Pamela Carruthers

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Pamela Isabel Jameson Carruthers (née Torrie, 11 August 1916 – 23 September 2009), was a British showjumper, and showjumping course designer, and "had a profound influence on show jumping courses in many parts of the world". [1]

Contents

Early life

She was born Pamela Isabel Jameson Torrie on 11 August 1916 at 19 Atholl Crescent, Edinburgh, the only child of Thomas George Jameson Torrie (1880–1916), a Life Guards lieutenant-colonel, and his wife, Esmé Muriel Torrie , née Crabbe (1895–1984). [2]

Edinburgh Capital city in Scotland

Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian, it is located in Lothian on the Firth of Forth's southern shore.

Life Guards (United Kingdom) senior regiment of the British Household Cavalry

The Life Guards (LG) is the senior regiment of the British Army and part of the Household Cavalry, along with the Blues and Royals.

Her parents married in September 1915, and her father was killed in action on the Western Front in November 1916. [2] In 1920, her mother married Basil Eddis, a merchant in India, and Pamela spent some time there, until the marriage broke down and they returned to the UK, after which her mother married Ralph Hope Vere. [2]

She was educated at Westonbirt School, near Tetbury, and at the Ozanne finishing school in Paris. [2] She was keen on horses and riding from an early age, and after finishing school, enrolled on a riding course at the Cavalry School of Equitation in Saumur, France. [1] Her mother sent her money to purchase a fur coat, but she spent it on a horse instead. [1]

Westonbirt School

Westonbirt School is an independent day and boarding school for girls aged 11 to 18 located near Tetbury in Gloucestershire in South West England. Founded in 1928, it is a member of the Allied Schools organisation. The historical Westonbirt House is part of the school. Westonbirt Prep School is located within the 210 acre grounds of Westonbirt School.

A finishing school is a school for young women that focuses on teaching social graces and upper-class cultural rites as a preparation for entry into society. The name reflects that it follows on from ordinary school and is intended to complete the education, with classes primarily on deportment and etiquette, with academic subjects secondary. It may consist of an intensive course, or a one-year programme. In the United States it is sometimes called a charm school.

Saumur Subprefecture and commune in Pays de la Loire, France

Saumur is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France.

Career

Back home in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, she opened a riding school, and began a career in showjumping and exhibiting horses. [2] Over time she became ever more involved in designing showjumping courses. [1]

Dumfriesshire Historic county in Scotland

Dumfriesshire or the County of Dumfries is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland.

Carruthers designed Spruce Meadows in Canada, "arguably the world's top permanent arena", and decreated veloped showjumping courses across Europe, in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Venezuela, Brazil, Ireland and the United States. [3]

Spruce Meadows is an equestrian facility near Calgary, Alberta built by the Southern Family and opened in 1976. The show jumping complex is in the foothills of the Alberta Rocky Mountains just south of the city and comprises 360 acres (1.5 km2). The current president of Spruce Meadows is Linda Southern-Heathcott, a former Olympian who competed in the 1996 Atlanta Summer Games for the Canadian Olympic Team.

From 1973 to 1982, Carruthers was responsible for designing the American Invitational's Grand Prix course at Tampa, Florida, the country's top showjumping competition. [3]

Personal life

On 8 November 1939 she married RAF officer Huw Carruthers, in All Saints (Episcopal) Church, Lockerbie. [1] [2] They moved to Wiltshire, where they couple bought a farm in Malmesbury. They had two sons: Christopher Hew Carruthers, born in Hoddom, Dumfriesshire, in 1940, and John Anthony Carruthers, born in Chippenham, Wiltshire, in 1941. [2]

Later life

Carruthers retired in 2003, and lived near Castle Combe, Wiltshire. [2] She died on 23 September 2009, and was survived by her two sons. [2]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Pamela Carruthers: Show jumping course designer". The Independent. 20 November 2009. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Hedenborg, Susanna. "Carruthers [née Torrie], Pamela Isabel Jameson (1916–2009), showjumping course designer". ONDB. OUP. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
  3. 1 2 "Pamela Carruthers". The Daily Telegraph. 25 September 2009. Retrieved 23 November 2017– via www.telegraph.co.uk.
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