Piggy March – BONUS extra

Extra bonus bits of Piggy March in conversation with Pippa Funnell. Do watch Piggy’s main interview first.

Piggy and Pippa just had so much to talk about we couldn’t fit it in to one pod – so here’s an extra bonus pod for you. Where Piggy discusses her surprise wedding to husband Tom, and the incredible charitable efforts they are undertaking in memory of his sister Caroline. Donate to his latest challenge here https://www.justgiving.com/page/pedal3peaks

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[Music] So, we’ve had to say goodbye to Tristan because he has other commitments. Not that we haven’t with our horses, but he’s got other commitments. Um, so back to to Tom now. to Tom. You obviously ended up, we must just very briefly mention your very special day after your badminton win and you had that very very good party um with the owners, all your whole backup team and a lot of friends came. It was a wonderful party to celebrate your victory. Carry on with the story. It was just amazing. We well we being engaged for a few years and we every time getting married got brought up as a conversation between us um we quickly moved on to something else and it was actually we were driving home from Chhatzsworth together. So that was the weekend after Babon after we just won and I said to him I’ve got an idea and he was like what’s that? I was like, we’re going to have a Babon party because it’s just been so brilliant. The the response to me winning, the support, the, you know, congratulations was just the best the best best thing ever. And I thought, I’ve got to have a party to celebrate winning. And why don’t we just turn that party into a wedding? And he was just like, oh my god. Okay. I was like, and and we just won’t tell anybody because we don’t want to, you know, if we actually do a normal wedding invite, there’s got to be hundreds of people really that have been with you all your life or, you know, the the list just goes on and on. And I was like, but if I did a um if we did a badon party, we know that our church in our village, well, we didn’t know then, but we found out it took a hundred people. And so I was like, we’re going to make this list 100 people of the people that have been there to support us for Babon and very very close family and friends and nobody is going to know. So basically our parents knew and the bridesmaids knew and the best man knew. I didn’t know. No, you didn’t know. But you actually guessed and you were a pain in the ass. You were because you kept going up to my guys going, “What’s going on here?” here. And even the grooms at the yard were like, “It’s just a bon party.” And it’s like, “Oh, are you sure it’s not something else?” And I was like, “Well, you just bugger right off cuz you’re annoying me in a minute.” And anyway, so yeah, no one knew. Which was which was brilliant. It was actually quite easy to to keep it quiet. And it was it was absolutely brilliant. I’m so glad we did it. Otherwise, I don’t think we ever would have done it. But everyone arrived and we had a lovely marquee on the on the lawn and it was um we celebrated all the badminton. Got all that out the way. Speeches about Babon and then suddenly Yeah. while you’re all here as as you said it two double-decker buses. Yeah. Came up the drive and that’s when you announced I was wondering if you’re all if you’re good enough if you’re off my friends to come and raise a glass for me winning Babon. you’re all more than good enough to be with us when we get married. And it was it was absolutely fantastic. So, at the end of the speeches, um I was like, “And while you’re all here, I wondered if you’d join us down the church cuz Tom and I would like to get married.” And with that, everyone’s like, you know, big cheers. And it was brilliant. Literally half an hour later, change of dress quickly neck a bottle or a glass of something. Oh, God. And off we off we went. And it was it was fab. Very special. So, so from a Babington win and a special horse, I got married to dear Tom as well. So, they were very highlights of your career, very special days. And then we have to just very briefly mention the terrible situation with Caroline Tom’s sister. Um, and I think it’s important to mention it to raise awareness and just to mention briefly the amazing amazing thing you did led by Tom, led by you, the cycle for Caroline. Yeah. So Caroline March, Tom’s sister, my steps sister, had a fall at Burnham Market, Austral being paralyzed and so very sadly went down the assisted suicide route and she left us March the 23rd last year. Um, it was, as you can all imagine, horrendous to live and go through that. We all know the risks. We all totally understand the risks. There’s never any blame um ever any horse or anything. It is we we just as riders all understand what can happen sometimes. And and she just didn’t want her life like that. And it was it was so difficult to try um to make her see any any other way which was the hardest thing as a family. She was adamant and if anyone has or did