From teaching herself to ride around the family’s hay paddock in New Zealand, Carolyn Lieutenant went on to travel the world and carve out a legendary career across dressage, showjumping, showing and eventing. In this first part of our series, Carolyn shares the beginnings of her adventures.

“I used to try and ride the
farm cow, and make carts for
the pet lambs and dogs
to tow about.”

Who better in Australia to talk to about a life infiltrated by equestrianism than Carolyn Lieutenant? Intriguing, forthright, competitive, talented, fearless, straightforward, witty, and above all, fascinating, are words that spring to mind when I hear her name mentioned.

I have known Carolyn Lieutenant (nee Law) for many years and admire her love of sport and horses, whether it is dressage, eventing, showjumping or racing. In fact, her undeniable thirst for becoming a more avid enthusiast in any horse-related activity is relentless and passionate. Carolyn is open-minded, but for sure can sort the wheat from the chaff in the blink of an eye, and is no keyboard warrior but simply upfront! There are no flies on her and at the age of 80 her passion is not waning!

What is going to be so enthralling with this series with Carolyn is to hear her opinions… of which there is no shortage! The changes she has seen in her years of competition, judging and coaching. Her trips internationally with horses. The many international coaches that she learned from along her path, and what their principles were. The modern-day changes in the view to producing a Grand Prix horse. The riders she has coached and her thoughts about what makes a top rider who is competitive and wants to win. How life changes when you are with horses. What it’s like to have to stop competing and then stop riding. The trials and tribulations and the heartbreak that go hand in hand with competition horses. What motivates and what is there left to do? It’s going to be a great series and I am so looking forward to hearing the life and times of Carolyn Lieutenant. So, let’s start at the beginning…

THE EARLY DAYS

Carolyn Law was born on the 9th of the 9th 1939, making her a Virgo. Common traits are well known, such as liking animals, nature and cleanliness, disliking rudeness, never asking for help and in no way taking centre stage.

Carolyn’s mother, Betty, was born and raised on a property on the Canterbury Plains, in the South Island of New Zealand. She was one of two siblings and did not take a great interest in riding horses; she did, however, have an interest in heavy horses and her family imported them from England in the days when they were used in the fields, even taking them to the occasional show.

Carolyn’s father, George, was born in Blackpool, England, and joined the merchant navy before embarking on a career on passenger ships. It was on a voyage that he and Betty met and had an on-board romance that ended with George migrating to New Zealand and marrying there. They settled at “Wairere”, a 1000-acre property near Gisborne, in the North Island, to raise sheep and cattle. George had never ridden a horse or had anything to do with farming, but with the help of a farm manager it was a successful venture and Carolyn has pictures of herself in nappies perched in front of her father riding; she thinks this was probably where it all begun. Her earliest memories of riding are of the station hands coming in for morning tea and tying their horses to the fence. She would often untie one and go for a ride while they had their break!

“In those days you really had to make your own fun and entertainment. I used to try and ride the farm cow, make carts for the pet lambs and dogs to tow about, and basically taught myself to ride,” Carolyn recalls.

The neighbouring children all had ponies, so Carolyn’s parents bought her first pony, Minnie. Carolyn, with a wry chuckle, proclaims: “It was a three-year-old chestnut mare… just broken in!” As it turns out, that pony went on to become quite the legend.

Carolyn went to school on the school bus from the end of the road. It was during these early years that the local Pony Club took shape from all the neighbouring families and was held in a flat hay paddock at their property, as the area was very hilly. “We were so fortunate to have a very good horseman there, Horace Sheriff, and we all learnt very good discipline and basics. My sharp and hot pony was a challenge, but she progressed well and I really enjoyed the journey and the tribulations along the way.”

“Carolyn was already paving
the way to a successful career.”

Soon it was off to boarding school at a well-heeled college called Woodford House in Hawkes Bay. Carolyn admits she was basically disinterested in the scholastic side of schooling but loved the artistic and design side, and sports. She played hockey and was in fact the school sports captain. There were only boarders there and Carolyn enjoyed those years, especially the weekends when she spent time with the family of good school friend, Ann Stead. They had an interest in thoroughbred racing and actually won a Melbourne Cup back in 1916 with Sasanof. She would often spend weekends with them, and it was here where Carolyn gained her continuing interest in thoroughbreds and racing, though she never made any bets! Carolyn explains that many years later when visiting Ann, she arranged a lovely display of roses in the 1916 Cup, which still remains with the family.

As for competing and the starting of her competitive years, it was at Ngatapa, a local sports meeting, where she would showjump and show pony hacks. When she was 16 there was a big show for the National Pony Club Championships at Rotarua, and with her chestnut pony Minnie, she excelled and finished second overall!

Carolyn, from her initial time riding a three-year-old, freshly broken, hot chestnut pony, created an opportunity in her parents’ hay paddock for Pony Club activities — which ultimately led to her success at the National Championships. Although she perhaps didn’t realise it at the time, Carolyn was already paving the way to a successful career that was inadvertently directed by herself.

