Merely A Rider
The Autobiography of Anneli Drummond-Hay
Published on 14. February 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
224 pages
978-1-910016-63-3 (ISBN)
Description
Anneli Drummond-Hay's autobiography is a fascinating insight into the making of an equestrian champion through her struggle for survival.
It is a heart-warming story of a war baby with aristocratic connections, who grew up with very little money and even less love. She never went to school, she had no friends growing up, but she did have a gift with the horses in which she sought solace.
The big love story of her life was one particularly special horse, Merely-A-Monarch. He was invincible in eventing, but as female eventers were not permitted to compete in the Olympics in that era, Anneli switched to show jumping. She came so close to going to three Olympics but was foiled at the last moment each time, despite winning just about everything else in the sport.
Besides her wonderful horses, Anneli gives an amazing account of the people she met - from Harvey Smith to the Queen, in front of whom she was asked to lend her horse for the British Olympic effort, and refused; to her asking a favour, in person, of Colonel Gaddafi.
The jet-set life of an elite show jumper may be glamorous but there are more lows than highs, whether it's her top ride being stolen, a potential plane disaster above the Alps, or the sudden death of a star horse.
As HRH The Princess Royal so rightly says in the foreword to this book: 'Thank goodness Anneli decided to write her story.'
It is a heart-warming story of a war baby with aristocratic connections, who grew up with very little money and even less love. She never went to school, she had no friends growing up, but she did have a gift with the horses in which she sought solace.
The big love story of her life was one particularly special horse, Merely-A-Monarch. He was invincible in eventing, but as female eventers were not permitted to compete in the Olympics in that era, Anneli switched to show jumping. She came so close to going to three Olympics but was foiled at the last moment each time, despite winning just about everything else in the sport.
Besides her wonderful horses, Anneli gives an amazing account of the people she met - from Harvey Smith to the Queen, in front of whom she was asked to lend her horse for the British Olympic effort, and refused; to her asking a favour, in person, of Colonel Gaddafi.
The jet-set life of an elite show jumper may be glamorous but there are more lows than highs, whether it's her top ride being stolen, a potential plane disaster above the Alps, or the sudden death of a star horse.
As HRH The Princess Royal so rightly says in the foreword to this book: 'Thank goodness Anneli decided to write her story.'
Reviews / Votes
'An enchanting insight into the pioneering life of this gifted horsewoman that will charm young and old, and not just horse enthusiasts. Pack it in your holiday suitcase, put it on your bedside table, but be prepared not to be able to tear yourself away for quite some time. I cannot recommend this book highly enough! 10/10' -- Jennifer Donald * Horse & Hound * 'To any follower of the sport of eventing, the names Anneli Drummond-Hay and her best-known horse, Merely-A-Monarch, evoke a heroic era of hairy fences, flamboyant riders, scary flights and dashing corinthian spirit...Let's hope it sells well, as her inspiring, exhilarating story deserves a new audience.' -- Kate Green * Country Life *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Quiller Publishing Ltd
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Illustrations
16 Plates, black and white
Dimensions
Height: 198 mm
Width: 130 mm
Thickness: 18 mm
Weight
176 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-910016-63-3 (9781910016633)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Anneli Drummond-Hay is one of the foremost riders in a golden generation of show jumpers. She was equally brilliant in her initial career as an eventer, proving unbeatable on the great Merely-A-Monarch, who won Badminton and Burghley in the early 1960s. A Cambridge University graduate with equestrian ambitions, Martha Terry soon realised she was a much less able rider than writer and sidestepped into journalism, initially at the 'Racing Post' and then 'Horse & Hound', where she is currently features editor.