Tom was born into an equestrian family – his mother was a showjumper, while his father and uncle are equine vets. He joined the VWH Pony Club as a child, competing on a number of championship teams in dressage and eventing, before moving on to representing Great Britain in eventing youth teams. Pony team gold came in 2007, followed by two team gold medals at Young Rider level in 2010 and 2011.
Tom was set to make his senior championship debut at the FEI Eventing European Championship in Malmö in 2013, but Diesel sadly failed the first horse inspection. After being short-listed for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, it took another two years before Tom finally secured the coveted team slot – he and Toledo de Kerser got a seat on the plane to the World Equestrian Games in Tryon in 2018, where they helped the team to gold. Tom made his Olympic debut at the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in 2021, coming home with team gold and individual silver.
After finishing third at CHIO Aachen in 2022, Tom and Toledo clocked up a second FEI Eventing World Championship in Pratoni del Vivaro in 2022, where they finished in 12th individually and the British team were fourth. This was also the year that Tom began his partnership with former Nicola Wilson ride JL Dublin.
In 2022, Tom and JL Dublin headed across the Atlantic for the CCI5* at Kentucky, where they finished as runners-up behind home favourites Tamie Smith and Mai Baum. This was followed by a call-up for the FEI Eventing European Championship that summer, where they put in a very competitive dressage test but sadly parted company on a tricky cross-country course.
In 2023, Tom has notched up two second placings at CCI5* – one at Kentucky CCI5* with JL Dublin, in a repeat of the previous year, and again at the Luhmühlen CCI5* with CHF Cooliser.
Tom made his second Games appearance when he and JL Dublin were selected to represent Team GB at Paris 2024. They helped the team achieve gold and finished agonisingly close to the individual podium in fourth – the highest-placed pair to finish on their dressage score.
Tom married his long-term partner, Harriet, in 2023 and they saw the arrival of their first child, Dougie, the following year.
| Date | Event | Horse | Medals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Olympic Games, Paris FRA | JL Dublin | Team gold |
| 2023 | FEI Eventing European Championship, Haras du Pin FRA | JL Dublin | |
| 2022 | FEI Eventing World Championship, Pratoni del Vivaro | Toledo de Kerser | |
| 2021 | Olympic Games, Tokyo JPN | Toledo de Kerser | Team gold, individual silver |
| 2018 | FEI World Equestrian Games, Tryon USA | Toledo de Kerser | Team gold |
| 2012 | FEI Eventing Young Rider European Championship | DHI Lupison | |
| 2011 | FEI Eventing Young Rider European Championship | Private Rudolf | Team gold |
| 2010 | FEI Eventing Young Rider European Championship | Major Sweep | Team gold |
| 2007 | FEI Eventing Pony European Championship | Dick Taytoe |