read her post when she left um she made it very very clear that that is exactly what she wanted to do, what she was doing and absolutely no one at any point was going to to stop her. And you know, the only the only um feel you get from now is you just you hope she’s at peace. You know, that’s that’s the only what’s the word? The only um comfort. Yeah. So, the only comfort that you’d get now is just knowing that hopefully she is at peace. That is that is where she was wanting to be. Um but it was it was hard. It was impossible as you all know knowing a date. Um her her parents you know the whole thing is was horrendous. However um we wanted to do something. You always try to make good out of terrible bad and it was it was again a few drinks around the table. Tom and I with our um best man Tommy How how family was like we want to do something and Tommy was very much into cycling and wanted to do a challenge and I said I’ll do a challenge. I we had just dealt with Caroline leaving. I didn’t have horses for Bminton. a couple of really good horses, exciting horses were had had career ending silly little niggles injury that were going to stop them at Babmonton or or carrying on. And so I was in a bad place mentally really really bad place and I wanted to try and do something that could have made some bits better or better out of this situation. And I’d never been on a bike and so I said I’ll do a challenge. I’ll do a biking challenge. And then and then Thomas was like, “Yeah, and we’re going to go from Scotland to Windsor and we’re going to join all the all the four and fivestar longs in this country.” So it keeps it at as an eventing le link, keeps it to the heart of our sport, all the places we’ve dreamed of, you know, we work towards getting there. It sort of meant a lot for us to link those places and um raise try and raise money for spinal research and British Inventing Support Trust, two charities very close to our heart and two charities where as much support is needed as much as as possible and so we got pedalling. Um it was some challenge. It was. What was the total? I mean, you raised a a very large amount of money. I mean, it was amazing what you raised. About 324,000. I think with Gift Aid it was more and it um I don’t know what the final final figure was. But um Tom’s actually um I can’t remember all the figures to be honest. The whole thing was an absolute blur. I was like the sheep at the back and I just pedled. And you had desperate weather. Desperate weather. You just put your head down. Everyone was like, “Oh, the views must have been amazing.” I was like, “Buck at the views. I’m just pedaling. We’re just getting to each destination of a day and not everyone staying alive. The traffic, the you know, the the whole thing was it was amazing, but it was, you know, just a relief to get to the end and everyone okay and some and money raised and we were so so grateful for the support that was there.” And it is but it is it’s so much needed. You know, those charities are amazing and you just never know. And I think that was the thing that affected me. You know, the only worries you can have is knocking show dumps down or or having a bad day or, you know, it’s not quite gone to plan and actually a bad day that is not a bad day. um we can all experience way way worse days of of you know those other situations and and actually Tom is now doing another challenge on his own when he starts the Sunday of Babon and he goes from Balmoral to Windsor but this time via the three peaks and he’s doing the same distance as we did in the cycle for Caroline challenge we did it in 11 and a half days. He’s going to try and do it in four and a half days. Is that wearing a cape? And Superman. Yeah. And he’s cycling via the three peaks, which he’s getting off his bike to walk up them and walk down. He’s doing the the whole thing. I I don’t know how many miles and kilometers it is, but he’s not going to he’s basically not going to go to bed for 4 and a half days, and he’s beasting himself all for spinal research. And so, well, we look forward to welcoming him back in at Royal Windsor and wishing him loads of luck and I’m sure he’s going to raise plenty more money. So, if you feel like donating, great cause. Go to the podcast description and check out the link. I did know that this was going to be a long one with Peg um once we get together. Um, so this might be a little extra. In a couple of days time, we might get a little extra bonus because we lost Tristan. But Piggy, thank you so much for making time to come and really look forward to seeing you down at Babmonton. I think it’s it will be a first. You’re not riding, Tina’s not riding, William’s not riding, I’m not riding. I think we’re going to have a bit of fun. It’s so exciting just being here to be a part of talk horse which I’ve listened to and think is absolutely amazing and and well done team and everyone. Well, as I said, you’re a great role model. Oh, you love your ponies and we need to get it out there that we all do and your ponies love you, too.