‘Few have touched so many lives’: farewell to horsewoman who left an incredible legacy

More than 200 people gathered at the Unicorn Equestrian Trust to celebrate the life of its founder Sydney Smith, who has died aged 80.

Sydney was born and educated in Pennsylvania, but following a bet with a family friend she came to the UK, aged 23, to learn to drive a four-in-hand team of horses and never went back.

She lived with Frank and Cynthia Haydon for some years and learned about driving at the highest level, then moved to Netherswell outside Stow-on-the-Wold where she set up a Hackney pony stud. She was very successful with her Hackneys in the show ring and driving trials and became a highly respected judge.

Sydney embraced the passions of both her parents – mother Josephine was into horses, ensuring that her children rode from an early age, and father William shared his enjoyment of sailing.

Sydney went on to buy 17m ketch Kytra. She and friends enjoyed adventures around the Scottish islands; visits to Mull were particularly special. One unforgettable trip was south from Inverness through Loch Ness and other lochs and along the Caledonian Canal. Some friends travelled on board with Sydney’s professional skipper, others enjoyed the ride on Sydney’s carriage with her ponies, who she took north for the occasion.

Some later trips coincided with equestrian events, including the driving trials at Brighton and the World Equestrian Games in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1990.

Finally, in the 1990s, Kytra sailed down to the Mediterranean for some memorable trips for Sydney and friends.

Sydney was elected to the Horse Driving Trials Committee, a role she held for some 20 years, much of that time as chair of the training committee.

Always anxious to help the young and those less fortunate than herself, Sydney wanted to share her equestrian experience with others. She formed a group of talented young drivers for training in a neighbour’s small indoor arena, and this sowed the seed of a much more ambitious project resulting in the opening of the Unicorn Equestrian Centre in 1996.

Originally the Unicorn focused on carriage driving but the superb facilities lent themselves to all aspects of equestrianism and soon all disciplines of the then British Equestrian Federation were benefiting. Sydney enjoyed watching and talking to participants at clinics and was always thinking of ways to improve what she had created; she was particularly anxious to be totally inclusive and embrace all levels of equestrianism from grass roots to Olympians.

The excellent facilities for the disabled have enabled all the British para teams to use the arena, and Sydney was particularly proud of the formation of the Unicorn Vaulting Group, which encourages local children who do not necessarily have their own ponies to enjoy the camaraderie and make new friends.

The excellent catering has always been an important part of life at The Unicorn, and many important friendships are made and decisions reached around the table.

International driving competitor and FEI judge Barry Capstick came to live at Netherswell with his family in 1991 and helped with maintenance, and Sydney initially sponsored his competition horses.

Although she lived so far away, Sydney kept in constant contact with her sisters and family in the US. Two of her nephews came to work for her and learn about her driving world. In 2001 she became a British citizen.

In 2011 Sydney was made a yeoman of the Worshipful Company of Saddlers in recognition of her contribution to equestrianism, and was awarded the BEF Medal of Honour in 2016.

Sydney will be remembered for her kindness, modesty, loyalty and generosity. There are few people who have touched so many lives or left such a special legacy as the Unicorn Equestrian Trust.

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