First Laureates Announced
for The British Horse Society Equestrian Hall of
Fame
The first laureates for The British Horse Society Equestrian
Hall of Fame were announced at the Royal International Horse
Show, Hickstead, on Sunday 31st July. The idea of BHS President
Noel Edmonds, the BHS Hall of Fame recognises those who have
achieved equestrian fame through their excellence.
The initial list, which comprises those whose greatest equestrian
achievements were celebrated in past years, is as follows:
Riders:
HRH The Princess Royal (Achieved international success, including
winning the European Three Day Event Champs on Doublet and
as a member of the British Eventing team at the Montreal Olympics).
Colonel Sir Michael Ansell (The architect of Britain's postwar
equestrian revival, Chairman of The British Horse Society
& BSJA for 20 years. First president of the British Equestrian
Federation) George Bowman (Nineteen times Carriage Driving
British National Champion) David Broome (Won King George V
Cup a record six times, double Olympic Bronze, won the World
Championship on Beethoven) Cynthia Haydon (Britain's leading
Whip in the postwar years of 20th
century)
Lorna Johnstone (Oldest female Olympic competitor ever, dressage
Munich
1972)
Virginia (Ginny) Leng (Double Olympic bronze, eventing)
Colonel Harry Llewellyn (Olympic Gold medallist on Foxhunter
at the Stockholm Olympics) Richard Meade (Triple Gold medallist
eventer) Anna Sewell (Author of Black Beauty who campaigned
for equine welfare in the 19th century and was responsible
for getting the bearing rein banned) Harvey Smith (Won Hickstead
a record seven times, over 50 Grand Prixs, and represented
Britain at two Olympics) Pat Smythe (First lady showjumper
to achieve popularity among British public, won a team Bronze
medal at the Stockholm Olympics) Sheila Wilcox (First UK lady
eventer to achieve major success at international level, Badminton
etc. Won Badminton Horse Trials for three consecutive years)
Dorian Williams (The first major equestrian commentator on
BBC Televsion to capture mass audiences, and greatly popularise
the sports in postwar
Britain)
Mrs. VDS Williams (Pioneer of British dressage)
Horses:
Be Fair (Won Badminton with Lucinda Green in 1973)
Cornishman (Double Olympic Gold, eventing)
Doublet (Won Burghley three day event in 1971 with HRH Princess
Anne) Dutch Courage (Bronze medallist at World Championships)
Foxhunter (Olympic Gold medallist show jumping) High &
Mighty (Won Badminton in 1957 and 1958 with Shelia Wilcox)
King's Warrior (Triple winner of HOYS Champion Show Hunter
class) Merely a Monarch (Winner of Burghley and Badminton
Horse Trials) Milton (Only horse outside of racing to win
over £1 million, including double Olympic gold) Penwood
Forge Mill (Won European Championships, King George V Gold
Cup and the Horse and Hounds Cup within six days) Priceless
(Olympic team Silver and individual Bronze, eventing) Sefton
(Survived IRA bombing in London 1982) Stroller (Only pony
to compete at international level among horses and win consistently,
including an Olympic silver medal with his owner-rider Marion
Mould)
A further list of equestrian heroes, both human and equine,
who are currently at the pinnacle of their careers will be
announced in the Autumn.
Panel Chairman Patrick Print FBHS said: "The difficulty
lay not so much in deciding who should be included in the
Hall of Fame but in who, amongst the very many potential candidates,
should be excluded. The debate around the table was at times
very lively!"
The Panel considered the nominations - for 26 horses and
46 people - submitted via the Hall of Fame page on the BHS
website, and the Panel's decision will doubtless satisfy a
large proportion of those who provided nominations, although
some will be disappointed that their heroes have not made
it into the Hall of Fame. "In the end," said Print,
"the successful names were those which seemed to us to
stand out from all others as being impossible to exclude.
However, I am certain that future Panels, refreshed by periodic
retirements and recruitments, will think differently. So this
list is sure to grow as time goes by."
The Panel which, in addition to Patrick Print, comprised
Dr Wilfried Bechtolsheimer, Michael Clayton, Lucy Higginson,
Jennie Loriston-Clarke and Michael Mac decided that, in view
of the huge seam of equestrian heroes from which to mine,
they would exclude the racing sector from their considerations.
They also decided to limit their choice on this occasion to
British riders and British-ridden horses. But that decision
does not preclude a widening of the ambit for the Hall of
Fame in the future.
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