Mary King

Her father, Lieutenant-Commander M D H Thomson was a naval officer who suffered for the rest of his life from the consequences of a motorcycle accident that happened before Mary was born. Latterly he took the position of verger in Salcombe Regis parish church. He died in 2000. Her mother continues the role of verger at the church.

She attended Manor House Independent School (Honiton), Kings Grammer School (Ottery St Mary) and Evendine Court School of Domestic Economy (Cordon Bleu) (Malvern).

She did not grow up in a horsey family, but became fascinated by the vicars pony and eventually, aged 6, persuaded her mother to lead her around the lanes on it. After that she rode everything she could, even a donkey, and realised that she wanted to become a professional rider. It was not until she went to watch the Badminton Horse Trials aged 11, with Axe Vale Pony Club, the she realised she wanted to become a professional three day event rider.

After school, she went to work for Sheila Willcox, a former European Champion, where she learned everything, including breaking in and producing young horses, to top class stable management.

A longing to travel took her to Zermatt where she worked as a chalet girl and which she described as being "great fun and a doddle after working in the yard". Subsequently she joined the tall ship, Sir Winston Churchill, first as a trainee, then as a watch leader, before returning to set up her own stables.

Mary King converted a couple of cow sheds in a disused farmyard near her home and looked after other people's horses, gave riding lessons and bought and sold horses. To supplement her income, she cleaned houses, cooked, kept gardens tidy for people and delivered meat for the local butcher.

Funding proved even more difficult in 1988 when she stated competing professionally, requiring her to sell horses which had proved successful. This changed, when after being offered good money for Divers Rock a horse on which she had achieved 7th place at Badminton, she turned the offer down commenting "I'd rather be famous than rich.". It proved to be the right decision because she secured her first sponsorship deal on the back of her success.

Mary King went to her first Badminton in 1985, finishing in seventh place, and finally won the event in 1992 with her horse, King William. She later won the event again in 2000 with Star Appeal.

In 2001, whilst exercising horses at her home, she had a fall which broke her neck. However, less than a year later she was back at the top of the sport recording top ten placings at major international events including a 3rd placing at Burghley Four Star on her great campaigner King Solomon III.

She has won four team gold medals at World Equestrian Games and European Championships. She has been British Champion four times, more than anyone to date. King has also represented Britain in five Olympic Games: 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2004. She was in the Olympic team for 2008 with Call Again Cavalier but taking Imperial Cavalier as reserve, as they moved into third place with team bronze. The three day event is being held in Hong Kong rather than Beijing.

She married Alan King (known as David King) in 1995 and lives with him and their two children, Emily and Freddie, in Salcombe Regis, Devon.

In 2009 leading equestrian fashion brand Joules Clothing released the new Mary King range of polo shirts


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Mary King Horses

Mary King Competition Results