Eventing journalist Jane Pontifex dies at 84

Jane Pontifex

Longtime eventing enthusiast as well as equestrian journalist Jane Pontifex has died at her domicile inwards Surrey at the historic menstruum of 84.

Pontifex was the offset official scorer for British Equus caballus trials, as well as worked inwards the purpose at the first Badminton Horse Trials inwards 1949.

She valued accuracy inwards everything she did, as well as i of her most of import legacies was inwards helping to devise the scoring organization for Equus caballus trials which is nonetheless inwards utilization today.

Pontifex played a major purpose inwards the evolution of the sport, as well as was heavily involved inwards the start-up of Burghley Horse Trials inwards 1961.

She worked for the British Horse Society for many years equally an official scorer earlier joining the staff of British equestrian magazine, Horse & Hound. When Michael Clayton, as well as so editor of the magazine, wanted to upgrade coverage of Eventing, Pontifex was his natural choice.

“Nobody knew to a greater extent than close the mechanics of the sport than she did,” he said. “She had a passion for accuracy, which was what I wanted, as well as she became Horse & Hound’s offset adult woman reporter as well as offset adult woman sub-editor for Eventing. Jane was a real valuable fellow member of our staff, as well as a skilful friend.”

As Equus caballus trials editor for Horse & Hound, Pontifex took over reporting on all the top events, including Badminton as well as Burghley, as well as the major international championships, continuing to write fifty-fifty subsequently her retirement from the project inwards 1988.

Pontifex was also the founding secretarial assistant of the British Horse Trials Support Group, a project she continued to produce for a quarter of a century amongst typical efficiency as well as enthusiasm, as well as was a long-standing secretarial assistant to the British Equestrian Writers’ Association. Her devotion to the sport as well as beloved for special resulted inwards a comprehensive book, Riding for Gold, which chronicled the history of Britain’s Eventing teams.

British journalist Kate Green remembers her onetime colleague as well as friend amongst dandy fondness. “Jane was non entirely dandy fun to operate as well as move with, precisely she was a fount of wisdom close the sport, as well as ever willing to assist as well as encourage up-and-coming journalists.”

Jane Pontifex’s decease comes 3 weeks subsequently the passing of Jim Gilmore, press officeholder to the Badminton Horse Trials from 1969 to 2001.

 

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