Happy 60th Birthday, Mary King! Celebrating a brilliant career in pictures
Today (8 June) British eventing legend, Mary King, turns 60 and we’re marking the occasion by celebrating Mary’s stellar career in pictures.
Born in 1961 to unhorsey parents, she learnt to ride on the vicar’s pony. Her eventing career began while working for European champion, the late Sheila Willcox.
A regular British team member, Mary has been to six Olympic Games, collecting team silver in Athens 2004 and London 2012, as well as team bronze in Hong Kong 2008. She was on the all-girl gold medal-winning team at The Hague World Equestrian Games in 1994, gained team silver at the Aachen Worlds in 2006 and team gold at the Kentucky WEG in 2010. She has four European team gold medals (1991, 1995, 1997, 2007) and two individual medals (1995 bronze and 2007 silver), as well as a team bronze (2011).
Mary won Badminton in 1992 on King William and again in 2000 on Star Appeal, who also won Burghley in 1996.
Mary, we wish you a very happy 60th birthday from all of us at Horse & Hound HQ.
Mary riding Divers Rock at Badminton Horse Trials in 1985
King William and Mary at Badminton in 1992
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Mary and Star Appeal at Badminton
Mary enjoying a relaxing ride at home in Devon
Mary at Badminton with King William in 1992
Mary exercising King William at the Barcelona 1992 Olympics
Mary riding Kings Temptress at the CCI5* in Kentucky in 2011
From left to right: Nicola Wilson, Tina Cook, Mary and William Fox-Pitt celebrating winning team gold at the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Kentucky
Mary and Kings Temptress in the CCI5* at Luhmühlen in 2009
Mary and Kings Temptress in the CCI5* at Badminton in 2013
The British team on winning silver at the 2012 London Olympic Games. From left to right: Zara Tindall, Tina Cook, Mary, Nicola Wilson and William Fox-Pitt
Mary and Kings Temptress win Kentucky in 2011
And more recently, Mary riding King Robert II to victory in the open intermediate at Bicton Arena in July 2020
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Gemma is an experienced journalist, who was a member of H&H staff from 2014 to September 2025. She is passionate about all equestrian sports, including racing and point-to-pointing. She has enjoyed riding out for top trainers Nicky Henderson and Charlie Appleby and took part in a charity Flat race at Epsom in August 2018. Gemma’s has reported from numerous five-star events around Britain and Europe, as well as European championships.