Richard’s Press Biography
Richard is a four-time Olympian and European medalist and has been at the forefront of the international equestrian world for almost four decades. As well as being among the world’s most experienced international riders he is in demand for his many other diverse and wide ranging skills and knowledge.
As well as competing in the 2012 London Olympic Games Richard also finished his four-year term as the British World Class Performance Manager and former British Dressage Team Captain. He is credited for ‘masterminding the strategic plan behind Britain’s most successful period of international successes’ resulting in their historic Olympic and European team gold medals and World Championship medals. Richard combined this role whilst himself competing at the highest levels including the World Cup Finals and the Olympics, a feat believed to be unequalled.
Aside from his own competition program Richard’s advice and coaching skills continue to be sought by some of the world’s most successful dressage and show jumping riders, including World and Olympic medalists. He has been a coach to UK Sports World Class Development Show Jumping Program for almost a decade.
He has been on the organizing teams of countless high- level competitions including World Cup qualifiers, European Championships and currently provides guidance and advice to many other event promoters.
For many years he was the Vice-President of The International Dressage Riders Club and was recently made a Fellow of the International Dressage Trainers Club. He is a Fellow of the British Horse Society and served on many BHS Committees including becoming Chairman of the BHS Training and Examinations Committee, the BHS Council, the British Equestrian Federation and was a BHS Senior Examiner. He has served as a Board Member of British Dressage. He was awarded
the British Equestrian Federation’s Medal of Honour
He has been a member of the FEI Dressage Committee and was invited by the FEI President to become a member of the FEI Task Force, formed to review the international dressage sport. He holds the FEI’s Gold Badge of Honour
He is Visiting Fellow of Nottingham Trent University and was a founder of the Burghley Three Day Event Young Event Horse Series for which he continues to provide advice. He has been awarded the Horse of the Year Show’s Equestrian Personality of the Year award and the Horse and Hound Magazine’s Rider of the Year Award.
For fifteen years Richard has been the Moderator for the Global Dressage Forum, based in Holland, which serves as the annual debating platform for international dressage stakeholders.
Richard has been a contributor and columnist to countless equestrian magazines including Horses and Hound, Your Horse, Horse and Rider and others. He regularly commentates for various TV channels.
He runs The Dressage Convention, together with Carl Hester, an annual event designed to simplify and popularise the art of dressage training.
Together with his wife Gillian and their two sons, he has a stable of dressage and show jumping horses and is based in Staffordshire.
He is now building a team of top horses and is aiming
for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.
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