‘I worshipped the ground she walked on’
ALICE PLUNKETT, racing broadcaster and the only woman to have ridden around Badminton and the Grand National, recalls a moment at the races that summed up the effect of her mentor.
“Clare Balding said to me, ‘Why are you still riding? You should be totally focused now on the broadcasting as there are some great opportunities for you.’ Months later I met her straight after I finished my crosscountry round at Badminton and was absolutely buzzing and declared, ‘That is why I am still riding!’ Simon made it possible for me to be riding at that level”.
That was Simon Lawrance, also master of the Heythrop hunt, counsellor for the Samaritans and trainer for event riders. Alice was in her late twenties, knew how easy it is for riders to
