The Olympics is always a huge deal for the Horse & Hound team – and Paris 2024 is no exception. When it comes to sport reporting, there isn’t much more important than the major championships and the Olympics is in a class of its own. We have been planning since the last Games and are well prepared to bring you all the news, both in the run up to the Paris Olympics and throughout the Games, with a crack team of expert journalists, photographers, writers and editors on hand to curate everything you want to know.
Meet our Olympic reporting team in Paris
Pippa Roome, Paris Olympics reporter
Reporting from major equestrian events is what H&H’s magazine editor, Pippa Roome, loves most about her job. She has reported from two Olympics – Rio in 2016 and Tokyo in 2021 – as well as from the 2010, 2014 and 2018 World Equestrian Games, the 2022 World Championships and at numerous five-star horse trials at Badminton, Burghley, Luhmühlen, Pau, Kentucky and Maryland. Having been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005, what Pippa doesn’t know about her favourite equestrian sport isn’t worth knowing, but she is also very knowledgeable about both dressage and showjumping, having reported extensively across the disciplines throughout her career.
Pippa’s favourite Olympic reporting memory
“I’d say a tie between standing in the mixed zone watching the individual jump-off which Nick Skelton won to take team gold at Rio 2016 and the British eventers winning team gold at Tokyo,” says Pippa. “The jump-off was perhaps the most exciting, tense moment I’ve ever seen live in horse sport and Nick’s story was incredible. Tokyo was a very strange Games with all the Covid restrictions and it felt like that only increased the pressure on Laura Collett, Tom McEwen and Oliver Townend as favourites, so to see them get the job done was very satisfying.”
What is Pippa looking forward to most about Paris?
“I’m looking forward to the huge buzz of reporting an Olympics – it will be absolutely full on during the period we’re in Paris, but we have a wonderful team at home and in France and it’s always amazing what we can pull off. The moments when you are talking to someone in the mixed zone and they suddenly come out with a great quote or unexpected story give you a big adrenalin rush. I hope to see Britain’s eventers retain team gold!”
Martha Terry, Paris Olympics reporter
H&H Olympic reporter Martha Terry interviewing Dinja van Liere of the Netherlands.
Martha Terry is an experienced equestrian reporter and outstanding all-round journalist who has been contributing to Horse & Hound since 2003. Among her previous reporting gigs she has covered European eventing, dressage and paradressage championships, numerous Le Lion World Championships, Aachen World Equestrian Festival and most recently the 2024 dressage and showjumping World Cup Finals.
Martha’s favourite Olympic reporting memory
“I absolutely loved working all through the night on the Tokyo Olympic cross-country day, when we had two reporters on site, and three of us beavering away at home in the dark at our laptops, being sent quotes from thousands of miles away, gripped by the live action and writing up stories as fast as we could because we knew some die-hard eventing fans would be wanting those stories, even in the middle of the night,” says Martha. “It was ridiculously exciting, even at such a distance, especially as Britain produced such a peerless performance and I felt it was such a privilege to be involved. When I finally got into bed once it was all over at around 7.30am there was no way I was getting to sleep!”
What is Martha looking forward to most about Paris?
“I am massively looking forward to reporting in person at my first Olympics. Remote reporting as support to the on-site reporters is absolutely brilliant, but I have never worked at an Olympics, and I feel like this is a monumental honour and privilege. The venue in Paris, outside the Palace of Versailles, looks truly stunning – I can hardly wait. And if I do get to brush shoulders with the likes of Simone Biles or Rafa Nadal on the Metro, wow!”
Peter Nixon, Paris Olympics photographer
Our brilliant equestrian photographer for the Paris Olympic needs little introduction. Peter’s outstanding photography has been gracing the pages of Horse & Hound magazine for many years. He captured the Olympic highlights for Horse & Hound in Rio and Tokyo, as well as numerous other international championships and five-star competitions along the way. We couldn’t do what we do without him.
Peter’s favourite Olympic memory
“It’s difficult to pick out a single Olympic memory because there have been so many,” says Peter. “Obviously, when a British rider wins a gold medal that is amazing and I’ve been very fortunate to be covering the Games during this golden generation. Personally, it’s even more special when you know the people as friends and you understand the time, hard work and dedication it’s taken to get there. However, I think Nick Skelton winning gold was an amazing experience to be part of, which brought tension and drama, as having jumped early, each rider after Nick just fell short until he was crowned the winner.”
What is Peter looking forward to most about Paris?
“I’m hoping that Paris will have an atmosphere as good as the London Games, which were my first and a highlight of my Olympic experience so far, as Rio and Tokyo lacked that same energy due to limited crowds and COVID respectively. I’ve already seen the Olympic venue and it’s very similar to London, so I’m hoping for the same buzz and excitement from the packed grandstands, the volunteers and French people embracing the experience – and obviously some more gold medals from our British riders.”
Paris Olympics reporting team in the UK
For the duration of the Olympics, all members of the editorial team will be involved in the reporting process, whether that’s curating quotes from our onsite reporters, crafting headlines, processing images, checking copy or laying out magazine pages, but the primary team who will be working in shifts to cover the website reports are listed below.
Jennifer Donald, H&H showjumping editor
Jen has been H&H’s showjumping editor since 2009 and has covered European championships, World Equestrian Games andWorld Cup finals, as well as numerous legs of the Longines Global Champions Tour, Olympia, Horse of the Year Show, Hickstead Derbys and Nations Cups, travelling the globe to follow the showjumping circuit.
Oscar Williams, H&H dressage editor
Paris 2024 will be Oscar’s first Olympics since he join H&H as dressage editor in October 2023, and he will be providing support from the UK to the Paris reporters, before heading to Paris himself to cover the dressage at the 2024 Paralympics.
Eleanor Jones, H&H news editor and reporter
As well as leading the news team and having a great nose for a story, Eleanor is passionate about showjumping and has reported from a number of championships including 2021 and 2023 Europeans and 2022 World Championships.
Lucy Elder, H&H senior news writer and reporter
Lucy is an experienced sports reporter working across multiple equestrian disciplines as both a writer and as a broadcaster. Lucy was H&H’s onsite reporter at the Tokyo Paralympic Games and has also covered multiple European Championships.
Becky Murray, H&H senior news writer and reporter
Becky was an essential part of the home remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympic Games and the European Showjumping Championships and has reported in person from the Royal Highland Show and Blair Castle International Horse Trials.
Gemma Redrup, H&H journalist and sports reporter
Gemma is an experienced sports reporter who has covered multiple disciplines, but has a particular passion for eventing. She has covered many of the biggest eventing competitions in the world including Badminton, Burghley, Luhmühlen, Pau, Bramham and Blenheim, as well as two senior European eventing championships and three junior and young rider European championships.
Carol Phillips, H&H website editor
Carol has been a key part of H&H’s editorial team from numerous championships, including the London, Rio and Tokyo Olympic Games. She can typically be found crafting headlines, nailing SEO and giving other support as needed for those working on the front line.
