A national treasure, a dear friend: farewell to ‘one of the greatest gifts dressage has ever received’
Obituary
Tributes have been paid to “one of the greatest gifts the sport of dressage has ever received”, after five-star international judge Stephen Clarke died at the age of 73.
Stephen, whose life was entwined with horses from an early age, was one of the world’s most respected dressage judges, serving at the Olympics, European and World Championships and World Cup Finals. He was president of the International Dressage Officials Club (IDOC), the FEI judge general and member of the FEI dressage committee, and a Fellow of the British Horse Society.
“It is with profound sadness, and yet with an equally profound sense of gratitude, that we share the news of the passing of our dear friend, colleague and former IDOC president, Stephen Clarke,” the IDOC said in a tribute.
“Stephen was, quite simply, one of the greatest gifts the sport of dressage has ever received. His passing leaves a stillness in our world that will take a long time to fill – and yet, if we listen carefully, we can still hear his voice: warm, measured, often wonderfully witty, and always pointing us toward what is right and good in this sport we all love.”
Stephen was born into a non-horsey family in north Wales. The farm next door had ponies and the deal was, if he could stay on long enough, he could take them to shows. He grew up with the Flint and Denbigh branch of the Pony Club, where, he has told H&H, it was drummed into everyone that any mistakes were always the rider’s fault; “I can still hear ringing in my ears, ‘sit still and never pull back’,” he said.
After early success in showjumping and eventing, Stephen won five national championship dressage titles. He represented Britain in international competition, including at the 1980 Alternate Olympics with Ulysses, and he and Becket were the reserve combination for the Seoul Olympics in 1988.
Stephen started judging in his early 20s, having become, as he put it, “fed up with everyone moaning about the judging”.
“A characteristically Stephen solution to a problem,” the IDOC tribute said. “Rather than complain, step forward and be part of the answer.”
Stephen was president of the ground jury at the London Olympics in 2012, which he said was one of the proudest moments of his life; he also said that to be on the judges’ panel when Totilas and Valegro broke world records was “beyond exciting”.
“The privilege of awarding 10s for movements where you just cannot imagine how it could be better – that was the joy Stephen brought to his work every single time he sat behind the judging board,” the IDOC said.
“He never shied from the difficult calls either. At the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, he made one of the toughest calls in a world championship – the disqualification of Adelinde Cornelissen when her horse bled from the mouth. It was correct, it was courageous, and it was entirely Stephen. He understood that integrity in judging is not a convenience — it is the foundation upon which the sport rests.”
Stephen shaped the future of his sport, as judge general and on the committee; he was instrumental in creating the FEI judges’ book.
“His efforts earned tremendous respect for dressage judges worldwide and contributed greatly to the reputation and profile of the sport,” the IDOC said. “His goal, as he always said, was to ensure young judges have the opportunity to develop their education and skills.
“And he meant it – not as a statement of policy, but as a personal mission. He took time with every young official who crossed his path. He remembered names. He remembered horses. He remembered what it felt like to be new to this world, and he made sure no one felt alone in it.
“As president of IDOC, Stephen brought the same qualities to our organisation that he brought to everything: clarity of thought, generosity of spirit, and an unwavering commitment to doing things properly. He worked alongside colleagues including Maribel Alonso, Katrina Wüst and Hans-Christian Matthiesen in the education working group, and his influence on the way we train and support officials across the globe cannot be overstated. IDOC is a better, stronger, more purposeful organisation because Stephen Clarke led it.”
Stephen ran a working pupils scheme at Cotton Equestrian Centre in Cheshire; many of those who trained with him have gone on to successful careers, of which Stephen was quietly proud.
“He was quick to laugh, quicker still to listen,” the IDOC said. “In any discussion – whether about a single movement in a test, the future direction of FEI judging policy, or the state of the sport over a glass of wine after a long competition day – Stephen brought the same qualities: a clear mind, an open heart and exactly the right words at exactly the right moment. Many of us will carry specific things he said to us, privately, at just the right time, for the rest of our lives.
“In his final years, illness slowed him physically, but never in spirit. He remained in close contact with many in his circle, generous with his time, his warmth, and his thoughts, right to the end. That, too, was entirely Stephen.
“We will miss him at the arena. We will miss him in the seminar rooms. We will miss him at the table after a long day, when the best conversations always seemed to happen. We will miss his laughter, his precision, and his extraordinary ability to make everyone around him feel both valued and challenged to be better.
“The sport of dressage is immeasurably richer for everything Stephen Clarke gave it over so many decades. We are immeasurably richer for having known him. Our thoughts go to Julian Sebire, Stephen’s partner for more than 40 years.
“Stephen – thank you. It was a privilege and an honour.”
A national treasure
British Dressage chair Jill Day, a close friend of Stephen’s, said he was a national treasure.
“There is no one more deserving of that title,” she said. “When you consider the legacy he has left behind – wow, what a legacy that is.
“However, when I think of Stephen, none of those things are the first things that spring to mind. I just see that twinkle in his eye and that infectious giggle. I see an amazing friend, always there if you needed him and always with very honest and straightforward advice. There will never be another that has done so much for our sport and stayed so humble.
“His last words to me were ‘Please, don’t be sad’. This will be the first time I have not been able to follow his advice. Rest in peace, dear friend.”
The FEI agreed that for all Stephen’s huge achievements, he will most be remembered for who he was.
“Stephen Clarke was one of those rare individuals who made everyone around him better, and the extraordinary outpouring of tributes since his passing stands as a testament to both his deep love for the sport and his regard for those within it,” said FEI dressage director Ronan Murphy said.
“Stephen was a true gentleman in every sense of the word. Fair, thoughtful and quietly wise, he never sought the spotlight, yet his presence and influence can be felt throughout our sport to this day. We have lost not only one of dressage’s greatest judges, but also one of its kindest and most respected figures.”
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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.