H&H reports the passing of individuals who have made a significant contribution to the horse world. Funerals and memorial details will be included where possible
Diana Mason, an Olympic dressage rider and former long-serving chairman of the British Horse Society Dressage Group (now British Dressage) passed away on 29 March aged 82 after a long illness.
As a child, Diana was horse and animal mad. Her eventing career took off with Tramella, a 15hh Welsh pony bought by her father as a four-year-old.
The pair went to Badminton in 1952 and went on to win individual gold at the 1954 Europeans at Basle. After a fall at the Windsor Europeans the following year the mare was retired from eventing to focus on dressage.
In 1963 they were part of the gold medal-winning team at the European Championships in Copenhagen. The mare is still the only horse to have won European gold medals in eventing and dressage.
Diana took two other horses, Special Edition and Prince Consort, to Olympic level, competing at Montreal in 1976 and Seoul in 1988. After retiring from competition she concentrated on judging.
She was a British Dressage (BD) List 1 judge until 2013, Britain’s team manager the first time an equestrian competition was included in the Paralympic Games, in Atlanta in 1996, and always supported her local riding club and Pony Club competitions. In 2008 she was awarded an OBE by the Queen for her services to equestrian sport.
“She was always fair and square in her judging and in life. There aren’t many who have done what she has,” said her sister Valerie.
Diana was known to her friends as “Mrs Black and White,” added her sister, “there were no grey areas.”
A BD spokesman added: “All at British Dressage offer their condolences to Diana’s family and friends as she’ll be greatly missed by many in the sport.”
A funeral is being organised in Warwickshire, the date to be finalised.
Tony Younghusband
A dedicated huntsman, Mr Younghusband served numerous hunts across England and Ireland.
He began his career with the Avondhu, Co. Cork, in the 1950s and was known for his skill with hounds and as a fearless horseman.
On returning to England, he worked for the South Oxfordshire before becoming joint-master at the Bicester. Mr Younghusband also hunted with the Mendip Farmers.
He died on 18 March aged 85.
Stanley Cotton
One of the founders of Bramham Horse Trials, Mr Cotton died on 2 March aged 96.
Mr Cotton and his late wife Angela were key members of the organising team.
“I don’t think that he has ever missed a Bramham,” said Nick Lane Fox, of Bramham Park.
“It is fair to say that the event will never be the same without him.”
Charles Baxter
A well-known showing judge, Mr Baxter died last month aged 82.
He also worked as a hunt servant with the Cleveland, North Cotswold, Saltersgate Farmers and Jedforest during his career.
In 1962, he started running a riding school with his wife, Diana, at Longley, near Huddersfield and then at Throstle Nest at Barnsley.
Mr Baxter also judged at Horse of the Year Show.
John Charles Sholto Douglas
The 21st Earl of Morton died on 5 March aged 89.
A steward at the Hurlingham Polo Association and former chairman of Edinburgh Polo Club, he also played for Scotland in Kenya during the 1970s.
Olivia Inglis
The 17-year-old died while competing at Scone Horse Trials in Australia on 6 March.
The teenager was competing in her second national two-star (CNC2*) competition riding her family’s Coriolanus, an 11-year-old throughbred chestnut gelding.
The partnership had been together since 2013 and had enjoyed a number of successful results at national competitions.
Riders across the world shared their favourite picture of themselves and their horse across social media in tribute to Olivia.
These were then incorporated into a mosaic, presented to her family.
Bob Daniels
Long-time US player Bob Daniels died following a fall during a match.
horse reportedly stumbled and he fell to the ground during a 12-goal game in Wellington on 23 March.
He was placed on life support and died three days later (26 March).
Joe Meyer, chairman of USPA paid tribute to Bob.
“He was the epitome of a polo gentleman, a caring and loving father, and a long time personal friend,” he said.
Juracy Santos
Juracy Santos, a Brazilian Guards Polo Club member, suffered critical head injuries in a fall in 2014 (8 July) during the Phoenician Cup.
He died on 26 March following a long period in a coma.
“Juracy was a true professional and real gentleman, both on and off the field. He will be greatly missed by the polo community,” said H&H polo reporter Aurora Eastwood.
Hendrik Wiegersma
A leading figure in the equestrian world, Mr Wiegersma died on 23 February aged 65.
