Obituary – Tiny White (OBE)

ESNZ Patron, Jennifer Millar presenting Tiny White, OBE with her Honorary Life Membership at the Land Rover Horse of the Year 2019, HB A&P Showgrounds, Hastings, Hawke's Bay, Thursday, March 14, 2019. Credit: KAMPIC / Kerry Marshall

It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that we advise the passing of a truly remarkable lady in Tiny White (OBE). The ESNZ Honorary Life Member passed away peacefully on January 10, 2020, aged 95 years.

Tiny has given selflessly across many facets of equestrian for decades. She has held all sorts of offices over many years, and more recently as Patron of ESNZ since 2007.

She started her competitive career at just seven in a tartan skirt, jersey, beret, shoes and sox and in the ensuing years has notched many awards across the disciplines, including:

• In 1951 was the winner of New Zealand’s first-ever one day event
• The Merrylegs Cup for Lady Rider of the Year 1964 on Madame Butterfly
• The Pilmer Plate for her service to the NZ Equestrian Federation 1995
• The Rigoletto Trophy for freestyle dressage 1978 on Rigoletto
• The Lowry Medallion for Rider of the Year 1973 and 1971
• The Burkner Medal for the New Zealand Dressage Championship eight times – on Rigoletto seven times and Madame Butterfly once
• The Tuna Lodge Trophy for Elementary Champion on Rigoletto
• The Tironui Trophy for Freestyle Champion three times – once on Rigoletto and twice on Diablo
• The Doornbos Shield for Medium Champion three times on Rigoletto
• The Trans-Tasman Trophy 1974 on Rigoletto

She was a top dressage judge, officiating both on and offshore, an examiner of judges, a candidate judge for the FEI, a selector, and was the first Kiwi to be appointed to the FEI Horse Trials Panel.

She was awarded an OBE in the 2010 Queen’s Birthday Honours and in 2009 was inducted into the Horse of the Year Hall of Fame.

In 2019 Tiny was made an Honorary Life Member of ESNZ in recognition and appreciation for her outstanding service to equestrian sport in New Zealand.

She clearly passed on her love equestrian to the generations who followed with her daughter Tinks winning an eventing team bronze medal at the Seoul Olympic Games in 1988 alongside a host of national honours. Granddaughter Amanda is also following in both their footsteps as a top eventer who has already ridden for New Zealand. 

Our condolences and thoughts are with the Pottinger and wider family during this sad time.

It was truly a pleasure to ever be in Tiny’s company and she will be deeply missed by all those who lives she touched.

A service for Tiny will be held at St Matthew’s Anglican Church, 200 King Street Sth, Hastings, on Thursday, January 16 at 2.00pm.