British Dressage Pioneer Domini Lawrence Passed Away

Dressage

Great Britain

British dressage pioneer Domini Morgan (née Lawrence) has passed away on 4 January 2025 at age 99.

Lawrence was born in Marylebone, London, on 8 May 1925, to Lydia (née Ivett) and Alfred Clive Lawrence, a barrister who had been appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1918.

Domini got introduced to horse sport through her stepfather, who was secretary of war and Lord Chancellor.

Her career making competition horse was San Fernando, who was originally named "Karat" (by Rocarno). He was the 1964 Swedish champion and Bengt Ljungquist's 1964 Swedish Olympic team horse before selling to the U.K.

Lawrence and San Fernando competed on the all-female British dressage team at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, where she finished fifth with the British team (alonside Johanna Hall and Lorna Johnstone) and 11th individually. She was 15th in the Grand Prix at the 1970 World Championships Dressage in Aachen. She returned to the 1972 Olympics in Munich, where she was 10th with the team and 33rd individually.

She married Arnold Morgan after her sport career. She became an FEI judge and officiated until her 1998 retirement.

On her 99th birthday on 8 May 2024 she was celebrated as the oldest living British Olympian.