Mary Diana GORDON-WATSON

Mary Gordon-Watson’s first major international success came in 1969 when she won the individual three-day event at the European Championships. Gold medals followed in both the individual and team event at the 1970 World Championships and in 1971 she was a member of the winning team at the European Championships. After coming close to winning a bronze in then individual competition, Mary Gordon-Watson crowned her career with a team gold medal at the 1972 Olympics. In all her European, World and Olympic successes Mary Gordon-Watson was riding her father’s horse Cornishman V which had been loaned to Richard Meade for the 1968 Olympics. In 1973 Cornishman V made his final public appearance in the film Dead Cert, an adaptation of the Dick Francis novel, which he was ridden by Lord Oaksey. After her retirement, Mary Gordon-Watson became a well-known equestrian teacher and in 1976 was appointed a member of the senior selection committee for the British equestrian team.