Petition calls for overturn of Mary King’s ban
An online petition to have Mary King’s 2-month suspension was started this morning (13 June) and has already received more than 700 signatures.
There was outrage on social media yesterday after it emerged Mary had been given a ban for receiving her 2nd yellow card for the same offence in a year at Bramham last weekend (6-8 June).
Mary was given the yellow card for “dangerous riding” on MHS King Joules (pictured top) on whom she retired part way around cross-country course on Saturday. Last October she was given a card for the same reason, at Le Lion d’Angers, where she was riding Cavalier Venture.
The eventer said she is “shocked and devastated” by the news.
Rebecca Bignell started the petition after reading about the ban and has been “overwhelmed” by the response.
“I just felt the ban was unnecessary and unjustified,” she told H&H. “It might only be 2 months, but it could put a huge dent in her career.”
Ms Bignell has contacted the FEI about the petition but is yet to have a response.
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“I would like to see the ban overturned, but at the very least I want to show the support that there is for Mary,” she added.
In this situation, it is the ground jury at the event who make the decision to give a yellow card to a rider, rather than FEI headquarters. H&H has contacted the FEI but has not yet had a response.
To sign the petition visit: www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/fei-lift-the-ban-on-mary-king
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Sophia Heath joined Horse & Hound in July 2013 having previously worked for the Daily Telegraph's Olympics website, CNN International and Omnisport. A Durham graduate with a Masters in journalism from City University, Sophia has evented, showjumped and hunted. Sophia left Horse & Hound in early 2015 to join an international boating website.