There is no stopping Australian Grand Prix rider Mary Hanna. The six-time Olympian briefly contemplated retirement from competition sport, but wiped that thought from her mind.
At age 69 Hanna has competed at six Olympics and most recently she served as Australian team reserve at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
"Reflecting on the 2024 Paris Olympics, I can only say in every way it was a wonderful experience," she explained. "I thought afterwards I might be announcing my retirement from the sport. However it is quite the opposite. I feel so inspired and motivated, by the outstanding performance of everyone involved, that I plan to continue to follow my dreams."
Hanna rode for Australia at the Olympics in 1996 (Mosaic), 2000 and 2004 (Limbo), 2012 (Sancette), 2016 (Boogie Woogie) and 2021 (Calanta). With Ivanhoe she went to Versailles to be on standby. It has fuelled her fire to aim for L.A. 2028.
"I have purchased several horses, and made a solid plan towards the next World Championships and Olympics," she stated. "I am in total admiration of the performance of all our equestrian teams, and the organizational skills of our EA. Our sport has a great future, and I will work very hard to be part of it."
Mary told Eurodressage that she has acquired the 7-year old Hanoverian gelding Fauntleroy (by Blue Hors Farrell x hochadel x Lemon Park), bred by Swantje Gerkens. He has been competed up to M-level in Germany by Frederico de Carvalho. "He's perhaps for L.A. but there is still a lot of training to do," Mary explained.
A second purchase she made is the 4-year old P.R.E licensed stallion Elite Del Jarama (by Bohemio SG x Pais F). "I am very interested in Iberian horses," said Mary. "He has a super temperament and three very good paces."
Both have just arrived in Australia.
Photo © Astrid Appels
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