At the age of 29 Katie-Jane has already seen and experienced so much of the fascinating world in which we live, and yet she feels she has barely scratched the surface. She is driven to explore the wonders of the world and has often found that when stripped of comforts and faced with hardships and adversities, the completion of each journey becomes so much more rewarding.

Life started for Katie-Jane in North Devon, growing up on the beach with a water sports fuelled family. Ironic now, that one of her greatest fears in life, is of the sea. By the age of 10 she had become a keen horsewoman and showed a natural talent for the sport, eventually specialising in the multi-disciplined sport of Eventing. The family moved to the Blackdown Hills on the border of Devon and Somerset when Katie-Jane was 14, and it’s here that she finished her schooling at Wellington School.

The school was very pro-horse riding and was flexible with competition days, and at the age of 17 she went on to win the Individual National Schools Eventing Championships. In 1997 Katie took 2nd in the National PC Eventing Championships, runner-up to Zara Philips, who has since gone on to be World Champion.

After school Katie-Jane gained a BScHons Degree in Rural Estate Management at Seale-Hayne Agricultural College on the edge of the Dartmoor National Park, but continued to commute home for long weekends in order to continue Eventing competitively. It was during the last couple of years of her degree that she developed a huge interest in travel, and decided to continue her studies at the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester, where she gained an MSc in Rural Tourism. With this, the decision was made to no longer pursue a career as a professional event rider, but to pursue her new found interest in travel.

After finishing university in 2003 Katie-Jane funded her travel by using her tall athletic figure to her advantage by developing a career as a commercial model. Katie-Jane has been involved in fashion shows for household names such as Marks and Spencer’s, TIGI and Alexander McQueen, as well as photographic stills for clients specialising in the equestrian and country market, Ludlow of London, Oliver Brown and Sarm Hippique to name a few. She has also worked on a small number of Films/TV, including having doubled as Cameron Diaz in her film ‘The Holiday’.

Her travels have taken her to North and South America, Asia, Europe, but most predominantly, Africa. Having travelled fairly extensively through 12 of the continent’s countries, she has an incredible passion for the diverse landscapes, wildlife, culture and the warmth of the African people.

In 2005 Katie-Jane met Tarka, and they were quick to find they had little in common. Tarka was less than impressed with her manicured nails, face full of makeup, and what he believed to be inappropriate clothing for -15 degrees celcius in the French Alps!! Likewise Katie-Jane did not see Tarka as the ‘all action hero’ that his accolades suggest, more a really ‘odd’ Frenchman who seemed to find enjoyment in throwing himself into frozen lakes.

It wasn’t long before the facades were broken and Tarka saw something in Katie that he believed to be on a par with his own ambitions and attributes, and promptly asked her to join him, walking to the North Pole. She laughed and told him he was crazy, but by 2006 Katie had left behind her glamorous world of modelling and made the gigantic leap to expeditionist. Later that year they carried out a world first expedition and trekked, on foot and unsupported, 4300km along the Great Wall of China from its most Westerly terminus to its most Easterly.

Katie-Jane’s modeling experience paid off and her ease in front of the camera and natural enthusiasm has led to the completion of her first documentary, encompassing her transition from exhibitionist to expeditionist. This has recently led to a number of TV presenting opportunities within the adventure world.

Katie-Jane is now focused alongside Tarka on expanding their work in the field of adventure and expedition, by continuing to collaborate with sponsors on major journeys maximizing their return on investment. Working on adventures for television that are both inspirational and educational, as well as adventure based motivational speaking, to organizations both large and small in a bid to inspire, motivate and unlock the potential in their workforce.