Gail Greenough

Greenough, Gail

Gail Greenough, equestrian (b at Edmonton, Alta 7 Mar 1960). On 13 July 1986 at Aachen, W Germany, she became the first Canadian and first woman to win the world show jumping championship. Although she had taken up equestrian sports at the age of 11, Gail Greenough was a relatively inexperienced rider at the world championship; she had been on the Canadian equestrian team since 1983 and had competed at few World Cup events. However, over 5 days of competition she and her horse, Mr T, produced several clean rounds. In the final, she had to ride 3 of the 4 rounds using her competitors' horses. Incurring no penalty points, she took the title and the $23 000 first prize. In June 1987 her victory in the Loblaws Showjumping Classic qualified her for competition in the August 1987 Pan-Am Games and the World Cup competition. Gail Greenough continued to compete with uneven success and retired in 1992 after failing to secure a berth on Canada's Olympic team.

Greenough went on to provide commentary for equestrian events on CBC Sports and was a member of the Canadian Show Jumping Team selection committee. She returned to the grand prix ring in 2001, winning several events in addition to the coveted Chrysler Leading Canadian Rider Award at the Spruce Meadows Masters tournament in September. She was inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 1988, appointed to the Order of Canada in 1990, and inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in 1994. Gail Greenough operates Greenough Equestrian and continues to train and teach out of Creekside Farm near Calgary, Alta.

See alsoEQUESTRIAN SPORTS.