Background
Coakes was born in June 1947. Her father, Ralph, was a farmer in Hampshire. In 1960, her father bought Stroller, an eight-year-old pony, originally imported in a job-lot from Ireland.
Coakes was born in June 1947. Her father, Ralph, was a farmer in Hampshire. In 1960, her father bought Stroller, an eight-year-old pony, originally imported in a job-lot from Ireland.
She competed for Great Britain at the 1968 Summer Olympics, winning a silver medal in the individual jumping event. Her elder brothers, John and Douglas, were also on the British junior show jumping team At the age of three she learned to ride on a donkey.
Stroller was 16 at the end of Marion"s junior career, and her father wanted to replace him with a larger horse, but Marion was not willing to let him go and continued showing on the pony.
Marion competed at the 1968 Summer Olympics in both the team and the individual jumping events. That year Stroller was the leading show jumper Horse of the Year Show.
Coakes played a part in season 4, episode 3 of Monty Python"s Flying Circus.