06/15/2026
It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of our Vice President, Stephen Clarke, who passed away over the weekend. Stephen was one of the most highly respected dressage judges in the world, dedicating decades of his life to the development of judging and contributing greatly to the reputation and profile of dressage as a sport.
As a 5* FEI judge he officiated at countless international championships, including as President of the Ground Jury at the London 2012 Olympic Games and on the judging panel at the Rio Games in 2016. Stephen also sat on the FEI Dressage Committee for several years and was instrumental in putting together the FEI judge’s handbook – now considered the bible of modern judging. He was elected FEI Dressage Judge General in 2013 and had a significant influence on the training and education of judges both nationally and internationally.
Stephen’s unrivalled knowledge, combined with his positivity, generosity, warmth, and kindness, was renowned in our sport and he will be greatly missed by the whole dressage community. Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with Stephen's family and friends at this time. We will be making a full tribute shortly and will keep members updated with any information we receive about a memorial service in due course.
