Judy Harvey receives the 2026 Linda Whetstone Memorial Trophy

Judy Harvey received the highest award that BD bestows at this year's LeMieux National Dressage Championships, the Linda Whetstone Memorial Trophy, for her outstanding contribution to dressage across her distinguished career.  

© Kevin Sparrow Photography

The annual Linda Whetstone Memorial Trophy recognises individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to dressage across their careers, with the inaugural recipient being List 1 Judge and FEI Master Judge Stephen Clarke, who sadly passed away earlier this year. He was followed by renowned rider, judge, trainer and breeder Jennie Loriston-Clarke in 2023. In 2024, the award was given to the late Jane Kidd, one of the brightest brains behind the sport of dressage and in 2025 it was awarded to David Trott, a mainstay of British dressage’s international endeavours for some five decades.

Judy Harvey has been a prolific figure in British dressage for over four decades, having been involved in competitive dressage in Great Britain since 1978 as a judge, trainer, organiser, selector, commentator and international rider. Additionally in 1987 she passed her BHS Fellowship, recognised as the highest equestrian qualification in the world.

Judy is a List 1 judge and started her FEI judging journey with her close friend, the late Stephen Clarke, and now also contributes to the education of others in role of tutor judge. As well as being an international rider and judge, Judy has supported the training of many top riders up to Grand Prix level, including 2026 LeMieux National Championships Grand Prix winner and gold medal winning Olympian, Charlotte Dujardin.

Judy has also become a familiar face in the saddle at the National Championships, qualifying and competing here on a variety of horses for an extraordinary 43 years in a row.

She joined the British Dressage Board of Directors in 2018 as International Director and has made a significant contribution to the international pathways over the last eight years.  She has also held the role of Senior Dressage Selector since 2018, making a significant contribution to the incredible medal success that Great Britain has had on the international stage. During her tenure British team has finished on the podium on all bar one occasion, including winning a Team medal for the last seven championships in a row.

This year Judy will retire from her role as Board Director and everyone at British Dressage is incredibly grateful for the part she has played in helping to shape the sport we all love.

Following this extraordinary list of accomplishments, British Dressage were delighted to present the Dormit Trophy, kindly donated by the Whetstone family as a perpetual award in memory of Linda upon her passing in 2021. Linda, who served as our Chairman from 2018 until her passing, is still very fondly remembered and missed by us all.