This month I went behind the scenes to chat to the wonderful Rosie Turner (nee Tapner). Rosie is a former top international model who transitioned into a successful TV presenter with a focus on equestrian sports. After gracing the cover of Vogue at 16 and spending a decade in the fashion industry, she shifted her attention to presenting at major events like the Cheltenham Festival, Royal Ascot, and the Longines Global Champions Tour. Known for her engaging interview style and down-to-earth demeanor, Rosie combines her passion for horses and the countryside with her media career. Not only is she hugely successful in front of the camera but she is also one of the most approachable people you could meet, and one I am fortunate enough to call a friend. Hopefully a position I have not abused by asking for a behind the scenes interview at supper the other night! Of course the answer was yes… I hope you enjoy the chance to get to know Rosie Turner at little more.

Who are those people who helped and inspired you in the industry?

Particularly in the sporting world of presenting the person that inspired me the most is Clare Balding particularly how incredibly knowledgeable she is about so many different sports. She also never makes her interview about herself the focus is always on the interviewee.

Lots of people have helped me, to name a few Ed Chamberlin has given me lots of advice and taken me under his wing. Nick Luck has been an incredible help as well. Hayley Moore has been amazing, Rupert Bell, his son Oli Bell, Tom Stanley, Rishi Persad as well. It is not only the way that they have accepted me into the industry, it is the way that they help me if I ask a question eg about a jockey I dont know or how to interview someone in particular. I must mention my manager Liz Ampairee who has been integral to the journey. I am sure I have missed lots of people off, but to sum it up I have been very lucky that lots of people have helped me and made me feel supported along the way, and I could now call them friends.

Where did your love of horses and more specifically racing stem from?
My love of horses has come right from the start. I have ridden since I was probably two or three years old. We have been very lucky to always grow up with horses at home, which has been amazing. That was an amazing childhood. I grew up watching eventing and I was eventing a bit myself, as well as a bit of showjumping. We always did it just for fun; we competed a bit but never to a high level. I think I got to novice level in eventing which felt quite big actually! My love for racing has developed over the last six years. I didn’t know a lot when I first got into it. I had watched all of the big races like the Grand National and the Epsom Derby, but I had never been hugely interested in racing until this job. Now I can safely say that over the last six years I have developed a great love for it.

What are your favourite gigs that you get to do at the moment?
That is a tricky one, because I get to do a lot of really fun gigs! Royal Ascot is always a highlight for me every single year because it is five days of the most incredible racing and fashion. It is a lot of fun too, a lot of my friends are there, everyone in racing is there, and it is always a good laugh. So Royal Ascot is a huge one for me. Plus, my job includes going round to some of the biggest Michelin star chefs in the world like Raymond Blanc and being able to taste their food and chat to them, so that is always a pinch-me moment when I get to do those things.

My other gig that I am really loving at the moment is the Longines Global Champions Tour, which is the showjumping tour. I love the fact that I am able to travel the world with that job and am able to visit some of the most amazing and glamorous places with the biggest riders and horses in the world of showjumping. So I would say that those two are my favourite ones, but it is hard as there are alot of good ones for example I do get to do Kempton on Boxing Day which is a huge day, and many other race days like the prestigious Epsom Derby which I have just done. I get to do a lot of amazing gigs.

(Image top: Rosie in the Magnolia Cup with trainer Charlie Hills) Image bottom: Rosie riding out in training at Charlie Hills’)

You have a very varied role of balancing both equestrian knowledge and expertise across multiple equestrian disciplines (showjumping, eventing, racing etc.) and you are also representing fashion and style. Do you enjoy both roles or can it sometimes be tricky juggling the two hats, so to speak? Is there a role you prefer i.e. sport side over fashion?
I enjoy doing everything, which sounds ridiculous but I do enjoy doing everything! I am definitely more on the sports side of things rather than fashion. I know my background may seem that I came from fashion, but I would always say that my job was a model but I wasn’t a “model”, if that makes sense. Fashion was never in my blood. I grew up with horses and dogs and living in my jodhpurs and a jumper. I was never into fashion; I never understood how to put clothes together. But having got into racing and presenting, I have been so lucky to work with some amazing designers like Suzannah London, Lisa Redman and many others. I have worked with some incredible milliners as well, like Rachel Trevor-Morgan, Lisa Tan – just to name a few – and I love that side of it now. I love dressing for the races and I enjoy that fashion side, but I would definitely say that I am enjoying the sporty side more. I find it more interesting – chatting to athletes and trainers and people who put in the work behind the scenes.

