Sam Griffiths
(AUS) Internationell fälttävlandstryttare
Sam Griffiths is an Australian three day event rider, winner of the 2014 Badminton Horse Trials. Sam has been based in the UK since 1995. He trained and worked as a back up rider for double Olympic gold medallist, Matt Ryan, for three years where he had the opportunity to train and compete all levels of event horses.
Upon leaving Matt Ryan’s base, Sam established his own team of horses and since then has been shortlisted for the Athens and Beijing Olympics, finished 5th in the HSBC Classics for 2009 and was a member of the Australian team for both the 2010 World Championships in the USA and the London 2012 Olympics, with his top horse, Happy Times. He is currently ranked in the top 25 in the World Rider Rankings.
Sam has a lot of young horses coming through the ranks and in 2013 won the Osberton CCI two star event with Angelo IV. He finished in the top 15 at Burghley, 13th with Happy Times and 15th with Paulank Brockagh, a horse to keep an eye on in the future.
In 2014 Sam achieved a career highlight by winning the CSI4**** Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trails with Paulank Brockagh. Following that performance Sam and his mare Paulank Brockagh (ISH) were selected as part of the Australian Eventing Team to take part in the Rio 2016 Olympics, where they finished with an incredible team bronze and fourth place individually.
As TRM Ambassador, Sam currently flies the TRM flag at the various international events. He uses many of our products and has this to say about GNF:
It is important to me that my horses don’t suffer from gastric disturbances. I have found that by using GNF my horses are in top condition and perform well all year round.
Click here to view Sam’s website
60 seconds with Sam…
How old were you when you first sat on a pony/horse?
I was about 6 and I got to ride my older brother’s pony called snowy.
Who has been the biggest influence on your career?
I’ve had many influences but I was always inspired by watching the likes of Jinny Leng and Mark Todd.
If you weren’t an eventer, what you be?
I always fancied being a lawyer but I was never really academic enough to get the grades for the degree.
What is the first thing you look for in a horse?
I love good looking athletic horses, but then who doesn’t!
What advice would you give to a young rider?
Two bits if advice; go and learn from the best just like you would go to Uni if you wanted to be a doctor. And, eventing is a tough sport and you have to hang in there. If you can get through the rough parts then you will come out as a better rider and person.
Favourite Restaurant?
I love Japanese
What is your favourite movie?
As a kid it was a comedy movie called ‘Dirty Rotten Scoundrels’. I guess now it’s something like ‘Saving Private Ryan’.
What is your favourite song to have blaring on the radio on route to a competition?
‘Down Under’ by Men At Work or if I don’t want to look too old anything by David Guetta.
A dinner party table of 6, you can invite anyone, who would you bring?
Oh this is a toughie! Steve Waugh a cricketer, Lance Armstrong after what he’s been through, Russell Howard the stand-up comedian, John Simpson a foreign correspondent journalist, Kylie Minogue and the Dalai Lama to keep some balance and decorum.