It is with great sadness that Bruce Mills passed away. Bruce has been a long time contributor to Australian Equestrian sport and the Equestrian community and was a former Chair of Equestrian Australia.
The Australian Equestrian Federation thanks his daughter Elizabeth Owens (nee Mills) for writing the following tribute to Bruce.
It is with a deep sense of loss but also enduring love that I advice that my beloved Dad, Bruce Mills, died Thursday January 13th in Perth. Many equestrians would remember my father as the long suffering grey haired gentleman who groomed for me at so many competitions from WA to Qld over a 30 year period. People with longer memories will recall Dad’s extraordinary contribution to the Australian Equestrian effort over so many years including:
- President of the then Equestrian Federation of Australia from 1986 to 1992
- Chef de Mission Australian Equestrian Team – World Equestrian Games 1990,
- Section Manager, Australian Olympic Equestrian Teams, Seoul 1988 and Barcelona 1992
- Branch Chairman WA Equestrian Federation 1981 – 1988
- Delegate to the FEI
- Delegate to the Australian Olympic Committee
- Founding President Dressage Club, a role he maintained from 1972 – 1975
- Instrumental in the design, fund raising and construction of the State Equestrian Centre in WA.
These achievements are extraordinary enough, but Dad was never an equestrian. He excelled at Rugby, playing for Queensland in 1952, surf lifesaving at Burleigh and winning State Championships in Qld for sailing from 1949 – 1952. He never envisaged being involved in equestrian sports, but ever the devoted father, Dad was 100% behind whatever his children wanted to do – even if that involved driving across the Nullabor towing a horse float so that I could compete in National Championships.
A funeral service will be held in Perth on Thursday to celebrate the wonderful man who was my father.
A life well lived, much loved and forever missed.