Diamond Riders at Olympia in 1981
From Steve Axon (Vice Chair, Diamond Trustees)
We recently received a phone call from a lady who told us she had photographs of her son taking part in a musical ride at Olympia on 17th December 1981 and asked whether Diamond would like them for our archive. Intrigued, a meeting was arranged with Mrs McNiel and her son Stephen, who was just 15 at the time of the performance.
Lyn and I had the privilege of meeting Mrs McNiel and Stephen and we were able to show them a video from our archive, filmed at Olympia, allowing them to relive the excitement and atmosphere of that very special event.
Eight Diamond riders, the youngest only 13, took part in a ten‑minute Musical Ride at Olympia – The International Horse Show, affectionately known as the “Olympia Christmas Show”. It was a remarkable achievement for such a young team and a proud moment in Diamond’s history.
The 10-minute ride was produced by Diamond coach George Goodwin, and Stephen vividly recalled the preparation, rehearsals, and the thrill of performing in front of the Olympia audience. He also remembered being presented with a snowman at the end of the display—a small memento of an unforgettable day.
We are delighted to now have several additional photographs from the event, including images of each rider and the horses that took part. These will be preserved in our archive as an important part of Diamond’s early history.
|
