Cheshire Antiques Consultant Ltd has dated this Equestrian Show Jumping Painting to the 1950s.
Exhibited: Paris Salon, 1956
Subject & Medium
This original watercolour on paper by S. Myndas, follower of Lionel Edwards, captures a defining moment in British sporting history — Pat Smythe and her mare Finality mid-jump during their championship-winning performance at the inaugural Horse of the Year Show, Harringay, 1949.
Rider and horse are caught in perfect suspension — a unity of courage, control, and elegance that secured Smythe’s place in equestrian legend as Britain’s first Leading Showjumper of the Year.
Executed with the translucence and refinement characteristic of mid-twentieth-century British sporting art, the work conveys both the immediacy of movement and the timeless grace of watercolour. Each stroke reveals the artist’s sensitivity to rhythm, anatomy, and atmosphere.
Composition & Technique
Although the 1949 Horse of the Year Show took place indoors at Harringay Arena, Myndas situates his subject in open countryside beneath a soft autumn sky — a conscious stylistic homage to the English equestrian tradition established by Lionel Edwards.
This pastoral setting, favouring natural light and open space, symbolises freedom and spirit over spectacle. The underdrawing provides structural clarity, while layered transparent washes create a sense of motion and air.
Myndas demonstrates remarkable control: every muscle, rein, and shadow is precisely observed yet never overstated. The result is both realistic and lyrical — a poetic affirmation of post-war optimism and renewal.
The Horse — Finality
Finality, a compact 15-hand bay mare, was admired for her intelligence, rhythm, and impeccable jumping form. Her calm precision perfectly complemented Smythe’s intuitive riding style.
Together they embodied post-war equestrian ideals — light, refined, and empathetic — a departure from the rigid, military style of earlier decades. In this painting, Myndas captures Finality in elegant flight, her expression serene yet alert: the image of trust and partnership. She remains one of Britain’s most beloved showjumping horses, remembered for both her bravery and her grace.
The Rider — Pat Smythe (1928–1996)
At only twenty-one, Pat Smythe became a national sensation when she and Finality won the inaugural Horse of the Year Show in 1949. Her composure and artistry redefined the role of women in competitive sport.
Over the next decade, Smythe represented Great Britain at three Olympic Games — Helsinki 1952, Stockholm 1956, and Rome 1960 — earning a bronze medal in Helsinki, the first Olympic equestrian medal ever won by a British woman.
A champion, author, and pioneer, Smythe’s quiet confidence and technical mastery made her a post-war icon of grace, discipline, and determination.
The Event — Horse of the Year Show, 1949
Founded by Colonel Sir Mike Ansell, the first Horse of the Year Show was held at Harringay Arena, London, in September 1949. Conceived to celebrate the resilience and spirit of post-war Britain, it quickly became a national institution.
Broadcast live by the BBC, the event brought showjumping to a wide audience for the first time. Smythe’s victory, witnessed by millions, marked the beginning of a new era for British sport and equestrian culture.
This painting commemorates that defining moment — a bridge between competition, art, and national pride.
Significance
Pat Smythe and “Finality” unites sporting, cultural, and artistic importance. Created soon after the 1949 event, it records not only a historic victory but also Britain’s post-war spirit of resilience and refinement.
The verso bears the stamp of the S
Cheshire Antiques Consultant Ltd has dated this Equestrian Show Jumping Painting to the 1950s.
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Painting Pat Smythe and Finality Winner Leading Showjumper of the Year C1949
