You may think winning two gold medals, one silver and nine world titles would be enough for most of us, but not Victoria Pendleton. At our latest Traveller’s Tales event, we heard how one of the country’s greatest female athletes swapped the saddle from professional cyclist to licensed jockey, having never before ridden a horse. Changing sport at the peak of her career – at London 2012 she memorably triumphed in the keirin race and came second in the sprint – was not a decision to be made lightly. But for Pendleton, what started as a publicity stunt has now turned into an enduring life passion, after she challenged herself to become a licensed jockey in 2015.
In just a year, she went from horse novice to taking home a very convincing fifth in the Fox Hunter race at Cheltenham. A self-proclaimed nerd, she admits that when faced with the seemingly impossible, her faith lies in the numbers, to make sense of the situation and deliver the results: ‘Plotting my progress is very numbers orientated, and if those numbers mean I am going to be the best in the world at it, even better,’ she says.
A few years on and her new passion still burns strong. Victoria has two horses of her own, rides daily and takes show-jumping lessons. ‘There’s nothing quite like being in a pack of horses: it’s like you’ve sprouted wings.’ And she hasn’t stopped there, since adding mountaineering, skydiving and surfing to her roster of talents. And her travel ambitions include riding Western-style on a ranch, and galloping across Mongolia in the Mongol Derby, a 10-day event over 100 miles – ‘You wrestle a bridle on a horse and hope it bolts in the right direction.’
These inspiring anecdotes were followed by an exquisite lunch of smoked salmon, roast pheasant and a wintery berry crumble courtesy of Mark’s Club chefs, which guests enjoyed in the beautiful setting of the Mayfair club’s Garden Room. The private Mark’s Club has been a West End fixture since the 1970s, residing behind the door of a Georgian townhouse and bringing together leading lights from the creative and business scenes, both of which know the importance of timing. The event was held in association with Longines, the oldest watch brand in the world, worn by names including Albert Einstein and Humphrey Bogart, and official timekeeper to eventing, horse racing and Formula 1.
With surfing in Costa Rica, horse-racing in Mongolia and more mountaineering pursuits on the horizon, it’s clear that for Victoria the finishing line is still a long way off. ‘I just want to experience everything I can. You only get one life.’
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