Jonquil Solt to receive the Order of the British Empire

JONQUIL SOLT TO RECEIVE THE ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE

The Order of the British Empire (OBE) is a long established recognition, which is given to persons in all walks of life - sport, arts, industry, and medicine - for outstanding work.

The work of Mrs Jonquil Solt, President of the International Paralympic Equestrian Committee (I.P.E.C has been recognised by her inclusion for an OBE in the 2004 Honours list. She will be invited to Buckingham Palace during the next few months to receive this Honour from Her Majesty the Queen.

Jonquil Solt is involved in riding for people with disabilities since 1965. In 1991, the International Paralympic Equestrian Committee (I.P.E.C.) was set up to govern and develop equestrian sport for disabled people world-wide; and Jonquil Solt was elected to it as Founder Vice-Chairman. At the same time she undertook to organise the 1994 World Dressage Championship for Disabled Riders, which was held at Hartpury College in England.

Jonquil Solt took on the chairmanship of I.P.E.C. in 1995. Before long she was faced with the requirement to raise the number of nations taking part, from 16 to at least 24, for Equestrian to remain a Paralympic Sport. With a small but devoted team of experts, she began to travel the world and provide a lead to great numbers of local organisers, who were happy to support the sport in their own countries. The result was beyond expectations, and there are now over 40 nations where Equestrian Sport is practiced under the Paralympic umbrella. Over 120 competitors participated at the recent World Dressage Championships in Belgium, from countries as far apart as Russia and New Zealand, Brazil and Japan.

Jonquil Solt was awarded the 1999 Woman of Achievement Award (Humanitarian Section).