At the Rolex Grand Slam the grooms take a great spot. Bertram Allen's groom, Lovisa Munter is on the job! "The key to a successful course? A good team is extremely important," she says.
Can you introduce yourself, tell us who you work for, and what your role is?
My name is Lovisa Munter and I have worked for Bertram Allen for the past three years as his travelling groom.
Tell us a little a bit about your journey to the CHI Geneva…
We were in La Coruña, Spain last week competing. We made a stop in France on the way here to give both the horses and myself a bit of a break. We arrived here at the CHI Geneva on Tuesday night.
If there is a horse that doesn’t like to travel, what can you do to help it and how do you ensure that your horses travel well so they can continue to perform at their peak?
Both of Bertram’s horses travel very well – they are very experienced, especially Pacino Amiro. They had a 12 hour break from travelling on our trip to the CHI Geneva, to allow them to rest. Whilst travelling, it is extremely important that we maintain the horses normal feeding times, and try to keep everything as ‘normal’ as possible, so we will stop the lorry throughout the journey to give them their mash and food. They also have hay nets and water buckets in their area of the lorry. I mostly travel with only two horses in one lorry for the longer journeys, so they have a lot of space – they travel really well.
How important is the whole team, e.g., vets, farriers etc., in ensuring the success of the team?
It is extremely important. We are very lucky as we have a great team. We have a fantastic vet – I call him every week to talk about the horses. Bertram, also has an unbelievable farrier – I have never had a problem with any of horses feet.
At home, we have a flat rider called Nathalie and she is the main rider of Pacino [Amiro] and for all of Bertram’s good horses. She does a fantastic job. Kate, the groom at home, is someone that is very reliable, and she is the person that I always call for advice.
Can you tell us about the horses that you have brought with you and what their characters are like?
Pacino Amiro, Bertram’s top horse – he is incredible! We have done so much together, actually last week it was my 50th show with him. He is a very funny character; he knows that he is the boss of the stable. He can be very demanding, and headstrong; you cannot really tell him things, he does what he wants.
The other horse that we have here is Castigo De Amor. He is new, we have only had him for a couple of months, but he has already won two Grands Prix. He is a stallion but he is the sweetest – we refer to him as a ‘little unicorn’. I never have a problem with him.
What are the facilities like for both yourself as a groom and the horses at the CHI Geneva?
It is my third time attending the CHI Geneva, and it is one of the best shows in the world. Everyone says it and it is very true. When you arrive here, you have the CHI Geneva team help you to unpack and muck out. The boxes for the horses are spacious and quiet – everything is just perfect.
How much do you enjoy coming to the Majors – The Dutch Masters, CHIO Aachen, Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’, and CHI Geneva? In your opinion, what sets them apart from the other shows?
The four Majors are considered to be the best shows in the world. Whilst growing up, I would dream to ride at the shows but it is extremely special to attend them as a groom. The facilities for the horses are perfect and the atmosphere at them is so special.
This year, I went to the CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament for the first time and it was just amazing. I have also been to the CHIO Aachen – and it is a phenomenal venue! These Majors are the four shows that all riders dream of winning.
Are you and Bertram feeling confident ahead of this week?
Yes, we are confident – Bertram is in good form. He jumped in the 5* classes at La Coruña last week as preparation for the CHI Geneva. He jumped well but not perfectly so will hopefully do so this week. He usually performs well at the important Majors – he is great under pressure.
How special it to be part of Bertram’s team?
It is so special; it has been a dream come true to work with a rider like him. I always enjoyed watching Bertram riding, he is one of the fastest riders in the world, and a very good horse man. I feel incredibly proud to be working with him and his horses.
What qualities do you think that Bertram has that has meant he has been so successful for so long?
It is incredible how Bertram can ride any horse and they will fight and jump for him. He has a talent that many riders do not have.
What advice would you give to someone who wanted to get into industry?
When I started out, I was working in Switzerland and attending only the national shows. The best learning experience I had was working at the Stephex Stables. I was a part of a bigger team, and worked with a number of experienced riders and grooms. It was a great opportunity to observe and learn from everyone. A major factor in being successful is to be patient in finding a good job once you have gained the experience.
What is the grooms’ community like? Do grooms support one another?
It is very important to have a community of grooms and friends to help out – a lot of my closest friends are here this week. The support means that we help each other out. During the long night drives, we all tend to call each other which is great. I consider them as my second family – we see each other more than our actual families.
source: Rolex Grand Slam/ Ph. © Thomas Lovelock
Can you introduce yourself, tell us who you work for, and what your role is?
