Helen Adams is the owner of Sussex Retirement Centre which is based on over 200 acres at the foot of the South Downs. I provide a natural safe haven for elderly horses or equines who can no longer be ridden through injury. I started out in the racing industry as a jockey in France some 30 yrs ago, backing 2 yr olds and producing yearlings for the Deauville Thoroughbred sales, for the Irish Trainer
John Fitzpatrick. I then went back to my roots at The Yorkshire Riding Centre where I was trained by "The Bartles" and studied for my BHS exams. On completion I decided to join Carlton Bank Stud where I studied Thoroughbred racehorse training and breeding up to NVQ level 3 along side being their head stud groom standing 6 stallions. We also had some youngstock Eventing upto Novice and older horses running up to advanced so spent some time travelling the length and breadth Britain as their groom, running upto 3 horses at the same event single handedly. Eventually my journey took me to Newmarket to be the sole Event groom for the very talented rider Zannie Cooke she had vairous horses competing up to and including Advanced level this is where I would find myself at all the famous 3 day events throughout the UK. I took a short break from horses to drive Heavy goods vehicles, Busses and vans in London before settling in Surrey, having Ella and starting looking after retired horses. After meeting Chloes father and subsequently marrying him I became a Dairy farmers wife in East Sussex which was a varied role and learnt everything from herd management to land management and everything in between. Sussex retirement Centre was started at home in 2010 albeit only 3 horses which allowed me to buy unhandled New Forest ponies and later cobs to handle and produce as childrens ponies, many of which ended up on the BSJA and Eventing circuit both here and abroad, of course non of this would have been possible without my daughter Ella being the small jockey and working every hour god sent. Along side the busy farming and producing ponies i managed to be a freelance Event groom for Hannah Gould and have helped her husband Andrew Gould out on many occasions with his very successful dressage yard and helping train his younger staff. Sussex Retirement Centre since 2010 has gone from strength to strength and has been located in Selmeston for nearly 4 years and can house up to 25 residents. Throughout my equine journey ive been privileged to have worked with some of the best equine vets in the country and along with my continuous need to research all medical conditions I come across, this has given me an extensive knowledge I have today.
