Pamela Isabel Jameson Carruthers (née Torrie, 11 August 1916 – 23 September 2009), was a British showjumper, and showjumping course designer, and "had a profound influence on show jumping courses in many parts of the world".
Early life
She was born Pamela Isabel Jameson Torrie on 11 August 1916 at 19 Atholl Crescent,
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...
, the only child of Thomas George Jameson Torrie (1880–1916), a
Life Guards lieutenant-colonel, and his wife, Esmé Muriel Torrie, née Crabbe (1895–1984).
Her parents married in September 1915, and her father was
killed in action
Killed in action (KIA) is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their personnel at the hands of enemy or hostile forces at the moment of action. The United States Department of Defense, for example, ...
on the Western Front in November 1916.
In 1920, her mother married Basil Eddis, a merchant in India, and Pamela spent some time there, until the marriage broke down and they returned to the UK, after which her mother married Ralph Hope Vere.
She was educated at
Westonbirt School
Westonbirt School is a co-educational independent day and boarding school for boys and girls aged 11 to 18 located near Tetbury in Gloucestershire in South West England. Founded in 1928. The historical Westonbirt House is part of the school. We ...
, near Tetbury, and at the
Ozanne finishing school in Paris.
She was keen on horses and riding from an early age, and after
finishing school
A finishing school focuses on teaching young women social graces and upper-class cultural rites as a preparation for entry into society. The name reflects the fact that it follows ordinary school and is intended to complete a young woman's ...
, enrolled on a riding course at the
Cavalry School of Equitation in
Saumur
Saumur () is a Communes of France, commune in the Maine-et-Loire Departments of France, department in western France.
The town is located between the Loire and Thouet rivers, and is surrounded by the vineyards of Saumur itself, Chinon, Bourgu ...
, France.
Her mother sent her money to purchase a fur coat, but she spent it on a horse instead.
Career
Back home in
Dumfriesshire
Dumfriesshire or the County of Dumfries or Shire of Dumfries () is a Counties of Scotland, historic county and registration county in southern Scotland. The Dumfries lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area covers a similar area to the hi ...
, Scotland, she opened a riding school, and began a career in showjumping and exhibiting horses.
Over time she became ever more involved in designing showjumping courses.
Carruthers designed
Spruce Meadows
Spruce Meadows is a multi-purpose sports facility near Calgary, Alberta built by the Southern family which opened in 1975.
The facility contains an equestrian show jumping complex that comprises . The current president and CEO of Spruce Me ...
in Canada, "arguably the world's top permanent arena", and created and developed showjumping courses across Europe, in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Venezuela, Brazil, Ireland and the United States.
From 1973 to 1982, Carruthers was responsible for designing the American Invitational's Grand Prix course at Tampa, Florida, the country's top showjumping competition.
Personal life
On 8 November 1939 she married RAF officer Huw Carruthers, in All Saints (Episcopal) Church, Lockerbie.
They moved to Wiltshire, where they couple bought a farm in
Malmesbury
Malmesbury () is a town and civil parish in north Wiltshire, England, which lies approximately west of Swindon, northeast of Bristol, and north of Chippenham. The older part of the town is on a hilltop which is almost surrounded by the upp ...
. They had two sons: Christopher Hew Carruthers, born in Hoddom, Dumfriesshire, in 1940, and John Anthony Carruthers, born in Chippenham, Wiltshire, in 1941.
Later life
Carruthers retired in 2003, and lived near
Castle Combe
Castle Combe is a village and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in Wiltshire, England. The village is around north-west of Chippenham and north-east of Bath, Somerset, Bath. At the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 census, the parish had ...
, Wiltshire.
She died on 23 September 2009, and was survived by her two sons.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carruthers, Pamela Isabel Jameson
1916 births
2009 deaths
British female equestrians
People educated at Westonbirt School