International Women’s Day 2025
Saturday 08 March 2025
International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated globally on 8th March every year and is an opportunity to celebrate progress, advocate for change and drive meaningful conversations around gender equality. This year’s theme is ‘Accelerate Action’, which emphasises the importance in continuing to take swift steps towards gender equality, promoting women's achievements, and addressing the systemic barriers and biases that women face.
Equestrian disciplines are one of the only sports in the world, other than sailing, where men and women compete equally alongside each other at every level from grassroots all the way up to the Olympics. It is the true gender equality and inclusion of a horse which makes the sport so special and sets it apart from other sports; It is part of the challenge that makes this so very attractive. Horsemanship, fitness, feelings, timing & natural ability comes into play.
An early form of showjumping was incorporated in the Olympic games in 1900, although showjumping in its current form made its appearance in 1912. Coincidentally, 1900 was also the first year that women were allowed to compete at the games, just not in the equestrian sports. Due to the military history behind the equestrian sports whereby only serving officers were allowed to compete, women were finally permitted to compete at the Olympics in Dressage in 1952, followed by Showjumping in 1956 and finally Eventing in 1964.
Since then, women have continued to establish their presence within the sport as more and more reach the top levels but also hold high ranking positions in governing bodies and receive awards in recognition of their merits and input.
To celebrate International Women’s Day 2025, British Showjumping looked back at some of the remarkable women who have helped trailblaze the way for the sport of Showjumping in Great Britain.
Pat Smythe is seen as a pioneer of women’s show jumping in Great Britain. Having caught the eye of British selectors in the late 1940’s, she was a regular member of the British team throughout her career, winning 13 Nations Cup competitions, four European titles and eight National Championships in total.
However, her most prolific achievement was being selected for Team GB at the 1956 Stockholm Olympics in the first year that women were allowed to compete in Showjumping. Riding her long term partner, Flanagan, Pat took home team bronze alongside teammates Wilfred White and Peter Robeson.
True to her tenacity to succeed, Pat also won Leading Showjumper of the Year at the very first Horse of the Year Show in 1949 as well as becoming the first female to win British Jumping Derby at Hickstead in 1962 in just its second year of running.
Marion Mould (née Coakes) would continue to build on Pat Smythe’s success and in 1968 became the first female showjumper to win an individual medal at the Mexico City Olympics. Riding the great Stroller, her bay pony whom only standing at 14.2 hand high, Marion secured an individual silver medal having jumped only one of two clear rounds at the Championship.
Caroline Bradley was another set the world stage alight. Best known for riding Milton, who later became the mount of internationally successful showjumper, John Whitaker, her fearless nature saw her win team gold medals in World and European championships as well as top class Grand Prix’s. But it was at the 1974 Horse of the Year Show where she became the first female to win the Puissance class.
Even as a youngster, Liz Edgar quickly distinguished herself from the rest, showing her talent to win the Young Rider Championship not once, but twice. Known not only for her competitive spirit and her very stylish and classical way of riding, Liz won the Queen Elizabeth Cup five times (1977, 1979, 1981, 1982 and 1986), a record which still remains unbeaten today. In 1980 Liz went on to break another record by becoming the first woman to win the iconic 5* Aachen Grand Prix.
In 2015, Di Lampard, a successful showjumper in her own right, became British Showjumping’s first full-time female chef d’équipe. In this time, Di has not only led Great Britain to three Olympic gold medals, but with over 40 top three finishes at Nations Cups competitions and Team Bronze at the 2022 European Championships she is fast becoming one of the most successful Chef d’Équipe’s full stop.
During her career as a rider, Di remarked that one of the highlights of her career was winning the Team Bronze Medal at the 1998 World Equestrian Games in Rome which helped Great Britain to qualify for the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000, but she was also the first female to win Cock o’ the North Championship at The Great Yorkshire Show in 1999.
Di is a strong believer in equality and celebrating the achievements of women all over the world and acknowledges how important it is that men and women compete on equal terms in equestrian sports. She has been credited for championing female talent on her teams but she says, that’s more about how the sport has evolved and took inspiration from those who came before her.
The legacy these incredible equestrians have created is a testament to their invaluable achievements and input in the sport which helped make enormous strides towards equality. Every single woman who chooses to dedicate their time and effort to the sport of showjumping, no matter at what level, will continue to make an impact on the development of the equestrian industry as well as participation and recognition of women. We will continue championing those who help shape our sport as we look forward to an exciting future for females in showjumping.
Happy International Women's Day!
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