Farewell to Pony Club stalwart, bridleways volunteer and ‘dressage granny’
Obituary
Jenny Blakey died aged 74 on 6 May, at the Royal United Hospital in Bath, a week after having a cardiac arrest while out in the field with her horses.
Growing up in Oxfordshire, she and her sister, Dee, first experienced equine activities by taking a donkey in a coal van to local gymkhanas. After strong-arming their parents into buying a pony, they could be found hacking to shows – one riding the pony, one a bike.
After attending teacher training college in London, Jenny married Graham Blakey in 1971. They had four children (Harriet, Alex, James and David) and settled at Rockhouse Farm in Frome, Somerset.
Jenny quickly became the archetypal mum within the Wylye Valley branch of the Pony Club. Her achievements included a Prince Philip trophy at Wembley, a team eventing championship, a completion of a CCI1* event (with old-style roads and tracks) and best-playing pony at the Pony Club polo championship. She organised junior shows, the Easter bunny ride, Christmas pony parties and riding and road safety rallies.
Jenny was also a home economics teacher, who always found time to help students in need. She was a seamstress, making wedding dresses for her daughter, nieces and daughter-in-law, and baker; her flapjacks took on legendary status.
Jenny took part in the Brooke charity trek in Iceland in 2010, discovering a love for Icelandic horses. She brought one, Sindri, with whom she hacked all over southern England, and took part in Icelandic camps where she became quite accomplished at the beer tölt. She also volunteered for the Mendip Bridleways & Byways Association, Hannah’s Willberry Wonder Pony charity and at vaccination centres during Covid. Still heavily involved with the Wylye Valley, she also managed a renaissance as a dressage granny to her granddaughter Angel.
There will be a service for Jenny at St George’s Church, Beckington, Somerset, at 1.30pm on 30 May, followed by a celebration of her life at The Mill at Rode from 3pm. No dress code except fluorescent armbands – she hated it when riders couldn’t be seen.
Donations can be made in Jenny’s memory to the Mendip Bridleways & Byways Association, Willberry or the Royal United Hospital charity.
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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.