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On the subject of Mary King ............

6/12/2014

1 Comment

 
So Mary King has got a two month ban for dangerous riding at Bramham CCI*** last week after a previous 'yellow card' at Le Lion D'Angers last year. Hmmmmmm. I suppose one ought to applaud the guts of the Ground Jury (Martin Plewa, Sue Baxter and Tim Downes) at the event for doing the almost unthinkable but Mary had jumped thirteen fences by that point and then pulled the horse up as she knew she did not have sufficient control. No one had thought her riding dangerous enough to attempt to stop her at any time before that.

I didn't see Mary's ride at Le Lion but I certainly saw her ride at Bramham on the CCTV in the press room. I would completely agree that the horse, King Joules, took off at Fence 13 at a dead run but probably Mary would have done more damage trying to  stop him within a coffin combination of that sort than sitting quiet and letting the horse sort it out. She only gets a split second to make her mind up so carrying on  was probably her best bet. She pulled up right afterwards as I recall, and didn't even jump the next plain fence.

So I am struggling a bit with this yellow card. I am wondering if anyone else got one. If they did I will take all criticism back. I am particularly wondering about the person who made their horse jump the very same fence from a standstill, climbing all over it? I am sure my fellow members of the press can think of one or two others.  

I shall now wait to hear what the officials have to say about why, if Mary's riding was dangerous, no one made any effort to stop her on course, and why they thought she was acting recklessly when she pulled the horse up of her own free will, having recognised the brakes had failed.



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1 Comment
gilly robinson
6/12/2014 05:51:53 pm

Thank you for your very good article. I have owned many horses with Mary since 1985 and I am totally incandescent about this affair. The yellow card at le Lion was unjustified. If every horse stopped at a simple exit from the water having jumped in awkwardly got a yellow there would be very few competitors left. I also understand that the FEI did not follow procedure but not posting the issue of the yellow card in the competitors area. This admittedly is hearsay.

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