By Victoria Landeryou
Debbie Lee (née West) died suddenly at home on 19 March, aged 73.
Debbie learnt to ride aged six, made her first competitive appearance in the lead-rein class at the Richmond Royal Horse Show and was second, twice, at Horse of the Year Show in showing, in 1964 and 1965. A former member of the Cobham branch of the Pony Club, she made visits to New Zealand and Canada.
Trained by Edy Goldman and Vera Holden in Cheshire, a long way from her Surrey home and then with limited motorways, she always put a giant teddy bear in the passenger seat of her Land Rover for security. The only criteria she had when looking for a horse was that it must jump. Her greatest success was with the 15.1½ hh Baccarat, who jumped for fun; the dressage, in Debbie’s words, was “a nightmare”. But the partnership came fifth at Burghley and Badminton in 1970. They came third at Badminton and won individual silver and team gold at Burghley European Championships in 1971 alongside Richard Meade, Mark Phillips and Mary Gordon-Watson, despite Debbie’s stirrup leather breaking during the cross-country. They were fourth at Badminton and second at Burghley in 1972, won team bronze at the 1973 Europeans alongside Richard Meade, Lucinda Prior-Palmer (Green) and Janet Hodgson (Norton) and came seventh at Badminton in 1974. She received her Armada Dish at Badminton in 1976.
The partnership was selected for the Munich 1972 Olympics but Baccarat, for the first time in his life, was lame on the morning of the dressage so they were withdrawn and substituted by Bridget Parker; the team went on to win the gold medal. At Badminton in 1973 following a crashing fall across country with her first horse Oporto, she had a painkilling injection and completed phases A to C on Baccarat, and elected not to go across country only when asked not to by The late Queen Elizabeth.
Debbie was a tiny, fearless, determined eventer and had to carry more than two-and-a-half-stone of dead weight round the old, long eventing format. Her career was pre-sponsorship and there were very limited funds, her parents being the main supporters – her father was often seen carrying a lot of buckets. At times she had multiple jobs to finance competing.
She also enjoyed other adrenaline-filled sports like skiing. In 1976 Debbie moved to London and became a PA in the city. She met her husband, Tim Lee, in late 1980 and they were married in July 1981.
She is survived by two children, Victoria and Charles, and three grandchildren: Winnie, Cressida and Wilbur. A thanksgiving service will be held for Debbie at St Dunstan’s Church, Monks Risborough HP27 9JF on 7 June at midday.
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