Mary Anne McPhail, lifelong rider, philanthropist, and champion of horse welfare and dressage, died peacefully at home on August 5, 2025, at age 92.

Raised around horses, McPhail’s early passion for riding would become a defining thread of her life. Her uncle had a thoroughbred farm, which she often visited as a child, and at age nine, she was gifted a horse of her own. Years later, as a mother living in Bloomfield Hills, she helped open a nursery school on a large estate. The open pastures proved irresistible; soon she and her husband, Walter, had filled them with horses of their own.

McPhail was active in nearly every facet of dressage—as a rider, judge, owner, and one of its most generous supporters. She played a key role in advancing United States dressage at all levels, from grassroots education to Olympic competition. Among the horses she and Walter owned was Lectron, who helped the US team secure bronze at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

McPhail’s contributions extended well beyond the arena. At Michigan State University, she endowed the Mary Anne McPhail Dressage Chair in Equine Sports Medicine and helped fund the construction of the McPhail Equine Performance Center, both of which continue to advance research into the health and performance of sport horses.

“Mary Anne’s passion and influence reached beyond support; it shaped the future of the sport,” says Dr. Jane Manfredi, who currently holds the McPhail Chair. “Through research and outreach, we will continue to honor her legacy and vision of improving the welfare of the dressage horse.”