Death of “Mrs Mac” Joan McMillen

Joan McMillen, widely known as Mrs Mac, died on 8 May aged 90. She broke, schooled and produced horses and ponies for over 60 years.

Among them was Pony and Reserve Pony of the Year, Gems Signet, which was only beaten once in two seasons: the Hack Champion at Royal Windsor Horse show and many other major successes.

She won the Winston Churchill Champion of Champions at White City International Show three times on two different Arab stallions.

With Robinwood, Joan hunted, showed, point-to-pointed and competed at Badminton for four years running.

One year, jumping the Irish bank, Robinwood did not land on the top, but jumped it in one, a distance of 36 feet.

Mrs Mac also worked with the North Norfolk Pony Club as chief instructor, serving a term as president, for which work she received the Cubitt Award.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now