Winner of the first Golden Horseshoe Ride Rachel Pope died in February, aged 89.
Rachel won many championships at White City and other shows, riding the ponies of her horse-dealing uncle.
The same ponies took her hunting with the West Kent and to Pony Club activities and, in 1937, aged 15, she won the first ever Golden Horseshoe Ride.
A staunch believer that one should give back to the horseworld, she instigated and ran a local show for many years. In her 40s she took her advanced instructor qualification to help the West Somerset branch of the Pony Club.
She leaves a daughter Diana Day and niece Catriona Cook.
This news story was first published in the current issue of Horse & Hound (14 April, 2011)
