Jodie Kidd is picking herself up from being voted out of Strictly Come Dancing by preparing for her head-to-head with Tara Palmer-Tomkinson in a celebrity show jumping competition at Express Eventing this weekend.
“I can’t wait,” said Jodie. “It’s going to be brilliant.” And she is feeling very confident about her chances. “It’s going to be a different type of competition to what I’ve been doing recently, but I’m confident that my horse and I are going to fly round that arena!” [Listen to her full interview below]
But while Jodie has been dazzling TV fans with her dancing, her rival has been getting tips from top event riders.
Tara Palmer-Tomkinson met up with Mark Todd and Oliver Townend last week for some expert tuition, and she is determined to give Jodie a run for her money.
“I don’t come from a family of Olympic riders, but I do come from a family of Olympic skiers and as you have to be fearless for both so I’m feeling confident,” said Tara. “Mark and Oliver have really helped me and I’m definitely leaving with a few tricks up my sleeve!”
Stuart Buntine, former international rider and the man behind Express Eventing, said: “It’s great that Tara is learning from two of the best riders. It’s given her the perfect preparation for the competition at the Millennium Stadium where we’re all gearing up to see some fantastic riding from Tara, Jodie and the professional riders.”
Top event riders from around the world are going to be competing for a first prize of £100,000 in the unique event, which is supporting Macmillan Cancer Support as its nominated charity.
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