The British Horse Society honoured Mrs Pamela Gormley, one of its longest serving members, by awarding her a Golden Jubilee Medal at the BHS stand during the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials on Saturday 3 May.
“The call to tell me I was being presented with this medal came completely out of the blue and I was gobsmacked but thrilled,” said Mrs Gormley. “The medal is huge and I’m very proud and thrilled to bits – several people have called in to see it already.”
The medals were designed in honour of the Queen’s GoldenJubilee last year and are presented to mark special achievements.
Mrs Gormley, originally from Farnborough in Hampshire, is a Life Member of the BHS. She first joined the Institute of the Horse straight from the Pony Club, later transferringto the British Horse Society when it was set up in 1947.
She was District Commissioner for the Hursley Hambledon Branch of the Pony Club for fifteen years. An all-round horsewoman, she tried her hand at a wide range of equestrian disciplines, from endurance and polo, to eventing and hunting. In the 1970, one of her homebred horses, Master Question ridden by Julian Seaman completed Badminton twice.
An active BHS volunteer, Mrs Gormley was instrumental in ensuring that a safe equestrian crossing was set up over the A3 when it first became a dual carriageway. She has consistently campaigned for safe off-road riding and has supported the fight against ragwort.
BHS chairman, Pat Campbell, who presented the medal, said: “We are delighted to be able to mark Mrs Gormley’s achievements as a BHS volunteer by awarding her a Golden Jubilee Medal.”
