PHILIP GORDON BILLINGTON

15 MAY 1944 - 13 APRIL 2009

Philip Billington, sadly died on 13 April following a sudden heart attack while driving his car in Jersey, aged 64 years.

 

Philip started his business career in banking –  Westminster Bank Plc – both in the UK and USA, achieving the position of Assistant Manager in his twenties.  He accepted Executive Directorships over a number of years, firstly with Racal Electronics Plc and then Wilkinson Sword.  From 1986 to 1997 he was Chairman and Chief Executive of Chemring Group Plc, a fully quoted British company with some 17 manufacturing companies located in the UK, France, Belgium, Malaysia, Australasia, New Zealand and USA.  He decided to take early retirement in 1997 and devoted his business talents to assisting the structural reform of equestrian sport.

 

Philip has been actively involved in equestrianism for over 50 years, initially as a competitor in eventing, show jumping and showing riding horses and hacks and then as a show jumping judge and course designer for that sport and for eventing.

 

A voluntary official for the last 40 years, his talent for designing show jumping courses took him from local to advanced national level with the British Show Jumping Association (BSJA). Philip was a familiar face at county shows around the country in the summer, and designing courses at the indoor arenas during the winter months.

 

He became interested in the judging of show jumping in particular, finally holding BSJA National Supervisory Judge status and from 1992 being an International Jumping Judge with the International Equestrian Federation (FEI). He officiated in this capacity on the international jumping circuit around Europe, as well as being a regular at Britain’s major international shows such as The Royal International Horse Show at Hickstead, The Horse of the Year Show, Olympia Show Jumping Championships and The British Open Show Jumping Championships

 

Philip’s business and management acumen were soon recognised and his vision for equestrian sport led him to be nominated for Board level positions in major equestrian organisations, which were currently moving through a period of change and in need of modernisation and structural reform.

 

From 1989 to 1996 Philip was Trustee then Chairman of the International League for the Protection of Horses (now World Horse Welfare), a prominent charity dealing with the welfare of equines both at home and abroad. Soon after his chairmanship of the ILPH/WHW, when he left Chemring, he committed himself to voluntary work for equestrian sport; this commitment was complete and absolute. 

 

His passion for show jumping combined with his corporate leadership skills made him an excellent choice for Director (1997) then Chairman (1998-2000) of the British Show Jumping Association (BSJA). During this Chairmanship, he was also a Director of the British Equestrian Federation representing one of the BEF's major Olympic sports, and playing a significant part in the structural reform of the Federation.

 

At the completion of his term of office as BSJA Chairman, it was a natural progression for Philip to be elected Chairman of the British Equestrian Federation (BEF) and he served in this capacity from January 2001 until April 2005 when the new BEF Board of Directors was elected as part of the modernisation programme. He took on the new non executive role of BEF Director for International Affairs, and provided an important supporting link for the new Chairman for the first twelve months, before stepping down in June 2006.

 

Philip’s standing with his contemporaries on the world stage, and his corporate leadership skills lead to his appointment as a Member of the International Equestrian Federation’s (FEI) Finance Committee, then of the FEI Audit and Compliance Committee of which he was Acting Chair from June to November 2008.  In 2008, he was elected Chair of the latter Committee by the FEI General Assembly and as such became a FEI Bureau Member.  He always encouraged our national leading equestrian talent to offer themselves for election onto the FEI's international committees, governing equestrian sport, and during his term in office a record number of British candidates were successful in securing appointments.  Philip represented the FEI on EU Working Parties, and he served on FEI Working Groups reviewing Medication and Anti-Doping issues.

 

Philip was appointed a Trustee of the British Equestrian Federation Fund from 2001-2006, tasked with providing funds “to make a difference” to senior international teams contesting the Olympics and World Championships in addition to the Lottery Funding available.

 

Philip Billington led the British Equestrian Federation (BEF) through a critical period (January 2001 - April 2005) of modernisation transforming it, with the member bodies of the Federation, from its virtual post office status to become a leading and professional national governing body of sport.

 

Three high points marked the final year of his BEF Chairmanship: 3 Olympic medals (gold, silver and bronze) and 8 Paralympic medals (5 gold and 3 bronze from 9) at the Athens Olympic and Paralympic Games 2004; the completed implementation of a modern, professional governance structure; hosting a record number of nations at the International Equestrian Federation’s annual General Assembly in London in April 2005, which was regarded as one of the best ever and significantly just three months before the Olympic Games were awarded to London for 2012.

 

A quiet and self effacing man, Philip Billington will be greatly missed by his friends and colleagues throughout the equestrian world. He leaves a devoted wife, Pat, three loving step children and five grandchildren.