Richard Meade

Richard John Hannay Meade, OBE, ( born December 4, 1936) is a former British Eventing. He was three times Olympic champion and twice each world and European champions.

Meade was during the 1960s and 1970s, the most successful eventing riders in the world. At the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, he won the gold medal in the team standings in the individual competition he finished fourth. In Munich in 1972, he won both the individual as well as in the team standings.

At World Championships Meade won two more gold medals with the team in 1970 and 1982 in Punchestown Luhmühlen. In European Championships he won a total of four team medals; the golden 1965 in Moscow, 1967 in Punchestown and 1971 in Burghley, and in 1973 the bronze in Kiev. Added to this was in 1966 a silver individual medal at Burghley. Other important achievements include victories at the Burghley Horse Trials in 1964 and at the Badminton Horse Trials 1970.

After retiring from professional racing Meade worked as equestrian consultant ( operation and management of stud farms, organizing equestrian events, training, health of horses, animal welfare). From 1989 to 1992 he was President of the British Equestrian Federation ( British Equestrian Federation). 2001 Meade was excluded from the animal protection organization RSCPA. He had organized a campaign, should be moved with the followers of the controversial fox hunting to join, thereby changing the attitude of the RRSPCA in their favor.