Elizabeth Ann Drummond-Hay[1] (4 August 1937 – 31 July 2022), better known as Anneli Drummond-Hay, was a British eventer and show jumper who won the 1961 Burghley Horse Trials riding her horse Merely-a-Monarch.[2]
Drummond-Hay began riding on polo ponies.[4] At the age of 16, she won the European Pony Championship and was the leading rider of combined training in Britain for three years.
She changed to show jumping and won many Grand Prix competitions including Brussels, Geneva, 's-Hertogenbosch, Paris, Berlin, Toronto, Chile, Luxembourg, Monaco, Madrid, Mexico, Amsterdam, South Africa, Palermo and Great Britain. She won 2nd in Aachen, Rotterdam and the La Baule Grand Prix.
She won the Rome Derby on two occasions, the Hickstead Derby, the Geneva Derby, the Berlin Derby and the South African Derby twice.
She toured America and won the Grand Florida Championship, The Madison Square Garden's Championship and the All American Showjumping Championship.
She represented Great Britain for 14 years on the Olympic Nations Cup Team and was awarded the FEI Badge of Honour.
She won the European Show Jumping Championship.
Was British Sportswoman of the year three times and South African Sportswoman of the Year eight times
Awarded the “Premio Caprilli” by the Italian Equestrian Federation for her outstanding achievements.
Awarded the “Golden Spurs” by the French Federation in conjunction with the Cadre Noir for her contribution to show jumping.
Won the FEI/Samsung World Challenge on four occasions.
She holds the ladies' world high jump record at 2.36 meters, set with the horse Sporting Ford.[4]
The only rider to be shortlisted at Olympic Level in Dressage, Showjumping and 3 Day Eventing for the same Olympic Games.
She trained the Dutch Junior Showjumping Champion in 2000 and 2001 whilst based in the Netherlands.
Trained the runner-up in the Junior European 3 Day Event in 2004.
Drummond-Hay was mentioned in the Monty Python's Flying Circus "Trailer Sketch" (narrated by Eric Idle) in the "Archaeology Today" episode in Season 2 where she was riding Mister Softee while being the wife of Jim Laker.[5]
At age 79, she was still competing on her horse, Apollo, and regularly placing in the top three. In 2022, she published her autobiography, Merely A Rider.[6]
Drummond-Hay died from lymphoma on 31 July 2022, at the age of 84. She was survived by her husband, Trevor Bern.[4][7][8]
