‘The most important supporter’: farewell to much-loved mom, proprietor, organiser and horse sport fan

Edna Hunnable Schnieder, the long-standing equestrian sport supporter, proprietor and British Present Pony Society (BSPS) honorary vice-president died on 1 September, aged 86.

Edna was born in Braintree, Essex, to a non-horsey household. She met her husband Thomas, and the couple welcomed sons Martyn, Chris and Julian.

The Hunnable household’s equestrian story began when Thomas’s father purchased Martyn a pony, and all three sons went on to journey and compete on ponies. Edna and Thomas’s equestrian pursuits grew, and in 1978 they based and constructed Towerlands equestrian and sport centre. The ability turned a famend present centre, with Edna instrumental in its success. The couple based and ran Dynes Corridor horse trials, an occasion Edna loved internet hosting.

Edna loved all disciplines and he or she owned present and dealing hunter ponies, pointers, occasion horses and showjumpers. The couple have been nice supporters and beneficiant sponsors of the BSPS together with Thomas serving as its president. They continued supporting the present pony world lengthy after their youngsters outgrew the lessons.

Following Thomas’s dying in 1985 Edna continued to help the BSPS; she was president of Space 15, and was made BSPS honorary vice-president in recognition of hers and her household’s contributions to the society through the years.

In 1992 Edna married Rolf Schnieder, of Schnieder Boots, and the couple supported Chris in making his dream of driving on the Olympics a actuality. The couple co-owned Mr Bootsie, whom Chris rode on the 1996 Atlanta Video games in eventing, and Edna additionally owned Towerlands Anglezarke, ridden by showjumper Malcolm Pyrah on the 1988 Video games in Korea.

Watching two horses that she owned compete on the world stage was a reward for every little thing she had given to the equestrian neighborhood.

Though Edna by no means rode, she was the largest supporter and fan of equestrian sport and horses and continued to observe it in her later years from afar. She was an avid reader of H&H and appeared ahead to seeing all of the acquainted faces within the journal each week.

Edna leaves Martyn, Chris and Julian, and stepchildren Michael and Martina. Rolf predeceased her on 17 February.

H&H senior information author

Since becoming a member of H&H in 2018, Becky has coated a broad vary of equestrian information together with welfare issues, veterinary research, FEI Tribunal hearings and street security campaigns. She has additionally interviewed prime riders together with Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to call only a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, in addition to the Royal Highland and Blair Fort Worldwide Horse Trials nearer to dwelling. She was additionally a key a part of the distant reporting staff for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.