Shades of foot-and-mouth year

Mary King on the last time eventing was in lockdown, and her sailing venture

- Mark Phillips

THE last time eventing was in lockdown was during foot-and-mouth in 2001. However, I had managed to break my neck in a fall and by the time I recovered, the season was up and running at the end of May with Tweseldown and, I seem to remember, the Wiegersmas’ fun event at Penzance.

A sort of “bargain” Burghley was salvaged thanks to the generous donations – of several thousand pounds – from owners and supporters. And in Ireland, which was also in lockdown, everyone was cheered up by the determination of Georgina Colthurst to run Blarney Castle.

Although one can hardly compare 2001 with the current crisis, it is similar in that we’ve been advised only to ride on our own property and to avoid taking risks which could add to the NHS’s burden. Foot and mouth wasn’t worldwide, though, and a lot of people decamped to Kentucky, which was then in its relative infancy as a four-star (now five-star).