It was a trek to get out of Gisborne where the family property was, and in those days they travelled in a sheep truck. The following year she went by plane to Blenheim in the north of the South Island, and flew Minnie across the Cook Strait. “I remember so clearly when unloading on the way home, Minnie, being impatient, tried to jump clean out of the truck after being unloaded off the plane… she was always a little quirky!” Carolyn explains.

On leaving school Carolyn went to work with several horsey families to look after their children…. and horses! When in Hawkes Bay she took her own horses, competed and hunted, jumping wire fences with gay abandon — as you do in NZ! She enjoyed the country living and her continued involvement with horses. It was a very interesting time growing up and making so many good friends and contacts that would see her having chances, with these contacts always putting her in good situations.

When Carolyn was 20 the travel bug hit, and as with so many New Zealanders, it was a trip to the motherland, England. And so it was aboard the ship Rangitane that she set sail and three weeks later ended up in London, staying with her father’s sister, her Aunt Muriel, in Highgate.

Carolyn’s first adventure was to head over to Ireland and she remembers the overnight ferry ride in big seas; it was a tiny ferry, but it was all worth it once she arrived in Waterford. Carolyn stayed there with a charming lady who arranged for her to go hunting. As was so common at that time of the year, the weather was terrible, but after the fog cleared each day she would go to the stables and help the master exercise the horses and hounds.

It was coming up to the Rome Olympics in 1960, and Carolyn hit the road with three friends — Ann Stead, Robin Symes and Barbara Skyrme — in a van sourced by Ann’s uncle. They headed off around Europe, ending up in Rome for the Games. As luck would be, it was Carolyn’s 21st and so it was a wild party during the Olympics to celebrate that milestone. Carolyn admits she may have overdone it and could not even get to the eventing or dressage the following day!

The New Zealanders had become quite good friends with the Aussie eventing Olympians during their training in England in the lead up to the Olympics. It was cross country day, and it was organised that at every fence there was to be a competent Aussie in case of a mishap with one of the Aussie riders or horses. There were not enough Aussies for every fence, so the New Zealand contingency was deployed. As (ill)luck would have it, Carolyn was at the concrete pipes where Bill Roycroft came to grief. By then, Ann had arrived too, as she had been at the previous fence where he was clear. Ann and Carolyn, among others, caught Our Solo, placed Bill back in the saddle, and pointed him in the right direction. What an amazing memory!

From here it was off to the very famous riding school Fulmer Equitation, run by Robert Hall. It was to be her home for four months with Ann. They completed their British Horse Society Assistant Instructors Certificate (BHS AI). Carolyn passed her BHS AI exam, scoring 31/35 for Equitation, 19/21 for Stable Management and Horsemanship, 13/15 for Minor Injuries, and 26/30 for Instruction.

Carolyn and Ann were known amongst the group at Fulmer for their work ethic. If a load of hay arrived, Robert would call for the New Zealand girls to come and help unload. It was done without a problem, because they were always willing.

At this time, Carolyn remembers well having some time off and attending Badminton Horse Trials, a competition that she has now attended three times.

The experience at Fulmer gave Carolyn and Ann a much better understanding about riding on the bit. Many lessons with Robert involved riding Lipizzaner stallions, nose to tail, learning about school figures and control.

It was also during this time that they were given a small horse to break in. Ann and Carolyn did a great job in all the groundwork. When it came time to back the horse in front of Robert, Ann rode it on the lunge, until Robert ordered it to be let free and follow him on his young stallion! All went well, as if it had done it all its life.

On asking Carolyn about what she had learnt from her opportunity at Fulmer, she says, “We all had a lot of fun. I enjoyed my experience and learnt a lot along the way, but it was simply an extension of the basics I had learnt at home in the hay paddock with my Pony Club instructor.”

Following her time at Fulmer, it was back to London and a snowy winter. Everyone went off skiing, but Carolyn decided not to as she had a bad knee and wasn’t going to risk it. She lived back at Highgate with Auntie Muriel, and Robin actually rented a room there and they both ended up working for department store Dickens & Jones in the middle of London. Carolyn in the overalls and aprons department, and Robin much more fancy in the scarves department! “We used to drive the camper van to the top of Regent Street every day and park it there for free, and then go to work and drive back to Aunt Muriel’s after work. It was easier than catching the tube and cheaper!”

In July 1961, Carolyn decided it was time to return home. I ask Carolyn what her trip abroad taught her: “In those days, it was all about finding your own feet. I was put in touch with many fabulous people. It was about connections and a circle of friends. It was then up to me to utilise these opportunities and learn from these experiences that they offered…. it was one of the turning points in my life… I will never forget them for what they offered.”

So ended the first 21 years of the life of Carolyn Law, who already had experienced more than many equestrian people would in an entire lifetime. Carolyn took all of these experiences on board without attributing any one person as being outstanding. She simply appreciated every opportunity that was availed to her, to inspire and encourage her to seek more.

The following years of her life will show that this grounding was the enablement for her future. EQ

(To be continued)