Alice Dorinda “Dinnie” Brickenden, Hall-Holland, Fuller, Greenway passed away peacefully on January 31 at the age of 102, after a rich, full life.
The London, Ontario native was an accomplished equestrian and international judge, and was one of the first female riders to compete internationally. She began competing at the Royal Horse Show in Toronto in 1927 in multiple disciplines, and won the first international show jumping competition, The President of Mexico’s Trophy, at the 1949 Royal riding Roger II. Two years later, she won the first Canadian international dressage competition at the same venue.
Dorinda’s parents, judge G.A.P. Brickenden and Catherine (McCormick) Brickenden, were noted sport horse breeders beginning in 1926 and prominent members of the showing and hunting communities. Following their lead, Dorinda became a member of the London Hunt by age eight and later joined Pony Club while attending boarding school in England. In 1940, she founded the London Pony Club in Ontario. Horses she bred or owned represented Canada internationally, including at the Olympics and Pan American Games. A lifelong horsewoman, she continued to ride well into her 90s.
Countless organizations and foundations both inside and out of the horse world benefitted from Dorinda’s presence on their boards and committees. She was on the Board of Governors for Guelph University, Honorary Director of the Western Fair, Lifetime Governor of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, Director of Western University’s Partners in Research and Guelph University Equine Research. She sponsored many awards over the decades and delivered Meals On Wheels for 20 years. She was inducted into the London Sports Hall of Fame in 2017.
Dorinda was predeceased by her husbands W.H. Hall-Holland, O.M. Fuller, and Robert Greenway. She was the mother of Dee Lewis, Gray Hall-Holland, Kelly Hall-Holland, and stepchildren Elizabeth, Martha, Liz, Mark, Kate, Jim and Walt, a grandmother of 10, great-grandmother of 15 and had two great-great-grandchildren.
A family celebration of Dorinda’s life will be held at a later date. Memorial donations to Alzheimer Society Southwest Partners, London, Ontario would be appreciated.
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