‘You do it because you love the sport’: rider with terminal cancer creates award to honour volunteers

An annual award honouring the invaluable contribution of volunteers has been launched by a rider with terminal cancer, who has given countless hours to the sport.

The Sally Wood Volunteer Award, created in collaboration with BEDE Events, will be presented by Sally during the prizegiving at Osberton Horse Trials (3-6 October).

Sally Wood, 69, has volunteered at equestrian events on and off for much of her life, including Chatsworth, Osberton, Burghley and events in the Derbyshire, East Midlands and South Yorkshire areas.

“I always feel that as a volunteer you don’t do it for thanks, you do it because you love the sport and you want to be involved,” she told H&H.

“At events there’s often different awards for the local rider and grooms, but without the volunteers, events would never happen, and I want to acknowledge that.”

Sally was diagnosed with terminal cancer in January 2023, and given 18 months to live.

“I’ve outlived my diagnosis and I’m on borrowed time, so I thought it was quite a nice time to do this. I got in contact with BEDE, who I’ve volunteered for a lot over the years, and said, ‘Why don’t we get together and create an annual award for volunteers?’” said Sally.

The award will take on a different focus each year, for example one year a volunteer might be honoured for length of service, another year might acknowledge an unsung hero, or someone who has gone over and above. This year’s award will recognise a volunteer’s “consistent contribution and flexibility”.

The winner will receive a trophy and prize, which for 2024 is a course-walk with Lucinda Green and a yard tour with Pippa Funnell.

Sally, who received the 2023 British Horse Society unsung hero award for her contribution to the equestrian community, believes it is important to encourage volunteers to keep coming forward, and has called on more of the younger generation to get involved.

“No matter what discipline you’re doing, you need volunteers. It’s good fun being involved, it gets you out and about and you might get to meet people you wouldn’t normally,” said Sally.

“One minute I’ve found myself talking to Ros Canter or Oliver Townend, then the next minute you might be talking to someone who is nervous about doing their first BE80. For me it’s been lovely. I used to volunteer for full days, but it’s very boring having cancer and I get too tired, so now I take a chair with me and do shorter hours. But you can still be involved – there’s always a job as a volunteer to suit you and what you like doing. You’ll always get guidance and help. People are very supportive and it feels like its own little community.”

Sally said it was volunteering that inspired her to start eventing in her 60s with her gelding Rory.

“When I retired, having done a lot of work at events I thought ‘Why not give this eventing lark a go?’, and so I bought a four-year-old, then joined British Eventing when I was 60,” she said.

“We just clicked. We learned from each other and we had the best time. It got to the stage where we did so well together, that I thought if I’m going to sell him it would have been the right time – and people were queuing up to buy him, but when I got my diagnosis I decided I didn’t want to sell him. We’d built up this trust together, and I can do anything with him.

“My friend Josie and her daughter Claire came along, and they said they would foster him and then adopt him when I die – and it’s perfect. It means I can still see him, and ride him when I can, and Claire events him. They won the Shelford BE90 in May, and then were eight at the regional final at Frickley on 15 August. We’ve been together 10 years, and I think he knows that I’m nothing like as strong or good as I was, but we’re ok and he’ll stick with me and see me through.”

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