Jack Talbot-Ponsonby

Jack Talbot-Ponsonby was the son of major Edward Talbot-Ponsonby of the Royal Artillery, who fought in the Boer War 1899-1902, and like his father, also served in the Army. Educated at Harrow School, where he was an all-round track and field athlete, Jack joined firstly the 7th Hussars, before becoming a lieutenant-colonel in the Royal Armoured Corps.

A fine horseman, Talbot-Ponsonby played polo for his regiment, and represented them, with pride and success, at international jumping competitions in Britain and on the continent. Individually, he won the King George V Trophy jumping competition for Army Officers at the Royal International Horse Show three times, winning on the mare Chelsea in 1930 and 1934, and on Best Girl in 1934.

Talbot-Ponsonby was an excellent show jumping trainer and after the war trained British equestrian jumpers to win medals at the 1952, 1956, and 1960 Olympics. He wrote several books including Horseman’s Bedside Book and Harmony in Horsemanship. Talbot-Ponsonby died at the age of 62 following a fall from his horse while out hunting in Oxfordshire.