Jackie Potts receives Medal of Honour Photo courtesy British Equestrian/Jon Stroud Media
British Equestrian has honoured eight leading equestrian figures with the British Equestrian Medal of Honour, presented by the federation’s Chair, Malcolm Wharton CBE, and CEO, Jim Eyre at the 2022 London International Horse Show
The four recipients for 2022 were Professor Eric Jenkinson, Dr. Chris Meadon, Jackie Potts and Charlotte Thornycroft
A familiar figure on the eventing circuit, Jackie Potts has been the head groom at William Fox-Pitt’s yard for over thirty years. The epitome of a world-class groom, Jackie’s knowledge, skill and attention to detail are second-to-none and she is always ready to offer support to those who need it.
She has five Olympic Games, five World Championships and eight European Championships on her CV, and too many three-day events to count. Jackie is a founding Director for the International Grooms Association and a longstanding ambassador for the British Grooms Association. Being a groom is, in her own words, ‘a way of life, not a job’.
Charlotte (Charlie) Thornycroft put her life on hold to support the war relief effort in Ukraine, running the logistics hub and a yard of 60 evacuated horses on the Polish border. She has been the ‘eyes on the ground’ for British Equestrians for Ukraine, a group set up by British Equestrian, World Horse Welfare, the British Equestrian Trade Association and the British Horse Society.
Despite seeing numerous horrors, Charlie has shown courage and resilience beyond measure, always with a smile on her face and a can-do attitude. Nine months after the start of the conflict, she continues to be involved in the on-going efforts to support the Ukrainian equine population and those caring for them.
Four individuals who were awarded their Medals of Honour last year, but were unable to receive the accolades in person due to Covid restrictions - Charlotte Fry, Gareth Hughes, Sophie Thomas and David Trott - also attended the presentation
