‘His proudest moments were breeding horses and riders’: farewell to Anthony Loriston-Clarke

Anthony died on 11 July aged 87.

He was educated at Stowe and Millfield, followed by national service in the Royal Navy before returning to Trinity College Cambridge to complete his degree in mechanical sciences. He worked for Bristol Aircraft and Hovercraft Development, where he was closely involved with the materials used for both Concorde and hovercrafts.

He gained a fellowship to Southampton University, where he lectured for many years in marine engineering and metals. Anthony did learn to ride as a child and was proud to have passed his Pony Club B test. As a young man, he was a keen sailor and captain of shooting at Millfield, as well as playing rugby and athletics.

Anthony first saw Jennie Bullen at her belated 21st birthday party in August 1964 when he asked her for a dance. Their love affair started. They were engaged in October and married in February 1965 – a marriage of more than 58 years.

They set up home in Black Knoll House, Brockenhurst, where Catherston Stud moved following the death of Jennie’s father Lt Col Bullen. The start of married life involved Anthony building stables, an indoor arena, a foaling suite and then further stable blocks using the facilities already there. They have two daughters, Anne and Lizzie, and both followed into the equestrian world.

Anthony designed their first horsebox, Bird’s Eye, which carried up to six horses, slept up to six people and was short enough not to cost too much on the ferry to go abroad. Anthony designed the first artificial vagina for collecting semen from stallions, using different sizes and types of drainpipe – and trial and error.

As Catherston Stud was growing and the number of mares visiting increasing, when Anthony was offered early retirement from Southampton University, the decision was made to retire and move Catherston Stud from the New Forest to Hurstbourne Priors, between Winchester and Newbury, to an old dairy farm of 350 acres. Anthony was in his element converting chicken sheds into staff accommodation, the old bothy to student accommodation and cattle barns into stabling blocks. The undercover store for the bomb trolley train carrying the showjumps, creating lorry parks with the maximum use of space were all his forte.

Anthony’s love of photography stood him in good stead, firstly for photographing Jennie competing and then videoing all her tests to look back at and improve on.

Anthony was absolutely devoted to Jennie and his family, celebrating all their successes over the years as well as the successes of all the horses and ponies bred at Catherston Stud. Some of his proudest moments were breeding both the horses and riders, and now grandchildren to continue his visions.

Anthony is survived by his wife Jennie, daughters Anne and Lizzie and grandchildren Christopher, Charlotte, Matilda and George.

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