Our New Brand Ambassador: Tina Wallace

We’re really excited to introduce you to one of our new brand ambassadors… and we’ll be announcing two more very shortly too. This is Tina Wallace, who you might also know her as Life On The Left Rein. We’re so excited to be working with Tina but, for now, over to Tina…

A big hello to everyone reading this Blog post.

My name is Tina Wallace and next to me here is my handsome Irish Hunk Banksy.

We are delighted to have been asked to represent HiHo Silver and thought it would be best to introduce ourselves officially.

I am 32 years old and live on a small holding in Truro, Cornwall with my Husband Rob, our 2 dogs Blue & Sam and most importantly Banksy.

I rode as a child, yet never competitively and didn’t get to own my own horse until the age of 26, where I went from hacking around the Cornish Country side for the first couple of years, to taking part in low level riding club activities on my old horse Buddy to participating in my First Ever ODE at the age of 29. It sadly didn’t go to plan as we got eliminated in the dressage phase, however somehow the eventing addiction started right there…. We completed a few unaffiliated events during 2015, then entered our first ever Affiliated Event on a Ticket in August 2015, again the dressage was a bit disastrous but we managed to complete the test without leaving the arena and went on to the jumping phase to end our first BE90 on a Double Clear.

In 2016 we registered as full members and did our first full season and became a little obsessed with bettering ourselves at each event, not a bad thing I guess as it was the flatwork that mainly needed attention, which in turn improved our jumping.

2017 has to have been my proudest year to date and I think 2018 is really going to struggle to top that. We auditioned – myself and Banksy via 3 minute YouTube Video to take Part in a TV Show called the Blue Chip All Star Academy, out of hundreds of entries we got accepted as 1 of the 8 finalist and spent 5 days at The Talland School of Equitation filming the show. Long story short if it wasn’t for being a part on the show there is no way I would have had the results I have had on Banksy this year, the show and the subsequent Vlogging gave me so much drive & determination to up my game and bring out the best in Banksy. He is naturally a very good jumper and loves his job, he has nice paces, yet sometimes leaves has brain at home! We ended the 2017 with a Win at BE90 on a 22.8 and a 2^nd place at our first attempt at BE100, so have 2 qualifications for Regional Finals and are that little bit closer to every amateur eventers dream of competing at Badminton.

A little more about me, when I’m not competing or caring for Banksy you’ll find me at work, work being a busy Ford, Mazda and Fiat dealership in Truro. I have been there for 14 years and now my job inside out, I can do it with my eyes closed!

I sometimes wish I worked in marketing/media as I am a social media addict (#banksyobessedsocialmediaaddictedamateureventer). I love photography and editing pictures/videos but living in Cornwall certainly limits the career opportunities available, therefore as long as I have the money to fund my expensive hobbies I’m happy.

Expensive Hobbies being Banksy, closely followed by my love of shiny new things!

I will admit to being a bit of shopaholic, both for new things for Banksy and myself not in the way that I go shopping every Saturday and buy numerous new outfits, more in the way of I have a bit of guilty addiction to “needing” luxurious things that once I see them I have to have!! Which is possibly more dangerous than popping into New Look every Saturday but my husband does always say Quality over Quantity… which I reminded him of the other day when another new pair of Fairfax & Favor Boots got delivered…

Which conveniently leads me onto Hi Ho Silver… I quite simply LOVE their products. I have loved jewellery from a young age, my parents used to own a jewellery shop when I was younger and I worked there on Saturdays from approximately 12 years old, I loved helping polish all the rings and making them super shiny and choosing which bangles or dangly earrings I would have when I was old enough to wear them! (My parents were quite strict and I wasn’t allowed my ears pierced until I was 14!!)

My husbands family are also jewellers specialising in wedding rings and watches, which meant when customizing the extremely gorgeous Cherry Roller Bangle it was essential that it was matchy matchy with my daily wrist wear!

I wear it every day, it feels weird if I don’t put it on alongside my watch. You can tell it has been designed for equestrians because the bangle itself is so robust, not at all flimsy, yet still very delicate & feminine. It matches perfectly and the fact it has our “XC Colours” in the CZ bead makes it even more special and completely unique. I love that it goes with everything and have so many comments about how beautiful it is since, wearing it and not just from “Horsey Maids” as my dad calls them!

I am delighted to be working alongside people that are so passionate about not only their brand but also supporting and encouraging amateur riders.

Thank you Hi Ho Team and here’s to an exciting 2018!!