Riding High

Andrew Mathieson
STRUTTING out the next big thing in the equestrian world, Mary Hanna looks the part amid her million-dollar horse stables and picturesque Bellarine estate with its ocean views.
Statene Park, nestled beside the rich wineries of the northern peninsula, is a far cry from a Macarthur sheep and cattle farm in Victoria’s rural western districts.
The farm was the family home where Mary first mounted a horse. She remembers Olympic legend Bill Roycroft, who turns 95 next Wednesday, used to visit Emu Creek Pony Club just down the road where he gave her advice.
While the origins of Mary’s permanent sea change from the bush can be linked back to her father’s birthplace in a homestead a short gallop away from her peninsula property, she reveals the move a few years ago had little to do with establishing a world-class horse facility.
“We’re really both mad on sailing. That is, my husband and I sail regularly,” she says casually.
“We’re members at (Royal) Geelong Yacht Club and we just wanted to pursue our sailing more down here.”
Still, it’s hard not to be impressed by Mary’s pedigree behind the reins rather than steering a yacht.
Riding horses has been a way of life for the three-time Olympian. Her mum was a keen local showjumper.
Mary tells about her first memory in the saddle as a four-year-old on her mum’s horse.
“She (the horse) accidentally jumped the jump with me on board and I fell off,” Mary remembers.
“It just looked back like there was something wrong with me and I was wondering what I was doing on the ground.”
Training horses for international grand prix events is Mary’s number-one priority these days.
She hand picks young horses with potential, sometimes buying foals, then trains them until they are eight and ready to compete in a grand prix.
Mary likens working around several of the highly-strung personalities to disciplining petulant little kids in a schoolyard.
The psychology of a horse combines with its breeding are the secrets behind the making of a champion.
“It’s like spotting a good race horse – you have to have a bit of luck as well as a good eye,” Mary explains.
“You’re lucky in a lifetime if you can produce 10 international grand prix horses – you’ve done well.
“I’ve probably done more than that.”
Two grand prix horses – Mosaic in 1996 and then Limbo in 2000 and 2004 – have taken Mary for the long ride to the Olympics.
Casting aside any first time nerves, a 23rd finish in Atlanta proved then to be Australia’s best placing at an Olympic dressage event.
With the highs have been lows, like Mary’s “horrible” moment at an international grand prix in Melbourne after training a horse for the first time to that level.
“It was devastating because it went lame during the actual competition,” she regrets.
“It came up the centre line and everything was good.
“Then I did the first ever trot and something didn’t feel right.
“Then the judges rang the bell.”
That was just a blip in the history books when considering Mary’s vast track record inside the arena but nothing compares to losing Limbo when the horse died in transit from transport sickness.
“You get really close to your horses,” she says.
“It’s like losing your best friend.”
Mary is also busy most days coaching Victoria’s dressage team.
A few words of motherly encouragement have pushed daughter Gitti into the national elite squad for this year’s world championships at Kentucky.
Mary jokes the same couldn’t be said for husband Rob, an Australian manager for the teams event.
“He came for a riding lesson and he was pretty hopeless,” she spits out, “so I never taught him any more but I went out to dinner with him and then married him.”