Yvonne Downes

Yvonne Downes is well known in the world of Arabian horses and her passion for all that is involved in breeding, riding and showing these magnificent creatures knows no bounds. Yet it was the story of her great-grandfather, William ‘Bill’ Beach that inspired her to write. Yvonne grew up with Bill Beach watching over her from his majestic portraits hanging on the lounge room wall and listening to stories of his sporting achievements from her mother. In 1884 this shy young man became the sculling champion of the world, a title he would never lose in a sport that he truly dominated.