Born in Holland, he moved to the UK at the age of 20 to work for Olympic gold medallist eventer Bertie Hill.
While working for Bertie, he met his future wife, Pippa Tomlin, and the couple moved to Cornwall where they set up a competition and breaking yard.
The couple were also among British Eventing’s longest-standing event organisers.
They ran Penzance Horse Trials from the early 1970s before starting up Hatherleigh Horse Trials when they moved to Devon, which ran from 2001-2013.
Mr Wiegersma competed at international level, including at Badminton, and also brought on numerous young horses who went on to enjoy successful careers.
He also produced horse feed before setting up stable manufacturing company West of England Stabling in 1998.
His son, Jake, became involved in the running of the family business after Mr Wiegersma suffered a serious accident in 2011.
His daughter is four-star event rider Lucy McCarthy, who married Irish championship rider Padraig last year.
A memorial service will be held at 2pm on 14 March at Hatherleigh Church.
Amanda Nisbet
Well-known competitor and driving coach Mrs Nisbet (nee Saville) died on 12 February.
She served as a council member of the British Horse Driving Trials Association (now British Carriagedriving) from 2004-2008.
She was crowned national champion in a number of events and continued to compete in national events and championships while receiving cancer treatment.
Her Chariots of Fire display team travelled across the UK to county shows, and in 2015 she was awarded the title of disability coach of the year by SportScotland.
Dr Mary Lewis
Dr Lewis died at home on 1 February, aged 67.
A life-long horsewoman, she had numerous Horse of the Year Show qualifiers in private driving, working hunters and ridden cobs.
She is survived by her husband Derek, children Emma and Andrew, and three grandchildren.
Dr Lewis’ funeral was held on 15 February.
Herbert de Baey
Mr de Baey, one of the most successful breeders of all time, has died aged 84.
He bred the multiple Olympic gold medal-winning dressage horses Ahlerich and Rembrandt, as well as the Dutch team horse Amon.
Rembrandt won gold under Nicole Uphoff at the 1988 Seoul and 1992 Barcelona Games and Ahlerich, ridden by Dr Reiner Klimke, won medals at the 1984 Los Angeles and 1988 Seoul Olympics.
All three horses competed at the 1988 Games.
Mr de Baey died on 16 February at home in Lemgo, Germany.
Victoria Elsbury-Legg
Successful polo journalist Ms Elsbury-Legg died earlier this month, aged 44.
As well as reporting, during her career she spent time working at both Guards and Beaufort polo clubs.
Polo player and H&H reporter Aurora Eastwood first met Ms Elsbury-Legg in 2008, while the latter was working at Guards Polo Club.
“She was just really sweet, always friendly and simply good to people,” Aurora said.
She added that Ms Elsbury-Legg was a well-known figure within the polo world, who frequently reported on and gave live updates from high-goal games.
Dinah Murdoch
A key figure in the Pony Club who guided the lives of many members has died aged 84.
Mrs Murdoch was involved with the Royal Artillery branch of the Pony Club as a parent, committee member and secretary and also served as district commissioner for 20 years.
She remained involved with the branch for a further 10 years until the end of 2015 as their president.
A lifelong horse trials supporter, she owned several event horses including her homebred Two O Two, who competed Badminton and Burghley multiple times with Antoinette McKeowen between 2002 and 2006.
Mrs Murdoch was also a founder member of the Andover branch of the Riding for the Disabled Association, which was set up in 1972.
Gerald Brown
The founder of saddlery Abbey England has died aged 90.
Mr Brown founded Abbey Saddlers, as it was then called, in 1982 and in recent months would still come to work each morning.
A statement from his family said that the business is a testament to his courage and his timeless values of personal service, believing “nothing is too much trouble for our customers”.
In 2011, Mr Brown was presented with the British Equestrian Trade Association lifetime achievement award for his “key role” in shaping the equestrian industry of today.
Christine Morgan-Owen
Mrs Morgan-Owen played a major role in the redevelopment of the Pony Club following its renovation at the end of World War II.
In 1947 she joined the British Horse Society’s London office, where she worked for the next 18 years. She was given the task of “sorting out the Pony Club”, which led to her becoming the Pony Club’s official secretary in 1952.
While working with the organisations, she also found time to produce her eventer Ballyhoo up to intermediate level.
