An evening with Jennie Loriston-Clarke “equestrian doyenne extraordinaire!”
Report from Wellington Riding, Monday 3rd March 2025, 7pm.
We were treated to a captivating talk by Jennie Loriston-Clarke, together with her sister Jane Holderness-Roddam, about her life, her family and her horses.
Jennie shared many photographs from early childhood to present day. It showed her life not only as a great all-round horsewoman competing in World Class and Olympic dressage on 4 occasions, but also eventing and showing and all aspects of equestrian activities.
Growing up at the idyllic Catherston Manor estate in Dorset with 1,000 acres to ride over must have been wonderful in so many ways. Learning to balance themselves and the horses across country at an early stage, riding on the superb Dorset hills, must have had a big influence on the whole family. It is not surprising that brother Michael and sister Jane both evented and represented GB in The Olympics. There were fascinating pictures of horses winning that they had produced themselves including riding in pairs and quadrilles at White City and other major shows throughout the country as well as competing show ponies in America and Canada. It was at this time that Catherston Stud was also started and we were shown pictures of the famous pony stallion Bubbly, who can be traced back to many successful ponies competing in dressage and showing today. No wonder “The Bullens” are an amazing equestrian family, they were clearly inspired by their mother Anne Bullen who had an exceptional eye for a horse. She herself being a talented horsewoman and renowned artist. From a young age Jennie was always keen to learn and took every opportunity to go on courses with her horses and trained with many world class trainers throughout her career.
Catherston Stud has had several moves from its origin in Dorset. Firstly to Didmarton, Glos., and then when she married Anthony Loriston-Clarke they moved to Black Knoll in The New Forest. Their subsequent move to Hurstbourne Priors was not only to expand further the stud but also to create a popular competition and training centre. The final move has been in 2001 to Over Wallop where the stud and training centre both continue to be as busy as ever.
There were many pictures but some of particular note was Jennie winning a Bronze Medal in 1978 on Dutch Courage and then winning the National Novice Eventing Championships on Dutch Gold at Locko Park, with wins abroad at Dressage World Cup qualifiers as well as many other successes at the National Dressage Championships as well showing all types of horses and ponies – the list was endless, and included brother Mike competing at the 1960 &1964 Olympics together with sister Jane winning Badminton in 1968 on Our Nobby and Warrior in 1978 as well as winning team Gold at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico. Meanwhile brother Charlie and sister Sarah were riding many wins hunter trialling and showing.
We were treated to some lovely team pictures over the years with other Great Britain team-mates such as Christopher Bartle, Jane Bartle-Wilson, Sarah Whitmore, Lady Elizabeth Joicey, Delia Cunningham, Diana Mason and Joan Gold.
From early training courses that were run at Catherston Manor in Dorset, Jennie has always been at the forefront of riders as well as horses. She is an exceptional communicator and very skilled as a coach, mentor and chef d’equipe. She passed her “Fellowship” in 1978, when already famous for her lecture demonstrations, long reining pas de deux, stallion viewing days and for setting up The British High Performance sales, which helped enormously to promote British breeding to where it is today. She still is a very busy and sought-after coach and judge around the world.
Jennie was the Chef d’Equipe with the successful Young Rider teams which included over the years Becky Moody, Andrew Gould and Sarah Millis. Jennie also, as she described, “bred and produced” successful daughters Anne (Dicker) and Lizzie (Murray), helping them to become very competent and respected horse women who have also successfully represented GB – her daughter Anne received the Young Riders team silver medal with Catherston Dutch Bid alongside Nicky Sparrow, Fiona Rutland and Vicky Mills. Jennie is also never far behind now supporting and helping her granddaughters Matilda Murray eventing home bred horses and Charlotte Dicker who has also represented GB in dressage as a Young Rider and continues to ride competitively the talented stallion Timolin.
I’m sure many of us have had the pleasure to ride and coach horses by many of the Catherston stallions such as Dutch Courage, Dutch Gold, Xenocles, Catherston Nightlife, Bryn-y-mor Comet, Ramero, Catherston Dazzler, Liboi, Catherston Liberator, Catherston Humbug, Catherston Decipher and Catherston Springsteen to name but a few of the fantastic quality and range of stallions Jennie has bred, produced and stood at stud.
Jennie shared some of her proudest moments which included HM The late Queen presenting her with the 1st Queens Award for Equestrianism, her Grooms Award to Anne and Catherston Dutch Bid when they were successful in the YR dressage team winning a silver medal – she bred them both. Lizzie winning three big tour classes at Hickstead CDI with Catherston Humbug – she bred them both too! Her own bronze medal at the World Dressage Championships and her MBE as well the many others that she won from endless Championships to Olympics. To mark her contribution to breeding we saw a picture of her receiving the “Lifetime Achievement Award” from Desi Dillingham at the British Breeders annual awards. She also shared with us that being Chairman for British Dressage over the Golden Years, and all the success from the build-up to The London Olympics 2012 and beyond, had given her immense pleasure.
Jennie shared a quote from Carl Hester recently, whom she had helped when he was starting his career, who said that she had been his “inspiration”. In true Jennie style, she was quick to say that she found this very humbling as all that he has achieved was in fact her inspiration too. She also mentioned that the responsibilities of being a steward and ‘Fellow” always brings you down to Earth and is great opportunity for learning!
Jennie shared a lovely picture of both Anthony and herself in front of the The Taj Mahal in India on one of her many trips abroad to teach. She described Anthony to whom she had been married to for 58 years as her most loyal supporter.
Certainly in our house she is held in the highest regard, being a mentor for me doing the Fellowship and inspiring Chris to set up and run The Haddon Stud. I’m sure many of you have been inspired and enjoyed her wonderfully clear and well-illustrated books and of course training with her over the years too.
Thank you, Jennie, you are an inspiration to us all and thank you for sharing all of this with us. It was privilege to have been able to listen to you and I am sure everyone will join me in saying we are immensely grateful. Your contribution to and influence on the horse world has been immeasurable and you are a true “living legend” – something I am very sure the likes of us will never see again.
I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to Jane for accompanying Jennie and for encouraging Jennie to chat to us and adding to many of the anecdotes, to Carol Bennitt and her team for organising the evening and to David Sheerin and Wellington for hosting the event.
Robert Pickles FBHS