FOUR LEADING TRAINERS MADE HONORARY FELLOWS BY THE BRITISH HORSE SOCIETY

The British Horse Society (BHS) has awarded Honorary Fellowships to Ian Stark OBE, Captain Mark Phillips CVO, Stephen Clarke and Kenneth Clawson - in recognition of their outstanding coaching contributions to the equine industry.

Granting the Fellowship is the highest accolade The Society can bestow on a trainer, as it represents the pinnacle of equestrian professional qualifications. There are just 54 BHS Fellows and of these only Christopher Bartle and Ferdi Eilberg have received Honorary Fellowships. All the others have taken an examination.

Ian Stark OBE achieved his BHS Instructors Certificate almost 20 years ago, and has competed internationally in Eventing for a great number of years.

His achievements include team Silver at the Sydney Olympics in 2004, and team Gold at the European Championships in Luhmuhlen, Germany in 1999. Ian is currently the coach of the Brazilian Olympic Three Day Event Team, and also travels throughout the World teaching and lecturing. In Britain, he trains British riders for Pony, Junior and Young Rider Teams.

Captain Mark Phillips CVO began his major riding achievements almost 40 years ago, when he came fourth at Burghley Horse Trials.

Over the years, he has ridden in a vast number of events, and has won both Gold and Silver medals at the Olympics. Captain Phillips's training career started in earnest in 1988, with the opening of the 'Mark Phillips Equestrian Centre' in Scotland. This unique riding academy embraced all levels of equestrianism, from the novice to the professional.

Captain Phillips was appointed Chef d'Equipe to the United States Equestrian Team in 1993, and his success there saw the team win Gold at the World Equestrian Games in Jerez for the first time in 28 years. He is currently preparing the team for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Captain Phillips is also a successful international course builder.

Stephen Clarke began his riding career with the Pony Club, and soon progressed to competing in show jumping and horse trials at a high level before deciding to focus on dressage.

Stephen competed with international success throughout the 1980s, and now, as an International Trainer, travels regularly throughout the UK and abroad presenting training clinics. He is based in Cheshire, where he specialises in the development of young professional trainers. Over the past decade, Stephen has been a FEI Official International Judge, and has judged at prestigious events such as the Worlds Equestrian Games in Jerez, and, most recently, the Athens Olympics.

Kenneth Clawson coached and produced many Pony, Junior and Young Riders to represent Great Britain in the Show Jumping teams in the 1970s and early 1980s.

Towards the end of the 1980s, Kenneth began to work with Event riders, helping many to win three-day events throughout Europe and the USA. In 1997 he became the Show Jumping coach to the British Three Day Event team, enjoying achievements with them such as four European Team Golds, and Individual Medals, including Gold, at the Athens Olympics last year.

BHS Chairman Patrick Print, himself a Fellow of The Society, said: "The Honorary Fellowship is only awarded rarely and under exceptional circumstances to outstanding trainers who have coached riders to World, European or Olympic Championship standard.

"The BHS is delighted to award the Honorary Fellowship to these four outstanding people, who need no introduction to the horse world in this country and abroad. It is interesting to note that all four were involved either as a coach or judge in the Athens games last year."