Mary Anne McPhail, Lifelong Rider, Major Supporter of American Dressage, Equine Resarch–1933-2025
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Aug. 5, 2025
Mary Anne McPhail, a lifelong rider and major supporter of American dressage and horse welfare has died at age 92.
The passing of Mary Anne “peacefuly at home” surrounded by family was reported by the family “with deep sadness and full hearts.”
Mary Anne and her husband, Walter, divided their time between Michigan and Florida where they owned a home on Palm Beach and a horse farm in Loxahatchee, neighboring Wellington, that has hosted an annual trainers’ seminar.
Mary Anne was active in most aspects of dressage, as a rider, judge, owner and financial supporter of United States dressage at many levels, including Olympic teams and organizer of national and international competitions. Among the events was the Palm Beach Dressage Derby that in recent years has been a feature of the Global Dressage Festival in Wellington.
She and her husband owned Lectron that Robert Dover rode on the American bronze medal team at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, and Lonoir that was ridden by Olivia LaGoy-Weltz and selected as an alternate for the Tokyo Olympic team.
A major contribution to horse welfare worldwide was the creation of the Mary Anne McPhail Dressage Chair in Equine Sports Medicine at Michigan State University. It was intially headed up by dressage authority Dr. Hilary Clayton from 1997 until her retirement in 2014. Dr. Stephanie Valberg, an international leader in understanding and managing equine neuromuscular disorders, then took over. The McPhails also funded the construction of the McPhail Equine Performance Center for the purpose of conducting ongoing research in the fields of dressage horses’ health and performance.
More recently, the Mary Anne and Walter McPhail Judges’ Education Fund to elevate dressage through education and integrity was set up at The Dressage Foundation.
Over the years, Mary Anne was involved as a member of the U.S. Equestrian Team Dressage Committee and the Board of Trustees and on the board of Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center in Loxahatchee.
A private funeral service will be held in Michigan.
In lieu of flowers, the family requested honoring her memory by contributing to The Dressage Foundation.
