Eventing has lost an incredibly dedicated friend with the passing of eventer and veterinarian Dr. Mary Alice Brown. Abbie linked to Denny’s blog post about the passing of Dr. Brown, which details her incredible relationship with eventing. As Denny writes, Mary Alice started eventing at Smith College in 1957 and has competed every single year since through 2011. Do the math folks–that’s 55 consecutive years of eventing. Mary Alice passed away peacefully in her home surrounded by friends.
One of Dr. Brown’s longtime friends explained to me that she specialized in reproduction as a veterinarian and served the Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia eventing community. As a breeder she produced a wonderful string of horses, many of which were ridden by riders such as Bruce, Denny, Mike Plumb, and Dickcy Boutelle. Mary Alice also foxhunted with many hunts in the mid-Atlantic. In addition to horses, Mary Alice bred Shelties and German Shepherds and competed the dogs in obedience and agility.
A tribute sent out by Mary Alice’s close friends from the New Market Hunt reads:
“Mary Alice had a wonderful zest for life, for horses and horse sports, for dogs, for literature, for art, for world travel and for fun. A true ‘character’ for whom life was an adventure. She will be sorely missed by her friends for she enriched our lives greatly.“
We extend our condolences to Mary Alice’s family and friends and our appreciation to Mary Alice for serving as such a great example of a rich life in partnership with eventing. Many thanks to Denny, Kate Byron, and the NM hunt for their help with remembering Dr. Mary Alice Brown.
