Virginia Leng
Equestrian

Virginia Leng

The basics
Quick facts
Intro
Equestrian
Gender:
Female
Work field:
Birth:
2 February 1955(Malta, Malta)
Star sign:
Biography menu
Menu

Jump to

Introduction Major wins Personal life
The details
Biography

Introduction

Virginia Helen Antoinette Elliott MBE (née Holgate, formerly Leng; born 1 February 1955), sometimes known as Ginny Leng, is a British equestrian competitor who competed in eventing. She is the 1986 World Championand three-time Individual European Champion (1985, 1987, 1989). She also won two World team golds (1982 and 1986) and four European team golds (1981, 1985–89). A four-time Olympic medallist, she won Individual bronze and team silver in both 1984 and 1988. From 2008 to 2013, she was the manager of the Irish eventing team.

Major wins

World and European titles:

  • 1985 European champion – Priceless
  • 1986 World champion – Priceless
  • 1987 European champion – Night Cap II
  • 1989 European champion – Master Craftsman

Badminton Horse Trials:

  • 1985 – Priceless,
  • 1989 – Master Craftsman,
  • 1993 – Welton Houdini

Burghley Horse Trials:

  • 1983 – Priceless,
  • 1984 – Night Cap II,
  • 1985 – Priceless,
  • 1986 – Murphy Himself
  • 1989 – Master Craftsman (first person to win Burghley five times).

Personal life

Born Virginia Holgate and raised in Malta, she married Hamish Leng in 1985. The couple divorced in 1989. In 1993, she married Michael Elliott. Her Horses Night Cap II and Priceless, were by the eventing stallion Ben Faerie. Since the 1980s, she has written several books.