Susan Mary Hutton, the well-liked and respected showjumping judge and supporter died peacefully on 7 October, aged 83.
Susan was a Yorkshire lass; born in Hull, she got into horses early, then breeding, and judging.
She met Ian Hutton when they were both at the University of Glasgow and they moved to the Midlands, then to Hampshire where their three children grew up. The family was involved with nearby Stocklands Equestrian Centre, through which Susan got into judging; she worked as a doctor’s secretary but judging was her passion.
She was a regular at the big events such as Windsor, Olympia, Hickstead and Horse of the Year Show, running the declarations office with her friend Sylvia Barnes, and judging at many smaller venues. She loved the camaraderie, and meeting new people, including Princess Diana, who once hid in the declarations caravan from the paparazzi, and Prince Charles.
She also continued breeding; her first horse was Sheila, in the 1960s, and her last horse Annie was Sheila’s great-great-great-granddaughter.
Susan leaves her three children, Jane, Charles and Peter, and grandchildren Tom and Ben.
In this week’s Horse & Hound, on sale from 2 November, don’t miss the horses in art special, which take s look at resident artists’ roles, plus we delve into the incredible equine artist George Stubbs. Also in this issue, we bring you our National Hunt preview, where we meet the mighty Constitution Hill. This week’s H&H interview is with Burghley runner-up David Doel, take a closer look at Alice Casburn’s wonderful five-star eventer Topspin and don’t miss our new series ‘The way we were’, which is a nostalgic feature, perfect to cosy up with during the winter months. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.
