Ian Stark occupation highlights – we have fun the flying Scot’s seventieth birthday

Ian Stark, four-times Olympic silver medallist and five-star course-designer, turns 70 these days, so we take this chance to appear again on the highlights of his eventing occupation.

Ian gave up his place of business process in his overdue 20s to match full-time and was certainly one of Britain’s maximum a success riders, successful 18 championship medals and taking the Badminton Horse Trials name 3 times.

Ian blasted onto the top-level eventing scene in 1984, when he made his Badminton debut, completing 0.33 on Oxford Blue and 6th on Sir Wattie (under).

Credit score: John F Hughes

This put each horses within the body for variety for the Los Angeles Olympics later that 12 months. Oxford Blue is pictured under all over a variety trial at Fortress Ashby in June.

Credit score: Bob Thomas/Getty Photographs

Ian used to be decided on for the Video games with Oxford Blue, completing 9th personally and contributing to group silver (under).

Credit score: Popperfoto/Getty Photographs

A 12 months later, Ian rode Oxford Blue on the Ecu Eventing Championships at Burghley Horse Trials, completing with group gold and particular person bronze (under). Strangely, in spite of many occupation highlights, Ian Stark by no means gained Burghley.

Credit score: Jim Meads

In 1986, Ian raised the Badminton trophy for the primary time when he piloted Sir Wattie into first position (under).

This used to be an strange 12 months in global eventing. The International Championships had been held in Gawler, Australia, however as a result of many countries may no longer find the money for to ship a group there, an alternate worlds used to be additionally hosted at Bialy Bor, Poland. Britain underlined her superiority by means of taking group gold at each – and Ginny Leng (now Elliot) took particular person gold at each, too. Ian used to be a part of the Gawler group with Oxford Blue and the Bialy Bor group with Sir Wattie, who additionally landed particular person bronze.

Sir Wattie may no longer shield his name at Badminton 1987 for the reason that climate pressured the development to be cancelled, however he swept some other group gold and particular person silver at that 12 months’s Ecu Championships at Luhmühlen Horse Trials.

In 1988, he returned to Badminton and gained once more. The Scottish rider additionally completed 2nd on Glenburnie, incomes himself a different position as the one rider within the match’s historical past to succeed in a one-two, without a doubt certainly one of Ian Stark’s occupation highlights. He’s pictured under with Sir Wattie (left) and Glenburnie (proper).

Credit score: Bob Thomas/Getty Photographs

A relatively furry second as Sir Wattie jumps into The Lake.

Credit score: Bob Thomas/Getty Photographs

Ian showjumping to the name aboard Sir Wattie.

Credit score: Alamy Inventory Photograph

A lap of honour for Sir Wattie.

Credit score: Elizabeth Furth

Sir Wattie made his ultimate group look on the Seoul Olympics in 1988, the place he landed group and particular person silver. Ian is pictured with British team-mates Ginny Leng (now Elliot), Karen Straker (now Dixon) and Mark Phillips, with the Princess Royal making the presentation.

Credit score: AP Photograph/Katsumi Kasahara

Glenburnie used to be Ian’s horse for the 1989 Europeans at Burghley, the place the group once more took the gold. This used to be the technology of Ian’s much-loved flying greys, Glenburnie and Murphy Himself. The latter, identified for his boldness throughout nation, stepped up in 1990 on the International Equestrian Video games in Stockholm, the place he scored group and particular person silver (under).

Credit score: Alamy Inventory Photograph

In 1991, Glenburnie used to be again within the limelight when he went to the Ecu Championships in Punchestown, Eire, and landed double gold. This used to be Ian’s best particular person gold all over his 16-year championship occupation. Glenburnie is pictured at Badminton the next 12 months, 1992.

Credit score: Bob Thomas/Getty Photographs

Murphy Himself gained the call-up for the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona (under), however he didn’t end and the British group got here house empty-handed in 6th.

Credit score: Popperfoto by means of Getty Photographs

Credit score: Popperfoto by means of Getty Photographs

Ian’s group appearances had been extra sporadic after this, however he made it to his fourth Olympics at Atlanta in 1996, driving Stanwick Ghost at the fifth-placed British group. He used to be again at the podium on the Burghley Ecu Championships in 1997, the place he used to be at the gold medal-winning British squad with Arakai.

In 1999, Ian scored his 0.33 and ultimate Badminton win when he piloted Jaybee into peak spot on the match’s fiftieth anniversary working. He’s pictured under leaping into The Lake.

Credit score: Phil Cole/ALLSPORT

A smile from Ian as he secures the name.

Credit score: Phil Cole /Allsport

Ian with The Queen at prize-giving, with the Duke of Beaufort within the background.

Credit score: Alamy Inventory Photograph

A lap of honour for Ian and Jaybee, runners-up Mark Todd and Phrase For Phrase and third-placed Kerry Millikin on Out And About.

Credit score: Alamy Inventory Photograph

Ian made his 5th consecutive – and ultimate – Olympic look on the Sydney Video games. The group and particular person competitions had been separate and he used to be decided on for each. Arakai completed tenth within the particular person and Jaybee used to be a part of the silver medal-winning British group.

Here’s Arakai in motion.

Credit score: Al Bello /Allsport

And Jaybee…

Credit score: Mike Hewitt/Allsport

Credit score: Alamy Inventory Photograph

A lap of honour for Ian, Pippa Funnell (Preferrred Rock), Jeanette Brakewell (Over To You) and Leslie Legislation (Shear H20).

Credit score: Alamy Inventory Photograph

Ian retired from group variety after the Sydney Olympics and from four-star (now five-star) competitions after completing eleventh at Kentucky 3-Day Tournament in 2007 on Complete Circle II, however he has no longer given up competing and used to be positioned at intermediate point ultimate 12 months on Chatsworth Diamond, who is expounded to his Atlanta experience Stanwick Ghost.

He has solid a a success occupation as a trainer and course-designer lately, his duties together with the observe at Bramham Horse Trials and the Maryland 5 Celebrity. He retires from course-designing on the finish of his 12 months however will proceed to perform a little paintings in an advisory capability and is having a look ahead to spending extra time together with his grandchildren.

Glad birthday, Ian!

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H&H mag editor and eventing editor

Pippa is a real eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand revel in of competing as much as British Eventing intermediate and global CCI2*-L point, and has labored within the trade on a peak match backyard. Pippa enjoys not anything greater than immersing herself within the game on the best point, reporting from the five-stars and global championships, together with the Olympics.