My name is Lovisa Munter and I have worked for Bertram Allen for the past three years as his travelling groom.
Tell us a little a bit about your journey to the CHI Geneva…
We were in La Coruña, Spain last week competing. We made a stop in France on the way here to give both the horses and myself a bit of a break. We arrived here at the CHI Geneva on Tuesday night.
If there is a horse that doesn’t like to travel, what can you do to help it and how do you ensure that your horses travel well so they can continue to perform at their peak?
Both of Bertram’s horses travel very well – they are very experienced, especially Pacino Amiro. They had a 12 hour break from travelling on our trip to the CHI Geneva, to allow them to rest. Whilst travelling, it is extremely important that we maintain the horses normal feeding times, and try to keep everything as ‘normal’ as possible, so we will stop the lorry throughout the journey to give them their mash and food. They also have hay nets and water buckets in their area of the lorry. I mostly travel with only two horses in one lorry for the longer journeys, so they have a lot of space – they travel really well.
How important is the whole team, e.g., vets, farriers etc., in ensuring the success of the team?
It is extremely important. We are very lucky as we have a great team. We have a fantastic vet – I call him every week to talk about the horses. Bertram, also has an unbelievable farrier – I have never had a problem with any of horses feet.
At home, we have a flat rider called Nathalie and she is the main rider of Pacino [Amiro] and for all of Bertram’s good horses. She does a fantastic job. Kate, the groom at home, is someone that is very reliable, and she is the person that I always call for advice.
Can you tell us about the horses that you have brought with you and what their characters are like?
Pacino Amiro, Bertram’s top horse – he is incredible! We have done so much together, actually last week it was my 50th show with him. He is a very funny character; he knows that he is the boss of the stable. He can be very demanding, and headstrong; you cannot really tell him things, he does what he wants.
The other horse that we have here is Castigo De Amor. He is new, we have only had him for a couple of months, but he has already won two Grands Prix. He is a stallion but he is the sweetest – we refer to him as a ‘little unicorn’. I never have a problem with him.
What are the facilities like for both yourself as a groom and the horses at the CHI Geneva?
It is my third time attending the CHI Geneva, and it is one of the best shows in the world. Everyone says it and it is very true. When you arrive here, you have the CHI Geneva team help you to unpack and muck out. The boxes for the horses are spacious and quiet – everything is just perfect.
How much do you enjoy coming to the Majors – The Dutch Masters, CHIO Aachen, Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’, and CHI Geneva? In your opinion, what sets them apart from the other shows?
The four Majors are considered to be the best shows in the world. Whilst growing up, I would dream to ride at the shows but it is extremely special to attend them as a groom. The facilities for the horses are perfect and the atmosphere at them is so special.
This year, I went to the CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament for the first time and it was just amazing. I have also been to the CHIO Aachen – and it is a phenomenal venue! These Majors are the four shows that all riders dream of winning.
Are you and Bertram feeling confident ahead of this week?
Yes, we are confident – Bertram is in good form. He jumped in the 5* classes at La Coruña last week as preparation for the CHI Geneva. He jumped well but not perfectly so will hopefully do so this week. He usually performs well at the important Majors – he is great under pressure.
How special it to be part of Bertram’s team?
It is so special; it has been a dream come true to work with a rider like him. I always enjoyed watching Bertram riding, he is one of the fastest riders in the world, and a very good horse man. I feel incredibly proud to be working with him and his horses.
What qualities do you think that Bertram has that has meant he has been so successful for so long?
It is incredible how Bertram can ride any horse and they will fight and jump for him. He has a talent that many riders do not have.
What advice would you give to someone who wanted to get into industry?
When I started out, I was working in Switzerland and attending only the national shows. The best learning experience I had was working at the Stephex Stables. I was a part of a bigger team, and worked with a number of experienced riders and grooms. It was a great opportunity to observe and learn from everyone. A major factor in being successful is to be patient in finding a good job once you have gained the experience.
What is the grooms’ community like? Do grooms support one another?
It is very important to have a community of grooms and friends to help out – a lot of my closest friends are here this week. The support means that we help each other out. During the long night drives, we all tend to call each other which is great. I consider them as my second family – we see each other more than our actual families.
source: Rolex Grand Slam/ Ph. © Thomas Lovelock