Jude Matthews

‘The ability to turn BE around has been very rewarding. It’s a big old ship to turn, but we’re well on our way’

WHEN she was a child, Jude Matthews’ non-equestrian parents thought she would grow out of her love of horses. Fast-forward 30-odd years and she has six horses, including her very first one, now retired, and a kitchen wall adorned with jumping photographs — and she’s the first female chief executive of British Eventing (BE).

Jude, who had been on the BE board as a non-executive director for a year, was brought in as interim CEO when David Holmes resigned in March 2019, and took up the permanent position in July. It’s fair to say not everything in the BE garden was