December 28, 2022 
Each week on #HallOfFameThursday, Horse Network recognizes members of the Show Jumping Hall of Fame with an inductee’s plaque, historical photos and, on the first Thursday of every month, an article written by a Show Jumping Hall of Famer. This week, we recognize Frances B. Steinwedell, Show Jumping Hall of Fame class of 2016.
Frances B. (Fran) Steinwedell has been a devoted supporter of show jumping in the U.S. for decades.
In addition to her ownership of several top Grand Prix horses, she has helped pave the road to success for talented riders such as U.S. Olympic medalist Anne Kursinski and her daughter Francie Steinwedell-Carvin, who won both the Medal and the Maclay Finals before going on to represent the U.S. in Europe and then open her own business.
Throughout her junior years, Fran schooled, hunted and showed horses in the Midwest. In 1946, she received a certificate of honor from the Chicago Sun newspaper after she co-produced one of the first all-junior horse shows. In the 1970’s, she showed Amateur-Owner in California, earning year-end awards.
Over the years, Fran loaned several horses to the United States Equestrian Team (USET). Her most noteworthy included Livius, with whom she was general partner in the California group that owned him. Kursinski and Livius won double Gold in the 1983 Pan American Games. She also owned the Westphalian stallion, Starman, who was inducted into the Show Jumping Hall of Fame in 2012.
Starman helped the U.S. win the Silver Medal at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul where he also carried Kursinski to a tie for fourth individually. Starman and Kursinksi won the Grand Prix of Aachen in 1991. Starman was named Show Jumping Horse of the Year by The Chronicle of the Horse in 1990.
Steinwedell was also part of the Eros Group which owned Eros who carried Kursinski to many Grand Prix wins globally as well as to team Silver in the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.
As president of the Flintridge Riding Club, Steinwedell worked with Jimmy Williams to develop the sport on the west coast. She initiated the Grand Prix of Flintridge, the second Grand Prix ever held on the west coast and one of the first FEI World Cup Qualifiers in the west. She was also a founding member of the American Grandprix Association (AGA) and she has served on many boards including the Pacific Coast Horse Shows Association (PCHA) for 20 years, West Coast Equestrian (WCE), USET, where she in an Honorary Life Trustee, and the Show Jumping Hall of Fame with whom she was a founding member. Fran was PCHA Horsewoman of the year in 1992.
Steinwedell was the first person ever to reach 35 years as a member of the USET Gold Medal Club, an organization that has honored her for her many years of outstanding support.
All images courtesy of the Show Jumping Hall of Fame.
The Show Jumping Hall of Fame is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit charity that relies solely on contributions to operate. If you liked this story, please consider supporting its efforts to preserve our sport’s history. Donations can be made online at www.ShowJumpingHallofFame.net.
