Corona Times: Hit & Run with Richard Davison

Interviews

Hit & Run

In corona times we are all ordered to stay at home, self quarantine, and do social distancing. With more time on your hands to spend online, Eurodressage launches a "Hit & Run" interview series so that you get to know the world's most famous dressage riders and personalities more closely.

British Grand Prix rider Richard Davison is a four-time Olympian, having represented Great Britain at the Olympic Games in Atlanta (1996), Sydney (2000), Athens (2004) and London (2012). He also served as British Team captain at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Hong Kong and was Team GB Performance Manager from 2008 till 2012. Richard is also a legal expert to advise Courts on complex equine cases, helps in the organisation of UK based international equestrian events, and is a isiting Fellow and Hon Doctor of Science at Nottingham Trent University.

Hit & Run - Richard Davison

What is your earliest memory?

Falling off my bicycle, and it even had stabilisers!

Which person alive do you admire the most and why?

Right now it’s all the NHS, Care-home and Hospice workers. They have been going into corona-infected, and unsafe work-places, without adequate PPE protection or testing. They are scared, not only for their own lives but also for the lives of their families, yet everyday they step forward and do their duty. Many are also standing-in for relatives for the emotionally draining end-of-life and final moments of patients. Aside from times of war what greater acts of selflessness, and contribution to others, are more deserving of our admiration?

When were you the happiest?

I am frequently happy.

What is your biggest fear?

The potential actions of some world leaders, and it troubles me to include our own UK Government in that group. Corona illustrates just how small and interconnected the world is. In the UK while some parts of corona management have been done well, other aspects have been very troubling. At the time of writing it is now more than 7 weeks since the WHO declared the crisis a pandemic. Yet, in spite of repetitive and meaningless party-line sound-bytes from ministers, the Government are still failing to provide our front line workers with adequate PPE and testing. And there are many other important and serious examples of incompetence, slowness to react or lack of focus. Tragically, I fear this may lead to many more unnecessary deaths.

What was your first thought today?

Like always it was the weather, it’s a farming instinct

What is your most annoying character trait?

My wife, family and/or staff are the best people to answer that.

Which trait do you dislike the most in other people?

Intention to mislead, deceive or obfuscate, especially from people in public office or a lack of justice.

What is your dearest possession?

On the basis that people are not possessions, and excluding horses and dogs, then possibly it’s our farm as it is a tranquil place and full of nature.

If you look into the future, what do you see?

Exciting opportunities for some (the lucky ones), and difficult post-corona adjustments to the lives of others

What makes you unhappy?

Generally I am a happy person; when I watch the news and compare my life to the dreadful regimes and disasters others have to bear I have no reason to be unhappy.

What is the love of your life?

Family, horses and dogs

What was the best choice you ever took in life?

Marrying Gillian (she will cringe at that).

What's your guilty pleasure?

Monkey 47 gin, Fever-tree tonic, slice of orange and not too much ice.

What do you owe your parents?

Unwavering support and encouragement

Who can sit next to you at your dream dinner table?

Any of my close friends.

What was the worst job you ever did?

When I left school I worked in my father’s marketing business. At the time I thought it was boring and a terrible job. It wasn’t until later that I was able to appreciate what it taught me and has helped me to collaborate with, and support, our commercial partners in optimising services, products or sales.

What was your biggest disappointment in life?

Like everyone, I have had my share of small disappointments but fortunately nothing significant or worth recalling.

What would you change if you can go back into the past?

Nothing, anyway there’s no point wasting time on things that aren’t going to happen.

Name one thing that would improve your quality of life?

I would have said to have had more time, but now we are in lockdown we have plenty of time. So I don’t need anything else, thank you.

What is your biggest achievement?

I have no idea, it’s not something I have spend time thinking about.

What is the most important life lesson you have learnt?

I haven’t finished learning them all yet.

Where would you like to be right now?

Where I am now

What's your favourite scent?

Freshly mown lawns and sweet hay.

Which character would you dress up in for Halloween?

I wouldn’t, not willingly anyway.

To whom would you like to say sorry?

Anyone who thinks I owe them an apology.

What does love feel like for you?

To translate that into words far exceeds my skill-set.

When are you most relaxed?

Lots of occasions

What super power would you like to have?

I’m not likely to be granted a super power so I won’t spend too much time on this.

When did you last cry, and why?

An hour ago writing to the wife of a friend who husband has just died. I used to be able to conceal emotion quite well but, as I get older it gets harder to choke back the tears both for happy and sad times. Recently the horse world has lost too many of it’s friends, and there are also a lot of corona heroes resulting in lots of tears.

When were you closest to death?

Never, at least not so far!

How do you want to be remembered?

I don’t have too much expectation on this, just to remembered in any capacity would be a bonus.