Storr joins judging’s elite

British Dressage is delighted to announce that the FEI has promoted British FEI judge Peter Storr to 5* Judging status as of 1 January 2021.

Peter joins Andrew Gardner, Isobel Wessels, Stephen Clarke and Clive Halsall as Britain’s total of five judges at this level and means he is now eligible to officiate at senior FEI Championships around the globe. Just 37 elite judges worldwide hold this rank at present, as of January next year, it rises to 41 as Peter is joined by Kurt Christensen (DEN), Lars Andersson (SWE) and Ulrike Nivelle (GER).

During his competition career, Peter (55) has amassed numerous national titles including the accolade of National Grand Prix Champion in 2000 and 2001 with Gambrinus. Peter and Gambrinus also represented Great Britain at the 2001 FEI European Championships and the 2002 FEI World Equestrian Games, and were reserves for the Sydney and Athens Olympic Games.

Alongside judging, Peter is also an internationally renowned trainer. In recent years, he’s played a huge part in inspiring the next generation spending eight years as trainer to the British Pony team. During this time they won team gold, team silver and two team bronzes at FEI Pony European Championships and Phoebe Peters, who he coaches to this day, made history with double individual golds in both 2013 and 2015.

In 2009, Peter fast-tracked to a BD List 2 Judge before progressing up the levels to reach FEI4* status in 2014. That year, he hung up his competition boots to focus on his judging career, enabling him to extend his experience further with a full schedule of judging around the world. In 2018, Peter was appointed to a four-year term on the British Dressage board as Judges Director.

Having ridden at senior championship level it has always been my dream to return to the level as a judge.

Talking about his promotion, Peter said; “I am delighted and feel extremely honoured and proud to join the top tier of judges in the world. I’m looking forward to the challenges and responsibility of judging at this level, and being part of such a skilled and highly experienced group of individuals.

“Throughout my judging career, I’ve had huge help from some top 5* judges for which I’m immensely grateful. It’s an honour to join them in being able to judge at senior FEI championships. I am really excited. Having ridden at senior championship level it has always been my dream to return to the level as a judge.”

Photo © Tanja Davis for Kevin Sparrow