Pat Maxwell - last farewell

Pat Maxwell - last farewell

Pat Maxwell's family sadly informed us that their beloved husband, father, grandfather andgreat-grandfather died on 21st September 2010. Six weeks before, the Maxwell's wereconfronted with the diagnosis that Pat suffered from lung cancer - he sadly lost the battle lastTuesday.

Born in 1929 in Northern Ireland, Pat Maxwell spent most of his teenage years in India. Later,he joined the army, went through Sandhurst and worked his way up to the rank of a Major. Hewas a passionate horseman who, back in the late 1950ies, bred steeplechasers and rode inshow jumping events. In 1967 he married his wife Joanna, who at the time already ownedArabians and introduced him to the breed. Together, and later supported by their daughterEmma, they were breeding and showing Arabian horses for more than 40 years. It was theMaxwells, who first introduced Spanish and Egyptian blood to Great Britain and in the heyday ofLodge Farm Stud, they were one of the most successful breeders in Europe having won sevenParis World Championships with horses that were bred at Lodge Farm Stud. In 1998, it wasdecided to scale down the stud and in 2003 the Maxwells moved to France, where they boughta beautiful old chateau to spend their old age.

Breeding and showing was not all and so Pat got involved in "Arabian horse politics" and waselected as Council Member of the AHS, where he is fondly remembered of being very helpful toeverybody. But above all, Pat was a horseman through and through, and so he was concernedabout the direction in which Arabian horse shows were going. When in 1983 some countriesjoined for the first time to create the European Arabian Horse Show Commission, he was withthem. Two years later, when a steering committee was charged with the creation of theconstitution and legal framework for the new organization called European Conference of ArabHorse Organizations (ECAHO), he was the head of it and consequently became theorganization's first president. ECAHO became his "baby" and he gave ECAHO a face. He wasthe driving force, and ECAHO grew steadily from 13 countries in 1985 to 28 countries in 2001when he resigned for health reasons. During this time, the show scene in Europe and the Arabcountries developed and grew steadily. And although the Show Commission was always hismost important concern, it was during his presidency that the Studbook Commission came intolife and the Amsterdam Agreement was ratified which guaranteed the reciprocal acceptance ofall Arabian horses registered in ECAHO Member countries - this was before WAHO hadenforced the same on a world-wide level. Also during his presidency, the Racing Commissionwas founded in 1988 and left ECAHO in 1997 to become a world-wide body under the name of

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Pat Maxwell - last farewell

International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR) - ECAHO was so tospeak its midwife. It was also due to his farsightedness that the Sport Commission was foundedin 1997. It was not difficult to convince him, a dedicated rider, that the Arabian horse needs tobe promoted in all its versatility. And it was during his presidency that the Arab countries wereinvited to become Full Members, provided that they had a certain number of horses and shows.But there were drawbacks as well. He vehemently fought for his idea of a "European StudbookDatabase", but the members refused to follow him.

He was the Chairman, later called President, of ECAHO for 18 years and although ECAHO is ademocratic body, he preferred a clear chain of command, a relict of his military times. He hadthe gift to listen to different opinions and analyze them; he then would draw his own conclusionand take a decision, or present his ideas with all the pros and cons at the next meeting. On apersonal note, I would like to add that it was a pleasure to work with him those 5 years as hisGeneral Secretary. I always felt taken seriously and accepted, in troubled times he would backme up and never let me down. Thank you, Pat.Rest in Peace.

Our sincere condolences go to his wife Joanna, their daughter Emma and the other sevenchildren from their previous marriages, twenty-one grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Executive Committee of ECAHO and Gudrun Waiditschka (author)

 

If anybody wishes to attend the funeral, it will be held on Monday, 27th  September at theCrematorium de Caen, Chemin de l'Abbaye d'Ardenne, F-14000 Caen, Calvados,Basse-Normandie, France at 12:00 h mid-day.

Pats family wants to extend an invitation to anyone that comes to the funeral, to come to

La MillerieF-50420 Tessy sur Vire

afterwards for a celebration of Pat's life.

They ask that no flowers be sent, but if anyone desires a donation can be made in his name at http://www.justgiving.com/Pat-Maxwell

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