The Association is deeply saddened by the passing last Saturday of our former President, Stella Harries, aged 85. Stella was widely acclaimed as the most elegant of all ladies ever to ride a hack in the show ring. 

A successful pony rider, she was reserve Rider of Year at Horse of the Year Show, right at its very inception. Stella, alongside her sister, Christine, rode many ponies to be multi-garlanded victories, as well as producing many champion ponies, including Pollyanna, the daughter of the legendary Pretty Polly. Pollyanna became HOYS Champion in 1963, ridden by Aly Pattinson, Burghley winning rider and BSPS Judge, before she was exported to the USA.  Another remarkable pony was Shandon, who was Pony of the Year at HOYS in 1965 and 1969.  

The family purchased some land in Warfield, Berkshire and set about renovating barns which were later to support Stella and her sister, subsequently setting up ‘Little Barn’, a place ingrained into so many of the showing fraternity who were lucky enough to visit and keep their ponies and horses in the famous ‘yellow stables’.  

Her first love was always hacks, our members remember her most notably on Ridgewood Venture, who was champion at the RIHS in 1971 and 1974 and Nobility in 1994, owned by Lisa Friswell. Stella would always help anybody at shows and her list of champion riders under her tutelage is endless and continues to this day, producing the legendary Brown Buzzard to be Champion Hack at HOYS in 1982 for rider Catherine Cooper.   

A true ‘doyen’ of the showing world, nobody will forget the twinkle in her eye, many a raucous laugh shared over a glass of wine and a cigarette, and of course the legendary supermarket carrier bag rain hat. Thank you Stella, from everyone inside and outside the ring who admired you – ‘you will always be one of the treasures of the showing world’.