Perth horsewoman receives Order of Australia at 85 for her contribution to equestrian

Some harsh words scribbled on a scoresheet — scalding her performance as a dressage rider — almost ended Zoe Harrison's career with horses.

"I read what the judge had written on my sheet and I thought, well … I'm never going to be any good at dressage. So I won't bother about it," the 85-year-old Perth woman said.

That was when she was a teenager in England. Decades later, Harrison has been awarded an Order of Australia medal for her contribution to the sport of equestrian.

An accomplished dressage rider, coach, judge, and mentor, she has authored two books including one about the history of dressage in WA.

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Written by Alicia Bridges and Christine Layton
ABC Radio Perth