Richard Meade

Richard Meade was a linchpin of the British equestrian team for 21 years and won three gold medals at four Olympic Games to establish himself as his nation’s most successful Olympic rider. He made his Olympic debut in Tokyo in 1964, finishing best of British in eighth place, and he was a member of the three-day event team that won gold in Mexico in 1968 and Munich in 1972. Riding Laurinston, he captured the individual gold medal in Munich. Having seen fellow Welshman David Broome carry the British flag at the opening ceremony in 1972, he was given the honour of doing the same at the closing ceremony. He finished fourth in the individual event at Montreal in 1976. He was picked for the Moscow boycott substitute event at Fontainebleau in 1980.

His first medal came in 1966 at the World Championships when he came second.He also two gold and a further two silvers at the World Championships and was also crowned European champion three times. He won a further two bronze European medals. In 1970 he claimed the highly prestigious Badminton title for the first time with The Poacher. Twelve years later he won it again with Speculator III and he also won Burghley in 1964 with Barberry.

His parents were joint masters of the Curre hunt and set up Britain’s first Connemara pony stud. After attending Lancing and Magdalene College, Cambridge, where he read Engineering, Meade served with the 11th Hussars. He then worked for a time in London before concentrating on competitive riding. Awarded the OBE in 1974, he served on the British Horse Society’s council for more than 10 years and became the chairman of the British Horse Foundation. He also sat on the bureau of the International Equestrian Federation.

Richard John Hannay Meade (Three Day Eventer) Born in Chepstow on 4 December, 1938; Died on 8 January, 2015