Friday, 16 December 2022
This afternoon, British Equestrian honoured leading equestrian figures for their services to the industry. Eight individuals were presented with the British Equestrian Medal of Honour by the federation’s Chair, Malcolm Wharton CBE, and CEO, Jim Eyre. The presentation took place in the main arena at the London International Horse Show, during the afternoon performance.
The medals were presented to:
The British Equestrian Medal of Honour is awarded to those recognised as having completed acts of international endeavour in relation to equestrian sport, and for outstanding services to the Federation or its Member Bodies.
The presentation began by honouring four individuals who were awarded their Medals of Honour last year, but were unable to receive the accolades due to Covid restrictions.
First to receive their medals were two of last summer’s dressage stars. Charlotte (Lottie) Fry made her Olympic debut at the Tokyo Games, riding Everdale to team bronze alongside previous Medal of Honour recipients Carl Hester and Charlotte Dujardan. Meanwhile, teammate Gareth Hughes took on the role of travelling reserve at the Games – despite finding this mentally challenging, he helped to create a positive, supportive atmosphere in the camp and played an important role in the team’s success.
Lottie went on to take the six-year-old title at the FEI World Breeding Championships with Kjento shortly after her return from Japan, before joining Gareth as part of the team who won silver at the FEI Dressage European Championship in September 2021, again alongside Carl and Charlotte.
Sophie Thomas has worked for British Equestrian for over 18 years and now holds the title of Programme Leader for the UK Sport and National Lottery funded World Class Programme, overseeing operations and logistics for British squads across four disciplines. Her tireless work ensures that athletes, horses and support staff have everything they need to achieve their potential, at home and on the ground at championships, and she manages the complexities of this with enthusiasm and dedication, especially when under pressure – which is pretty much all the time!
A mainstay of British Dressage’s international endeavours for some five decades, David Trott has during this time taken on the roles of Team Selector, Chef d’Equipe and Performance Manager, as well as serving on the British Dressage Board of Directors and working as an FEI and List 1 National judge. His dedication to the sport has seen him mentor and develop athletes, lay the foundations for a successful team environment and show himself to be a leader throughout.
Four medals were also awarded to key industry figures from this year’s group of recipients.
Professor Eric Jenkinson took on the voluntary role of Chairman of the UK Polocrosse Association (UKPA) in 2010 and held the position until November 2020. During his tenure, he represented UKPA both on the international stage and at home, including in the key areas of safeguarding and horse welfare. His calm approach and medical professional background steered the UKA response to the COVID pandemic, allowing the sport to successfully implement its restart plans. Even after stepping down, Eric can still often be found on the side lines at tournaments, supporting not only his children and grandchildren but also the wider membership.
In 1984, Dr. Chris Meaden invented the classification system that made it possible to profile and grade dressage and driving athletes of all disabilities. This international system is still going strong today and has made it possible for para athletes to compete internationally and nationally. Chris was also an international classifier, who actively participated in processing applications and classifying athletes at international competitions, as well as being a key trainer for new classifiers from across the globe. She retired from her international responsibilities in 2019 and from her voluntary national classification role as a member of the National Classification Panel in 2020.
A familiar figure on the eventing circuit, Jackie Potts has been the head groom at William Fox-Pitt’s yard for over thirty years. The epitome of a world-class groom, Jackie’s knowledge, skill and attention to detail are second-to-none and she is always ready to offer support to those who need it. She has five Olympic Games, five World Championships and eight European Championships on her CV, and too many three-day events to count. Jackie is a founding Director for the International Grooms Association and a longstanding ambassador for the British Grooms Association. Being a groom is, in her own words, ‘a way of life, not a job’.
Charlotte (Charlie) Thornycroft put her life on hold to support the war relief effort in Ukraine, running the logistics hub and a yard of 60 evacuated horses on the Polish border. She has been the ‘eyes on the ground’ for British Equestrians for Ukraine, a group set up by British Equestrian, World Horse Welfare, the British Equestrian Trade Association and the British Horse Society. Despite seeing numerous horrors, Charlie has shown courage and resilience beyond measure, always with a smile on her face and a can-do attitude. Nine months after the start of the conflict, she continues to be involved in the on-going efforts to support the Ukrainian equine population and those caring for them.
“I offer my wholehearted congratulations and gratitude to our winners of the British Equestrian Medal of Honour in 2021 and 2022,” commented Malcolm. “It’s a privilege to present these awards as each individual has an inspiring story behind their contribution and their selfless dedication to our industry is remarkable. Collectively, our winners epitomise all the characteristics that makes the equestrian community so extraordinary.”
At yesterday’s British Equestrian Level 4 Coaching Certificate presentation, also held at the ExCel, a further two medals were presented to David Hamer and Nicky Fuller.
David has been with British Equestrian since 2003, and during that time has been instrumental in building the performance pathway that leads from youth teams to senior championship podiums. As Head of Performance Pathways, he coordinates the implementation of the strategy and technical framework for Olympic and Paralympic athlete and coach development to ensure the supply and support needed for continued medal success at senior championships. Alongside this, he oversees the Sport England and UK Sport-funded Podium Potential Pathway level of the World Class Programme, nurturing younger athletes to help them fulfil their potential on the international stage.
A key voice for the development of equestrian coaches across the disciplines, Nicky is Course Director for the British Equestrian Level 4 Coaching Certificate. Until last October, she was also Chair of the Coach Development Action Team, helping to create a coaching strategy that has created positive and lasting impact within the industry. Nicky has mentored numerous coaches from performance and grassroots environments and is committed to promoting horse welfare and the wellbeing of athletes, coaches and clients.
A further presentation will take place in 2023 for those recipients who were unable to attend The London International Horse Show.