ‘a credit to Nicola Wilson’ ridden by Tom McEwen

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Pippa Roome

H&H magazine editor and eventing editor

Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.