SA equestrian official leaves lasting legacy
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reza eslahi
Member
South African equestrian identity Liz Day died at the age of 56 just before Christmas last year after a two-year battle with cancer.
Elizabeth "Liz" Day was Deputy Chair of Geographical Group IX, an international judge in Dressage, Eventing and Para Dressage, and a member of the management committee of the South African National Equestrian Federation (SANEF).
Day was British born but spent most of her adult life in South Africa. An accountant by profession, she connected with horses at an early age and dressage became her passion. As a rider, she won the KwaZulu Natal Medium Championships on a Basuto/Thoroughbred pony and recalled this as one of her greatest triumphs.
She was a certified Advanced Level 3 SANEF National Instructor. Her pupils were successful in many disciplines as she always ensured that proper groundwork was established first. But it was judging that she found the most intellectually challenging and a true "character building exercise".
On mistakes made, during her 25 years of judging, she always said, "These happen - just learn from them."
Several years ago, she judged the FEI World Dressage Challenge in Zone 3 and found that one of her most rewarding appointments. She passed her final FEI Level III exams in Denmark only five weeks before she died, achieving a lifelong ambition to become the first Level III FEI Dressage judge in Africa.
Day was a tireless promoter of Para Dressage and became an FEI IV Para Dressage judge. She was aalso a qualified Level II FEI Eventing judge.
She also served on the KwaZulu Natal Horse Society (KZNHS) Executive and Dressage committee, and was awarded honorary membership for her contribution to the society. KZNHS Chairman Stephen Heath said Day was a very special member of the society, "greatly admired, loved and respected by many".
"She always conducted herself with integrity, honesty and of course 'class'. We will always remember her with great joy and admiration. Her strength was unbelievable - for her the glass was always 'half full'. She always held her head high even when in great pain; she carried herself with such grace," he said.
"The road she took to becoming an FEI Dressage Panel Judge was no mean feat, as this is a most demanding discipline. For her to achieve this accomplishment leaves me further in awe of her strength of character. Her husband Frank, always supported Liz in all her equestrian endeavours, and spent a special time with her when she went for her final FEI Judge's assessment and he said something along the lines of 'She was wonderful, I was so proud of her' - and yes, so were we. "She also had a wonderful sense of humour - very much British, so you had to be sharp to keep up with her. The world has lost a 'special lady' but her star will continue to shine especially through equestrian sport and in particular Dressage and Para-Dressage where her footprints are strongly embedded in the legacy and example she set," Heath said.
Day is survived by husband Frank and sons Tim and Nick.
Elizabeth "Liz" Day was Deputy Chair of Geographical Group IX, an international judge in Dressage, Eventing and Para Dressage, and a member of the management committee of the South African National Equestrian Federation (SANEF).
Day was British born but spent most of her adult life in South Africa. An accountant by profession, she connected with horses at an early age and dressage became her passion. As a rider, she won the KwaZulu Natal Medium Championships on a Basuto/Thoroughbred pony and recalled this as one of her greatest triumphs.
She was a certified Advanced Level 3 SANEF National Instructor. Her pupils were successful in many disciplines as she always ensured that proper groundwork was established first. But it was judging that she found the most intellectually challenging and a true "character building exercise".
On mistakes made, during her 25 years of judging, she always said, "These happen - just learn from them."
Several years ago, she judged the FEI World Dressage Challenge in Zone 3 and found that one of her most rewarding appointments. She passed her final FEI Level III exams in Denmark only five weeks before she died, achieving a lifelong ambition to become the first Level III FEI Dressage judge in Africa.
Day was a tireless promoter of Para Dressage and became an FEI IV Para Dressage judge. She was aalso a qualified Level II FEI Eventing judge.
She also served on the KwaZulu Natal Horse Society (KZNHS) Executive and Dressage committee, and was awarded honorary membership for her contribution to the society. KZNHS Chairman Stephen Heath said Day was a very special member of the society, "greatly admired, loved and respected by many".
"She always conducted herself with integrity, honesty and of course 'class'. We will always remember her with great joy and admiration. Her strength was unbelievable - for her the glass was always 'half full'. She always held her head high even when in great pain; she carried herself with such grace," he said.
"The road she took to becoming an FEI Dressage Panel Judge was no mean feat, as this is a most demanding discipline. For her to achieve this accomplishment leaves me further in awe of her strength of character. Her husband Frank, always supported Liz in all her equestrian endeavours, and spent a special time with her when she went for her final FEI Judge's assessment and he said something along the lines of 'She was wonderful, I was so proud of her' - and yes, so were we. "She also had a wonderful sense of humour - very much British, so you had to be sharp to keep up with her. The world has lost a 'special lady' but her star will continue to shine especially through equestrian sport and in particular Dressage and Para-Dressage where her footprints are strongly embedded in the legacy and example she set," Heath said.
Day is survived by husband Frank and sons Tim and Nick.