Farewell to much-loved event organiser, volunteer and owner

Jill Lamont, the long-standing event organiser, volunteer and owner died on 28 August, aged 85.

Jill developed a passion for horses from an early age, spending much of her time helping at White Horse Stables, before she got her first pony aged 16.

When Jill left school she worked as a lab technician at the Queen’s Veterinary School Hospital at the University of Cambridge, and here she met Peter. The couple married and moved to Bisley, Surrey, where Peter worked as a virologist at the Central Vet Laboratory in New Haw. The couple welcomed two sons, Mark and David.

In 1966 Peter was seconded to The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine for a research fellowship and the family moved to Columbus for 18 months. On their return, Jill bought a Welsh pony, Jessie, and taught Mark and David to ride. Soon after she bought Laverock, so the children could ride together.

Mark and David joined the Pirbright branch of the Pony Club, where Jill became treasurer and Peter district commissioner. Jill and Peter organised one-day events for the Pony Club at Roker’s Farm in Worplesdon, and this started their involvement in eventing.

As Mark and David continued in the sport in their teenage years, Jill and Peter began volunteering. They met Bill and Anne Allen and became a well-known team in the eventing community; Jill as organiser and secretary, Anne as entries secretary and scorer, and Bill and Peter as cross-country starters, at many events including Dauntsey Park, Purston Manor and Tweseldown.

They also volunteered at fixtures including Blenheim, Chatsworth and Withington Manor, and officiated at the 2006 Asian Games and the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

In addition to supporting Mark and David and owning their horses, Jill owned four-star eventer Lebowski, ridden by Beanie Sturgis. Jill and Peter were also fond of travelling, and enjoyed visiting places around the world with friends and family.

Jill was predeceased by Peter in 2015. She is survived by Mark and David, and her grandchildren Henry, Sam, Hugh, Beth, Sophie and Matthew.