Mary King’s career was full of stories of courage, determination and above all, her smile and positivity, says Mark Phillips

Mark Phillips shares his thoughts on Mary King’s career following her retirement, early season events, the FEI dispute with officials, and the upcoming five-stars

Mary King’s successes, and her disappointments on the big stage with King William, are the stuff of legend. Ask anyone about Mary’s career and you won’t get statistics, but stories: of courage, determination and above all, that smile and positivity, even in her darkest hours.

Her longevity has been extraordinary, following in the footsteps of Lorna Clarke in proving that having a family was no barrier to continued success.

I was glad to hear Mary is hanging up her boots now. We can remember her glory days without having to witness age catching up with her riding, which has happened to too many greats who stayed on a little too long.

Early season events

I admired Andrew Nicholson for so eloquently putting into words what I thought after Barbury. It is a great venue, with ideal early-season footing for a CCI4*-S, even if it can be a little windy in March.

I’m not entirely sure, however, that it fits into Alec Lochore’s business plan. He likes his four-stars to be events, not just another competition, something I feel is not always understood by British Eventing. To put on an event, you need sponsors and you need to give them value, ideally across more than one venue in a similar geographical area.

I congratulate Stuart Buntine on a hugely successful Thoresby which, after significant investment, is arguably the standout event of the spring, attracting around 10,000 spectators.

It was a shame that more top horses and riders did not attend. Historically, the footing at Thoresby has been inconsistent, but this year Stuart produced a proper pre-Badminton four-star on his best footing yet.

The next CCI4*-S is Burnham Market this weekend, where Alec will be working overtime to replicate the standard of footing seen at Barbury, albeit with less grass cover. He has designed his best four-star track there to date, but entries are sadly down.

This is largely due to British Eventing awarding Tetworth a new intermediate class on a revised date the weekend before Burnham Market, then allowing the addition of a second day of intermediate at the expense of many ballotted grassroots riders.

There is some irony in that happening, while simultaneously British Eventing is making a strong push to embrace the unaffiliated and grassroots market. One hopes this does not signal the demise of Burnham Market, which could follow in the footsteps of Chatsworth and Gatcombe, as we see fewer true events and more competitor-funded competitions within 150 miles of Oxford.

The FEI and the voice of officials

I was interested to read that the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) found in favour of the International Eventing Officials Club (IEOC), ruling that the FEI had not followed due process in accordance with their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) when introducing level four officials. Whether the FEI likes it or not, the IEOC is the voice of its eventing officials.

While many of the level four issues are now in the past, eventing remains the only Olympic discipline where officials lack a formal MoU, and therefore an official voice. For years, the FEI has focused heavily on rules, regulations and process, making being and becoming an FEI official increasingly complex.

In these delicate times, with horse welfare firmly in the spotlight, it is time for the FEI to put its “sport” hat back on – starting by re-engaging with eventing officials.

On to five-star

Entries for Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event have a familiar look in numbers and combinations. In contrast, Mars Badminton Horse Trials has its smallest entry in years. Both lists feature high-class pairs, but as ever, while many are qualified to compete at five-star, comparatively few have a chance of winning.

In the modern sport, riders are increasingly selective, choosing the competitions that best suit their horses and Badminton is not for everyone.

Laura Collett with London 52 and Tom McEwen with JL Dublin have both opted for CCI4*-S campaigns ahead of the World Championships in August. The rest will look to stake their claim at Badminton or over the slightly less demanding track at Kentucky.

● What are your favourite Mary King memories? Write to us at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance to have your thoughts published in a future issue of Horse & Hound magazine

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