Samantha Albert, Putting Jamaica on the Map

By Karen Robinson

Retired…Not!

Samantha originally intended to go to England in 1990 to prepare for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, but it has become her permanent home. Following the 1998 WEG in Rome, she decided to hang up her helmet. “After I did those World Championships I said no more. I’m going to have children and settle down. But life throws you these little twists, and here I am again.” The twist that brought Samantha back to competition and to Rio de Janeiro was a collapsing marriage. It also brought her WEG and Pan Am mount Before I Do It back into her life after a four year separation. The chestnut thoroughbred mare was bred by Samantha’s ex-mother-in-law in Sweden. “I broke her in and rode her in her first events,” she remembers. “She won her first novice event.” The mare was then sold to a girl who for four years struggled with novice level. “She kept stopping, and that is how she came back to me. I got on her and it was like putting on an old glove. I said, ‘I’ll buy her back, I love it!’” Samantha had no intention of returning to top level competition. “I was having a bad time with my marriage, and that’s why I bought the mare back, to give myself something to do and have fun. But she’s been very good and when you get back there the bug bites you.” The year after Samantha bought Before I Do It back, the mare placed in a three star event, and one year after that, she competed in Aachen.

Now twelve years old, Before I Do It has a sibling in these Pan Am Games. The name of Darren Chiacchia’s 4th place winning mount Better I Do It is much more than a coincidence. Both horses were bred by Samantha’s ex-mother-in-law. Better I Do It was sold to the US as a seven year old.

The Bug That Bites Hard

Samantha has learned two things since returning to international competition: never say ‘never’ and beware the competition bug. “If I make it to Hong Kong I did think that would be the end goal, but I started to think Kentucky would be really nice…and London would be even better,” she adds with a laugh. “I think while I have the horses and I’m enjoying it I’ll keep going.” With the Olympics in mind, Samantha bought a seven year old mostly Thoroughbred (with a touch of Irish) gelding called Blarney Bank last year. “The mare doesn’t really have the conformation for this sport, but he is a perfect stamp.” After doing Novice levels last July, Blarney Bank has already completed two three star events this year. The biggest challenge has been retraining him and gaining his trust. “He was ridden quite aggressively and it blew his brain a bit. But he’s the one I’d like to try and get to Beijing next year. He’s very talented, it’s just a matter of getting the brain right.” Blarney Bank has also been difficult to control on cross country, though his last three star outing was an improvement. “At the last event he was very good so I hope he won’t run away with me again. He’s got a hell of a jump and he’s very brave.”