Dear all,
It is with the deepest sadness that I must inform you of Alan Smith’s passing.
Alan, as most of you will know, was a founder member of the British Equestrian Writers’ Association and a past president.
He enjoyed a remarkable 48-year career as equestrian correspondent of The Daily Telegraph, reporting on nine Olympics games, starting in Munich 1972 and ending with the Beijing Games 36 years later. He also covered eight Winter Olympics as a skiing writer – and every major equestrian championships between 1960 and 2008.
He covered the sport like no-one else, a hugely-popular figure with riders, adminstrators and fellow journalists alike. I, for one, will never forget his reportage of Zara Phillips winning the world eventing title in 2006. I still have a copy of the Telegraph from that day.
He was a a master wordsmith, a craftsman of the highest calibre, who would have many in equestrian sport hanging on his every word.
More importantly, though, Alan was the loveliest of people, a charming, friendly man who would always have the time of day for you, was a source of encouragement to his peers and those who came after he had retired. He also loved a party!
We will all miss him dearly.
Alan’s beloved wife Maddie passed away in 2016. He is survived by their three children – John, Charlotte and Alex.
Full tributes and funeral details will follow.