Gemma Stevens (née Tattersall)

Gemma Stevens (née Tattersall) is a British event rider who has ridden at the Olympics, won a world team gold medal and won the Event Rider Masters series title in 2017.

Gemma Tattersall (now Stevens) and Chilli Knight on the way to top spot in the five-star at Bicton.

What championships has Gemma ridden at?

Gemma gained her first team experience as part of the junior and young rider European Championship squads and won two team gold medals at young rider level in 2005 and 2006.

Gemma Tattersall first represented Great Britain at senior level at the 2015 Longines FEI European Eventing Championships at Blair Castle Horse Trials. She finished ninth as an individual riding Arctic Soul.

In 2014, Gemma and Arctic Soul were reserves for Great Britain at the World Equestrian Games, but as they weren’t called upon, they went on to finish the year with a fifth place at Burghley Horse Trials.

Gemma was a member of the British squad at the 2016 Rio Olympics on Quicklook V and the pair also represented Britain as individuals at the 2017 Strzegom European Championships, where they finished eighth.

In 2018 Gemma won her first senior championship medal when she and Arctic Soul were the pathfinders for the gold medal-winning British team at the World Equestrian Games in Tryon in the USA.

Has Gemma won at five-star?

In 2021, Gemma achieved her first five-star win when she and the home-bred Chilli Knight took the one-off CCI5* at Bicton Horse Trials, laid on to replace Burghley, which was cancelled due to Covid-19.

Gemma Tattersall (now Stevens) celebrates showjumping clear on Chilli Knight at Bicton five-star.

Gemma says of Chilli Knight: “He’s a funny little horse. I wouldn’t say he’s the brightest horse in the world, but what makes him is that he always tries his absolute best in training and in competition. I describe him as typical gelding, and a ‘yes man’. If I ask him to do something, he’ll give it a go. Very rarely is he difficult or in any way naughty.

“He’s a poppet and I don’t think I’ve ever seen him put his ears back in his life. I don’t think he really knows how to be horrible or nasty or anything like that.”

Gemma has also finished third at Badminton Horse Trials in 2016 with her “horse-of-a-lifetime”, the ex-racehorse Arctic Soul, and third at Burghley in 2017 on the same horse.

Gemma Tattersall (now Stevens) and Arctic Soul at Badminton 2016.

She achieved a runner-up placing at the top level at Pau Horse Trials on Pamero 4 in 2018.

Where is Gemma’s yard?

Gemma is based in West Sussex at a yard belonging to her main owner, Chris Stone, who was also the chief force behind the Event Rider Masters series and the owner of the stallion Chilli Morning, who won Badminton 2015 with William Fox-Pitt.

The Stones have a breeding programme at the yard and Gemma is involved in producing and competing the Chilli Morning progeny.

The Bicton five-star winner Chilli Knight is a son of Chilli Morning, out of Kings Gem, who Gemma rode at five-star level.

Gemma also has one of Chilli Morning’s three clones to produce. The others are based with Chinese rider Alex Hua Tian and German Olympic champion Julia Krajewski.

Is Gemma from a horsey family?

Yes. Gemma grew up with horses because her mum Marcelle (Marcy) had a riding school. Marcelle is still very involved in Gemma’s career and often grooms for her at big competitions.