He was, from the 1950s until his retirement in 1980,[3] the voice of show jumping on British television,[4] succeeded by Raymond Brooks-Ward who broadcast with Williams from 1956.[5] He was largely responsible for making it into a mainstream TV sport that was enjoyed by millions throughout the 1970s and continues to be enjoyed. His final broadcast as a full-time commentator was at the Olympia Horse Show in December 1980,[6] although he continued to commentate on pre-recorded (filmed) coverage of dressage once a year until 1984.[7]
In addition to his TV work he was also an author, writing the Wendy series which were aimed at children and could be termed "traditional pony books".[8] He also wrote two adult horse novels and several works of non fiction concerning show jumping and equestrianism in general.[9]
He was Chairman of the British Horse Society, and instrumental in setting up a National Equestrian Centre at Stoneleigh Abbey in Warwickshire. He was also Master of the Whaddon Chase hunt. He was appointed OBE in the 1978 New Year Honours.
dorian, williams, dorian, joseph, george, williams, july, 1914, july, 1985, british, equestrian, journalist, broadcaster, author, patron, arts, life, editwilliams, educated, hawtreys, prep, school, then, harrow, school, served, soldier, from, 1950s, until, ret. Dorian Joseph George Williams OBE 1 July 1914 21 July 1985 was a British equestrian journalist broadcaster author and patron of the arts Life editWilliams was 1 educated at Hawtreys prep school 2 then Harrow School and served as a soldier He was from the 1950s until his retirement in 1980 3 the voice of show jumping on British television 4 succeeded by Raymond Brooks Ward who broadcast with Williams from 1956 5 He was largely responsible for making it into a mainstream TV sport that was enjoyed by millions throughout the 1970s and continues to be enjoyed His final broadcast as a full time commentator was at the Olympia Horse Show in December 1980 6 although he continued to commentate on pre recorded filmed coverage of dressage once a year until 1984 7 In addition to his TV work he was also an author writing the Wendy series which were aimed at children and could be termed traditional pony books 8 He also wrote two adult horse novels and several works of non fiction concerning show jumping and equestrianism in general 9 He was Chairman of the British Horse Society and instrumental in setting up a National Equestrian Centre at Stoneleigh Abbey in Warwickshire He was also Master of the Whaddon Chase hunt He was appointed OBE in the 1978 New Year Honours In 1949 he founded the Pendley Open Air Shakespeare Festival in the grounds of his ancestral family home of Pendley Manor near Tring Hertfordshire He married twice 1 The Hon Moyra Lubbock 1938 marriage dissolved 1949 2 Jennifer one daughter Carola and one son Piers He died from pancreatic cancer in July 1985 following an earlier cancer operation in 1973 In 2005 he was one of the inaugural laureates appointed to The British Horse Society Equestrian Hall of Fame 10 11 References edit Fox Paul 8 December 2007 Paul Fox s top 10 sports commentators The Daily Telegraph London Untitled Archived from the original on 23 July 2008 Retrieved 11 May 2009 Radio Times listing for Voice of Show Jumping programme 28 December 1980 BFI Film amp TV Database WILLIAMS Dorian Fitzgeorge Parker Tim 24 August 1992 Obituary Raymond Brooks Ward The Independent Retrieved 28 July 2012 Radio Times listing for the last broadcast of this show 21 December 1980 Radio Times listing for the last of these from 13 June 1984 Dorian Williams books Dorian Williams Jane Badger Books A website on pony book authors and their books Wellingborough UK Retrieved 6 November 2011 British Horse Society Hall of Fame laureates Dorian Williams BHS Equestrian Hall of Fame article 5 August 2005 Archived April 2 2012 at the Wayback Machine Master of One an Autobiography Dent 1978 ISBN 0 460 04323 4 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dorian Williams amp oldid 1106195772, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
