Super Groom Adam Short on travel, teamwork, and award-winning turnout

Adam Short grooms for the current World No.2 Tom McEwen and was part of the 2024 Olympic Gold Medal-winning team in Paris.

We caught up with Adam following his return from a successful trip to the Defender Kentucky three-day event, where he took home the Best Turned Out prize!

Q: Adam, congratulations on winning the Best Turned Out award at Kentucky! How was the experience overall?
Thank you! Kentucky was amazing. Winning the Best Turned Out prize was such a lovely bonus – I’ve never had a groom’s prize before, and this was definitely the right place to win one!

Q: How did you find out you'd won?
I’d actually gone back to the stables and was faffing about when Dickie Waygood (GB Performance Director) came over and told me I had to go back to the trot up because I’d won $1,000. I honestly thought it was a joke at first! But then I had to shake a lot of hands and pose for loads of photos, I felt really appreciated for my work.

Q: What did it mean to win a monetary prize like that?
It was incredibly generous, and it made a real difference. I was able to celebrate properly with my friends and buy drinks for the other grooms – they’re like family. It’s lovely to have a bit of money to buy something special to remember the moment too. I really can’t thank the organisers enough.

Q: What was the event organisation like at Kentucky?
Top notch. Everyone in the office at the event made sure we knew where to go if we needed anything, whether that was a lift to the supermarket or someone bringing us food. Arrival was super easy too, there were loads of people ready to help unload everything. The people really make the event; they work so hard and are so kind. You could tell they genuinely wanted us there.

Q: How does Kentucky compare to European events?
It’s a very different experience. For European events, we pack the lorry, drive, and live in the truck. For Kentucky, we’re flying horses and kit, staying in Winnebagos, and using golf carts to get around. There’s a lot more prep – packing flight trunks, making lists – but it’s all part of the adventure.

Q: You’ve been grooming for Team GB for nearly 8 years now. What does it mean to you?
I love it. Sewing the Union Jack onto saddlecloths and wearing the kit always feels special. Because so much eventing happens in Britain, it’s nice to be abroad and flying a bit of a minority flag, it really stands out. At Kentucky a lady in the crowd called me over to tell me how happy she was we’d made the trip and gave me a bottle of whisky!

Q: Do you have any big career goals at this point?
For me, it’s not about chasing competitiveness. My philosophy is more: let’s go, have a great time, enjoy it, and make sure the horses come out of it well. I really love this sport, and I love seeing the horses going well. We have so many exciting young ones now, and my goal is just to keep going and keep enjoying it.

Q: What’s your favourite part of being an international super groom?
Definitely the people – as well as the horses. I’ve been doing this a while now, and I love seeing others grow in their roles. I remember a very young groom once asking me how to do quarter marks at Blair, now she’s smashing it with a top team. I love that!

Q: You’re heading to Badminton next – how does that feel?
Badminton is iconic. I’m going with a really good horse, and it gives me that warm fuzzy feeling. The Badminton social media team have asked me to be more involved this year too, doing a groom’s-eye view and a pre-event stables visit, which I’m really looking forward to.

Q: With back-to-back events, how do you manage your energy levels during the busy season?
Honestly, I love it. I run a lot on adrenaline and excitement! Doing two 5*s back-to-back is pretty thrilling, but I also know my limits. I’ll have an early night tonight and a day off tomorrow. It’s important to know when you need to rest. I always plan holidays at the end of the season too, once the madness is over.

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