Pippa Funnell MBE was born Philippa Rachel Nolan in Crowborough, East Sussex on 7th October 1968. She began riding when she was very young - on a pony lent to her by a friend of her mother's. The three-day-evenet became her specialialty and by 1987 she had become European Young Rider Champion on her most famous horse Sir Barnaby.
Pippa Nolan became Pippa Funnell when she married Show Jumper William Funnell in 1993.
Supreme Rock was her mount when she became European Champion in 1999 and 2001. In between these she was part of the Silver Medal winning team at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. In 2002 she won the Badmington Horse Trials.
In 2003 she became the first rider ever to complete the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing by adding the Burghley title to her victories earlier in the year at Lexington and her second in a row win at the Badminton Horse Trials. She was voted Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year 2003.
2004 Athens Olympic games she added another team Silver Medal and an individual bronze medal. Followed a year later in 2005 with her third Badmington win. She was awarded the MBE in the 2005 Queen's Birthday Honours List.
Pippa's media activities have included appearing in various DVD's and electronic games for the PC, Game Boy, Playstation and Nintendo DS and Wii's as well as writing her autobiography.
Tilly's Pony Tails mark her debut in children's fiction for which she uses her vast knowledge of all things equestrian, which add to the stories.
Some of Pippa's media publications are below