One of the all-time eventing greats, Mary King, has announced her full retirement from eventing after a career that has spanned 46 years.
Mary, who is 64 years old, broke the news via a statement on her Facebook page, which said: “The time has come – I have decided to hang up my boots. I started my 46th year of eventing this year and rode at Tweseldown and Moreton (finished second on Barry), and have now decided its time to stop competing and to send my last event horses to Emily to continue their career.
“I have loved my eventing life, and feel so lucky to have had so many amazing horses, and have wonderful memories which will stay close to my heart forever.
“Since the London Olympics I’ve loved producing my homebreds and competing up to three-star.
“I will be busy with my breeding programme and producing the young stock, plus will be supporting Emily [her daughter] more. I can now go on holiday and not feel guilty about the horses I should be riding!
“Thank you so much to my family, friends, owners, grooms, sponsors, vets, farriers and wonderful supporters that have made this journey, over the many years, so incredibly special.”
Mary won Badminton in both 1992 and 2000, Burghley in 1996 and Kentucky in 2011. In addition, she represented Great Britain at six consecutive Olympic Games between 1992 and 2012, winning team silver in Athens in 2004 and at London in 2012, and a team bronze at the 2008 Beijing Games. She also won team gold at the 1994 and 2010 World Equestrian Games and team silver in 2006, plus four team golds and one team bronze at the European Eventing Championships, also winning individual bronze in 1995 and individual silver in 2007.
Mary last competed at four-star level in 2019 and her last five-star start was in 2015, and she has since focused on competing her homebreds at the lower levels.
Image: © Liz Knowler
