Record Number of BEF Medals awarded

The BEF Board of Directors has awarded 10 Medals of Honour this year for outstanding services in support of the British international effort.

For their contribution in competition, awards have been made to the Olympic Silver medal winning teammembers Pippa Funnell, Jeanette Brakewell and Leslie Law. The fourth member of the team, Ian Stark, will not receive a Medal of Honour this year as he received one in 1985.

Kay Gebbie, Nicola Tustain, Lee Pearson and Anne Dunham are honoured for their team Gold medal winning Dressage performance at the Paralympic Games in Sydney.

In an unprecedented move, the Board of Directors has decided to present the Medal of Honour to Olympic Gold medal winner in the Women’s Modern Pentathlon, Stephanie Cook, and Bronze medal winner Kate Allenby.

This is the first time the Medal of Honour has been awarded to competitors outside of the BEF’s sporting disciplines.

All of these riders will be making a guest appearance at the evening performance of the Olympia horse show on Thursday 14 December.

Lee Pearson will accept a Medal of Honour on behalf of all the riders in the main ring. The rest of the presentations will take place in the President’s box at Olympia, by kind permission of Lord Vesty.

Medals of Honour have also been awarded to the show jumping course designer Alan Oliver, cross-country course builder Allan Willis, and Bob Baskerville for his veterinary services at international competition.

Carol Phillips

H&H website editor

Carol is an experienced journalist and editor, who is also a passionate amateur rider and dedicated horse owner, having ridden since childhood. She has a particular interest in the emotional well-being and ethical training of horses, alongside veterinary matters, having garnered extensive first-hand experience of numerous equine health conditions through more than 30 years of horse ownership.