Domini Morgan (née Lawrence), the pioneer of British dressage, known for her love of both horses and riders, died on 4 January, aged 99.
Born in 1925, Domini was celebrated when she became the oldest living British Olympian on her 99th birthday on 8 May, 2024.
Women couldn’t compete in equestrian events at the Olympics until 1952, and although Britain had done well in eventing, its dressage performance took a big step forward in 1968, when an all-women team of Domini, Hilda Lorna Johnstone and Johanna Hall came fifth in the team event.
Domini was the highest-placed British individual, in 11th. She competed with her beloved bay gelding, San Fernando, and again at the 1972 Olympics, but less successfully as he was distracted by someone in the audience during the individual event. She won the Horse of the Year dressage event with him five years in a row, and many other national and international competitions.
Domini became a renowned international dressage judge with the FEI. She toured the world coaching and judging: there are particularly fond memories of her in Australia, where she took the trouble to coach groups at all levels, preliminary to advanced. She retired from top-level judging in 1998, but remained always ready to give a word of encouragement or advice.
Domini had grown up as an only child; her two stepbrothers were much older. Fortunately her stepfather, who was secretary of war and then Lord Chancellor, shared her love of horses, and there is a lovely picture, too faded to reproduce, of this elderly statesman and his young stepdaughter riding together in the Scottish Highlands.
When she was in her 50s, Domini embarked on a very happy marriage to Arnold Morgan, which lasted the rest of her life.
“I was privileged to know Domini. When my own young daughter Stephanie, a budding eventer, was having difficulty with a shoulder-in, Domini – by then in her 90s – gave her such perceptive and helpful advice,” said her great-niece Charlotte Hogg.
“I also recall two other wonderful things about her: how passionate she was about support programmes for young dressage riders and, on a personal note, how overwhelmed I was when she gave Stephanie the dressage pin she had worn at the Olympics, and which she now wears every time she competes.”
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Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.
