Farewell to lifelong horse lover and supporter of the sport, aged 75
Lifelong horse lover and supporter of the British Showjumping Association (now British Showjumping, BS) David Rogers has died aged 75.
David was a lifetime subscriber to Horse & Hound; his family often remarked that such was his love and commitment to the sport, one of his quotes would sit fittingly alongside Whyte Melville’s on the cover.
David’s passion for horses began in early childhood when his grandfather, a proud Welshman, travelled from their home in Northampton to the markets in Wales to buy him a pony. So impressed was he with both quality and price, he returned with not one, but 12 ponies!
After a somewhat slow start in showjumping – when a successful day meant reaching fence eight rather than fence two before being eliminated – David achieved considerable national success, with ponies such as Little Boy Blue. He competed throughout the UK on horses, predominantly in showjumping with a brief foray into eventing, before passing the competition baton to his daughter Lucy. Lucy went on to enjoy great success with ponies including Doughnut, Sandy Hills Brigadier, and Night Out, with David her most enthusiastic supporter.
It was the shared love of horses and the junior showjumping circuit that bought David and Jayne together in 1992. They married in 2001 and together spent many happy years supporting Lucy and Jayne’s daughter Sophie. It was for Sophie that David bought three-year-old Winning Good in 2012, who was later sold for Emily Moffett to ride after five years. David remained a regular presence at shows, supporting Sophie until very recently. As he once said, he could “go to a show every day of the week and enjoy it… if the horses were jumping well!”
David Rogers gave a great deal back
David gave a great deal back to the sport. He was for many years the BS area representative for Northamptonshire, organising shows at Hollowell, one of the first outdoor events each season, and the Castle Ashby Show.
In 1972, David played a key role in helping revive the Olympia horse show, working with Michael Rose. He fondly recalled the early days, when crowds were sparse and he would go out into surrounding streets to encourage passers-by to fill the stands. He was even given the very important task of finding an outfit for Father Christmas! In later years, David was a central part of the selection committee for the senior national team with James Fisher and Rob Bevis, under the leadership of Di Lampard.
David travelled widely as an owner and supporter. The Olympics were his favourite event; he attended many, including Barcelona 1992, where, during a sudden downpour, he took the opportunity to slip past security while they collected wet-weather gear and walked the course for the second round of the team competition, an experience he relished. Most recently, he proudly cheered on the team at Paris 2024.
David loved riding and showjumping at every level, from grassroots to elite professionals. Many of his happiest memories and closest friendships were formed in the showjumping world. A lifelong horseman, he will be remembered for his encyclopaedic knowledge, his great character and fairness and his wonderful sense of fun. A true friend to many across the equestrian community, David will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
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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.