Helen Preece Explained

Nationality:British
Birth Date:November 11, 1895
Death Date:July 2, 1990
Sport:Equestrian
Olympics:1912 (Rejected)

Helen Preece Chipchase Smith (1897 - 1990) was a British equestrian who also rode in America.[1] She was the only woman briefly entered in the 1912 Summer Olympics.

Biography

She was the daughter of Ambrose Preese, of Fulham road, London.[2] Her mother was considered a "noted horsewoman" in England.[3] In June 1910, she did well in the Olympia Horse Show.[4] In the next Olympia Horse Show, in June 1911, she was considered a "favorite" and was personally congratulated by Queen Alexandra afterward.[5] [6] In November 1911, she won the gold cup at the Madison Square National Horse Show in New York City.[7] [8] At the show, she rode the horses, Sapelio, owned by George Chipchase and the winning Sceptre, owned by James Dunn.

In 1912, while still in school, she attempted to enter the modern pentathlon in the 1912 Summer Olympic Games. For a short time, she was the only woman slated to compete at the games.[9] [10] She was ultimately not allowed to compete because she was a female.[11] The response from the Olympic committee to her request to enter was "hostile."[12]

In 1914, she placed second in Ladies' saddle horse riding and first in Park and road hacks, riding on Sceptre.[13]

On March 20, 1915, she married George H. Chipchase in New York.[14] A few months later, his former wife sued Preese in a Massachusetts court for using the Chipchase name and also claiming that there had been no divorce.

In December 1934, she was married again in Boston to John Leslie Smith, a riding instructor.[15]

Notes and References

  1. News: Girl to enter Olympic Games . Englishwomen are expecting Miss Helen Preece, a 15-year-old horsewoman, to accomplish great things at the Olympic games at Stockholm this month. Miss Preece, who will be the only female representative at the games, has won fame here as an expert horsewoman and athlete generally, and her abilities are not [un]known in the United States. At New York in November last, at the Madison Square Garden Horse Show, Miss Preece won outright the $1,000 gold cup, open to the world for riding, in addition to many other “blues.” . . July 7, 1912 . 2008-12-23 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120529024133/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1912/MOP/mens-individual.html . May 29, 2012 .
  2. News: Fifteen year old prodigy at Olympiad . She is Helen Preece, a daughter of Mr. Ambrose Preese, of Fulham road, London. . . July 9, 1912 . 2008-12-23 .
  3. News: Newport Social Figure Wed to a Second Riding Master. 1934-12-18. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 2017-11-10. 2. Newspapers.com.
  4. News: Women's Horses and Horsemanship at Olympia. 1910-06-18. The Times. 2017-11-09. 6. Newspapers.com.
  5. News: Helen Preece to Ride Here. 1911-11-05. The New York Times. 2017-11-09. 33. Newspapers.com.
  6. News: Helen Preece To Ride Here. 14-Year-Old Girl, Honored by Queen Alexandra, Coming to Horse Show. . Among the passengers in the Minnewaska, which sailed to-day, is Helen Preece, a 14 year-old girl who as an equestrienne has no equal in this country. ... . . November 5, 1911 . 2008-12-23 .
  7. News: Young Horsewoman After Great Honors. 1912-07-07. The Washington Herald. 2017-11-09. 13. Newspapers.com.
  8. News: Throngs Thrilled at the Horse Show. 1911-11-22. The New York Times. 2017-11-09. 4. Newspapers.com.
  9. News: Only Female in Olympic. 1912-06-20. Daily Press. 2017-11-09. 6. Newspapers.com.
  10. News: Girl of 15 is Only Woman Entrant in Olympic Games. 1912-07-07. Democrat and Chronicle. 2017-11-09. 28. Newspapers.com.
  11. News: 'An Olympiad with females would be impractical, uninteresting, unaesthetic and improper.' - Baron Pierre de Coubertin. Hynes. Tina. 7 August 2008. The Irish Times. 2017-11-09. en-US.
  12. Book: Sport and the Emancipation of European Women: The Struggle for Self-fulfilment. Gori. Gigliola. Mangan. J. A.. 2016-03-23. Routledge. 9781134932498. en.
  13. News: Take 4 Blue Ribbons. 1914-10-01. The Washington Post. 2017-11-09. 4. Newspapers.com.
  14. News: Sues to Have Girl Cease Using Her Name. 1915-07-13. The Tampa Times. 2017-11-09. 8. Newspapers.com.
  15. News: Newport Social Figure Wed to a Second Riding Master. 1934-12-18. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 2017-11-10. 2. Newspapers.com.

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