Patrick Conolly-Carew later took on the ride and the combination jumped clear around Badminton five times.
Among her achievements was writing the aims of the Pony Club, which remain almost unchanged today as the organisation’s visions and values.
She worked with the Pony Club training committee and had a key role in producing a “bible” for the Pony Club — the Manual of Horsemanship.
Mrs Morgan-Owen would drive her 1928 Austin 7 across the country to promote the book to branches through lecture demonstrations, and became a visiting instructor in the process.
She also helped to produce a further series of booklets and film strip lectures, including Bits and Bitting and Training the Young Pony.
As well as this, she played a major role in the foundation of inter-branch competitions.
She retired from her position of secretary following the birth of her daughter in 1964, but continued to be actively involved with the organisation.
“She was ‘Mum’ to so many riders, especially those who didn’t have horsey parents, and she had an amazing ability to be quietly close by, and give gentle support at moments when it was most needed,” said her daughter, Sally.
“Many people will fondly remember how, always patient, she led by example and generously shared with others her intuitive talent and huge knowledge and experience.”
The BHS made her an honorary life member and presented her with the diploma of honour.
A well-respected List 3 dressage judge, she also ran and taught the Cranleigh branch of the Riding for the Disabled Association.
She died on 29 January, aged 87.
Ailsa Pease
A well-respected judge who officiated at top shows over the years, Mrs Pease bred the Lemington hacks and ponies as well as three-star eventer Lemington Lets Dance.
Fellow judge, Joanna MacInnes, remembered her as a beautiful rider, an amazing lady and a “first-class judge”.
Mrs Pease was also a former chairman of the British Horse Society (BHS) Durham County Committee during the early 70s.
In the 25 years that followed, she served as a BHS welfare officer and Mrs MacInnes recalls her being “absolutely fearless” where animal welfare was concerned.
Mrs Pease and her husband held an annual pleasure ride on their land in aid of the organisation.
As well as her service to the BHS, she was chairman of the South Durham Branch of the Pony Club for many years.
Dr Jaromir Oulehla
Dr Oulehla was the president of the Lipizzaner Society of Great Britain and was formerly the director of the Spanish Riding School of Vienna and the Federal Stud Piber.
He played a vital role in saving the stud’s herd from a devastating outbreak of equine herpes in the 1980s.
After retiring from the school, he worked to save other endangered breeds, including the Przewalski and Kladruber.
Dr Ouelhla died on 23 January aged 73.
Joe Foster
Stalwart of the showing community Joe Foster died on 23 January aged 91.
He was a great help to riders at grassroots level and also led the Ponies Association (UK) steward team in the 90s.
His funeral will be held at 2.15pm on 9 February at Bushbury Crematorium, Wolverhampton.
Bob Garrett
Mr Garrett, the principal of Aldborough Hall Equestrian Centre in Essex, has died aged 85.
He established the British Horse Society approved riding school around 60 years ago.
His current students paid tribute to him as “inspirational”.
Mr Garrett also bred the grand prix dressage stallion Aldborough Rubinhall.
Christian Heppe
The long-term player and supporter of Guards Polo Club has died aged 74.
Mr Heppe, a life-playing member of the Berkshire-based club, was also the founder of Hildon Water.
Among his achievements as a player was reaching the final of the British Open with his own team in 1984. His Hildon House team won the trophy in 1990.
Ron Southern
The co-founder of Spruce Meadows has died at the age of 85.
Mr Southern and his wife, Margaret, bought the ranch, south of Calgary, Canada, with the hope of establishing a world-class equestrian venue.
The first tournament was held there in 1976 and it now hosts 300 events annually, including a leg of the showjumping Rolex Grand Slam.
Both Mr and Mrs Southern were inducted into Canada’s sports hall of fame in 2006 and he was also awarded a CBE and Member of the Order of Canada.
Mr Southern died on 21 January.
Tommy Wilson
Hunt servant of more than 50 years Tommy Wilson has died at the age of 81.
He started his career at the Cumberland Farmers before joining the Grove and Rufford as whipper-in.
Mr Wilson also served the Hampshire Hunt, York and Ainsty North, Berwickshire, Atherstone, and Derwent.
He finally joined the Bedale and West of Yore, where he worked for 25 seasons before retiring.
His funeral took place on 15 January.