 Marion O'Sullivan, Commercial Director of Grayshott based D J Murphy (Publishers) Ltd, has been awarded an MBE in the recent Queen's Birthday Honours for services to the publishing industry and to animal welfare. Marion joined D J Murphy in 1951, shortly after PONY Magazine's launch in 1949 and the offices moved to Grayshott in 2003.
Taking over the reins from her father, Marion managed the company from the 1960's until 1990 when her daughter Kate took over. But retirement appears to be the one word missing from Marion's vocabulary, who is still selling advertising space in Horse&Rider and PONY Magazines at the age of 78.
It's hard to comprehend the changes Marion has seen both in terms of publishing and equestrianism. During the 1950's PONY reported on equestrian stars like Pat Smythe and Colonel Harry Llewellyn, the 70's saw Princess Anne ride to victory, and today we celebrate the riding talents of top riders such as Zara Phillips. Marion's involvement has seen generations of riders and horses featured in Horse&Rider and PONY Magazines, and products progress from the humble, 'old-fashioned' jute rug to today's high-tech silver lined and infused garments for horses.
PONY Magazine has developed from a black and white monthly with spot colour costing just one shilling, to the bright and glossy magazine we know and love today. Stories were written on typewriters and cut outs were done with a scalpel. Nowadays, graphics packages and digital photography make spreads and layouts a visual treat whilst journalists can work from anywhere. Marion has steered DJ Murphy's magazines through these amazing changes and has competed against some of the biggest publishing houses – coming out ahead of the competition.
As well as being the driving force behind the UK's No 1 equestrian monthly magazines, Horse&Rider and PONY, Marion has made huge contributions to horse welfare and related charities. In the 1970's she was closely involved in a major fund raising initiative for a new purpose built indoor riding centre for disabled riders, in Carshalton, Surrey, The Diamond Centre for Disabled Riders. Marion arranged for the centre's first pony, Cobnut, to be sponsored by D J Murphy, supporting his upkeep for many years. The centre was opened by HRH The Princess Royal in the early 1970's, and Marion used her persuasive sales skills to encourage top celebrities of the time, such as Roger Moore, to attend the annual Diamond Centre Horse Show.
Marion continues to support equestrian charities with much enthusiasm, and D J Murphy has, for many years, made charitable donations to organisations like World Horse Welfare (formerly known as the ILPH), The Brooke, The Donkey Sanctuary and HAPPA. Her dedication and persistence has rubbed off on all the staff at D J Murphy, whose consistent fundraising efforts have already raised hundreds of pounds for charities this year. Marion's passion for publishing and all things equestrian can be clearly seen in every issue of Horse&Rider and PONY Magazine whose audiences range from grass roots riders to industry insiders across many generations.
Of her MBE, Marion says, 'I was totally taken by surprise by this great honour, as I feel that I have not done anything special at all. It has been a source of great pleasure to me to have been so involved for so many years in publishing, equestrianism and equine charities, and I hope that I will be able to do so for many years to come.'
  
Covers from PONY Magazine during Marion O'Sullivans time at D J Murphy
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