Given your hugely successful career across both the modelling and sport TV presenting industry, do you find your past role as a model has any crossover, e.g. in terms of being used to being in front of a camera etc.?
Yes, I find that it is a massive help. I don’t know if I find that I am conscious in knowing that it was a massive help from being a model, but actually it has been a massive help that I am very comfortable in front of a camera.

I enjoy being in front of a camera; I don’t shy away from it. So, I do think that having that experience of being in front of a camera since I was 15 has helped. It is a different camera – that was a stills camera, this is a moving one – so it is very different. But what I am loving more now is that because I am confident in front of a camera, I am not worrying about what I am looking like unlike I did when I was a model. I am worried about what I am saying and making sure that I am saying the right thing. So it is definitely different, but I do think that there is some crossover in terms of confidence.

With Royal Ascot around the corner, this is an event that showcases world-class horseracing with elegance and fashion. What is it, do you think, that makes the meeting stand apart from the rest in the horse racing calendar?
Multiple things make Royal Ascot stand out in the racing calendar. You have world-class racing with international horses coming from all over the place, so you really do have the best horses because trainers, jockeys and owners all want to win at Royal Ascot. So everyone is pinpointing this meeting in their season, because of that you do find that you get the superstars travelling over to attend Royal Ascot.

It is the most phenomenal week of racing – so many Group races. Couple that with the fact that we have more Michelin stars between our chefs than any racing event ever – that is extraordinary! Plus, we have the fashion on top of that. So to me, Royal Ascot is for everyone, because if you love fashion, you come for fashion. If you love horses, you come for the horses. If you really want to do some fine dining and have a whole experience of that, you can have it. And if you love all three of those things, then Royal Ascot is a no-brainer. It just encompasses everything and I don’t know of any other sporting events that have that.

(Image: Rosie presenting at Royal Ascot)

Why does the fashion stand out so much at Royal Ascot? Do you think it is an important factor of the Royal Meeting? Some people can find it elitist but others support the tradition and the opportunity to make an effort to dress up. Would you tend to agree with the latter?
I think that the fashion stands out at Royal Ascot because of the tradition and heritage that the meeting has. You also have the added part of your outfit with the hats – the millinery. It is sensational to see so many beautiful hats and milliners put on the world stage, because not many people wear hats anymore – which they really should do more of, it is a really lovely accessory to an outfit. And actually, a lot of people now choose their hats first before an outfit for Royal Ascot. I personally think that Royal Ascot is such an occasion, and you need the heritage and you need the history, the tradition, to bring it all together – and fashion goes hand in hand with that. Someone said to me once that when you are on the train to Royal Ascot you might feel a bit silly in the hat, dress and heels, but when you walk in you feel very at home and so a part of the occasion. That’s what I love about it.

What is the process for you in the lead-up to Royal Ascot? i.e. dresses being made, hats designed? Do you enjoy the process?
I start sorting dresses and hats quite far in advance. I have the most amazing people around me that help. There are lots of incredible brands that help me find the right outfits and match the right hats too. Suzannah London helps me find the dresses as well as making some. She then partners with Jane Taylor, a wonderful milliner who creates these fantastic hats. I have also got Lisa Redman making me a dress this year which is gorgeous, and Rachel Trevor-Morgan is making me three hats. I am very lucky that a lot of people help me out. I do not have a stylist – I do it all myself. I do enjoy the process because it is all part of it and it helps get you excited for the Royal meet.

The other part of the process is research. I am technically the anchor of Ascot TV this year, so I need to do my research and know my stuff. This is not just for the horses but for everything else that goes on around the meet as well, to hopefully bring as much of the entertainment to everyone.

Are there any fashion themes that are being considered this year at the Royal Meeting?
There is a campaign called the ‘Ascot You’ that was brought in a few years ago, and it is all about making sure that you are dressing to feel your best self and like you. So, I guess that is one of the themes that should really be considered in the meeting – come as you feel best. I should think that if we can see dresses and outfits being reused and reloved, that’s always incredible. To me, the Royal Meeting is all about bright colours – it’s summertime, hopefully we have the good weather, and we want to see as many bright colours, patterns, and extravagant hats. To me, that is what it is all about.