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Tribute to Becky Hart: Champion Endurance Athlete and Equestrian Educator
by US Equestrian Communications | Mar 18, 2025, 12:00 PM
Becky Hart is part of a group of women who were born to make history and wrote her name in the history of an equestrian sport, Endurance, that the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI, the international governing body of equestrian sports) recognized as a sporting category for international competitions in 1985. She is one of the most recognized names in endurance riding because she is the only endurance rider that won the FEI World Endurance Championship three times in a row and with the same horse, R.O. Grand Sultan (RIO).
by Cidinha Franzão
1988 – FEI World Endurance Championship, Front Royal, Virginia / USA
1990 – FEI World Endurance Championship, Stockholm / Sweden Stockholm / Sweden
1992 – FEI World Endurance Championship, Barcelona / Spain |
As an athlete, coach, and leader in the sport, Becky Hart had a profound impact on endurance riding in the U.S. and around the world. Hart passed away on February 28, 2025, at age 71.
During her competitive career, Hart (San Juan Bautista, Calif.) was a dominant force in the sport, highlighted by her winning a remarkable three individual FEI Endurance World Championships in a row in 1988, 1990, and 1992. She won these titles with R.O. Grand Sultan, the Arabian gelding who was later inducted into the American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) Hall of Fame. With “Rio,” Hart also helped the U.S. win FEI Endurance World Championship team silver medals in 1986 and 1992. Her incredible achievements led to her being named AHSA Equestrian of the Year in 1990. To this day, the Becky Grand Hart Trophy is awarded annually by US Equestrian to Equestrian of the Year finalists from international non-Olympic sports.
Hart also had a phenomenal record in national endurance rides, including two wins in the Western States Trail Ride, better known as the Tevis Cup. She was the AERC National Champion twice and was inducted into the AERC Hall of Fame in 1992.
With her record as one of the sport’s most accomplished athletes and her longtime experience as a riding instructor and coach, Hart was a natural choice to help lead the U.S. Endurance Teams on the international stage. She served as Chef d’Equipe for many years, including for several FEI World Championships in the 2000s.
While Hart’s involvement in elite endurance was an undeniable asset to the sport in the U.S., her love of horses and talent for teaching reached far beyond her high-profile positions. She was a certified Centered Riding instructor and shared her expertise teaching riding and horsemanship to all levels, from brand-new beginners to advanced equestrians, at her home base in California. The enthusiasm she brought to her students came from her own lifelong experience as a lover of all things equine; her earliest equestrian experiences were riding lessons, Pony Club, and local horse shows in all disciplines beginning at age 6.
US Equestrian extends heartfelt condolences to Hart’s family, friends, and the endurance community. The Federation is grateful for her lifetime of contributions to the sport.
Interview with Becky Hart
Créditos
Becky Hart and R.O. Grand Sultan at the 1990 FEI World Equestrian Games. ©Bob Langrish |
