The magnificent seven

The Mars Badminton Horse Trials, the oldest competition of its kind in the world, celebrates its 75th anniversary this weekend. Kate Green chooses seven heroic winners in its history

The pioneering professional

Swinner HEILA WILLCOX was not the first female winner-that was Margaret Hough in 1954 but she was ahead of her time in her rigid methodology (which still holds good today) and professional attitude to what was then an amateur sport; she certainly gave no quarter to rivals. In 1959, she beat David Somerset (later the 11th Duke of Beaufort and Badminton's host), who worked full time as an art dealer. This was despite his children, including the present Duke, jumping up and down beside the showjumping ring excitedly yelling at her: 'Go on, knock one down!' Willcox's hat-trick of wins (1957-59) remains a record, so difficult is it to produce a horse for this famously challenging competition, let alone win it. However, she had a tetchy relationship with team selectors and was forever resentful of missing out on an Olympic place. Women eventers were barred from the Games until 1964 and there was a view among some of the hierarchy that they were more likely to burst into tears if they fell off, although a less likely cry-baby than Willcox would be hard to find.

A stroll in the park

ANNELI DRUMMOND-HAY'S facile victory on Merely-a-Monarch in 1962-she won by 42 points-is still considered the blueprint for an equestrian sport that tests the all-round partnership of horse and rider. The COUNTRY LIFE reporter, Phyllis Hinton, wrote that they looked 'as if they owned the world' and Drummond-Hay later admitted that it felt like pothunting.