For Women’s History Month 2022, the theme is She Did, So Now I Can, which celebrates the actions of inspiring Canadian women that positively impact our lives today, right now, at this very minute.
Gail Greenough is one of these leading women in equestrian sport who continues to be involved with the national team today. Born in Edmonton, Alberta, Greenough was named to the Canadian National Equestrian Team at the age of 23. Among an abundance of career medals and ribbons, she won gold medals at the National Cup, National Horse Show, International Grand Prix, National Grand Prix, and the DuMaurier Grand Prix. She also qualified for three World Cup Finals.
Greenough enthusiastically greets Team Canada athletes Amy Millar and Truman coming off their second clear round at the BMO Nations’ Cup at Spruce Meadows on September 11, 2022. Photo Credit: Kim Gaudry
In 1986, she displayed an impressive show jumping performance when pitted against 72 athletes from 23 countries, and defied the odds to win the World Show Jumping Championship in Aachen, Germany. She was the first woman and only Canadian (and North American) to win. Only 3 other women have medaled in the event since its inception in 1951.
Greenough and Mr. T celebrate their win at the 1986 World Show Jumping Championships in Aachen, Germany. Credit: Bob Langrish
Greenough has been honoured with the TSN Female Athlete of the Year and Alberta Female Athlete of the Year. She is the recipient of the Alberta Premiers Award for Performance, the Canadian Equestrian Gold Medal, the Edmonton YWCA Tribute to Women Award, is a member of the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame, the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame, the Jump Canada Hall of Fame and a member of the Order of Canada.
Greenough with Mr. T’s Horseshoe star on the Walk of Fame at the showgrounds of CHIO Aachen, Germany (L) Photo Credit: Gail Greenough. Greenough with Simone Blum, the second only female gold medalist in a World Show Jumping Championship, together at the 2018 Stuttgart German Masters. Photo Credit: TOMsPIC (R).
She earned a Bachelor of Arts Classics, Arts History, and Sociology, from the University of Alberta and was a CBC commentator. She now runs her business Greenough Equestrian and teaches and trains out of Creekside Equestrian near Calgary, Alberta. She is a member of EC’s high performance jumping committee and the EC Selection Committee – Jumping, most recently responsible for selection of the team that represented Canada at the FEI World Championships in Herning, Denmark where Canada’s Tiffany Foster came 12th.
Q: You were the first woman to win the Jumping World Championships in 1986, which has only been repeated with Simone Blum, winning 32 years later in 2018 in Tryon. What would you say to young female riders as they look to the future competing in a ‘gender neutral’ sport?
A: My words of wisdom to the female athletes competing on equal footing with men is that they are every bit as capable as the guys. In the end it is the relationship with your horse that is the most important.
Q: Currently, there are 17 women in the top 100 riders on the Longines Jumping Rankings, with the top female in 45th. How do you see women continuing to be competitive and what makes female riders unique?
A: The traits that I find help women excel at this sport is that they are generally more empathetic and patient. These traits then transfer over to great training with their horses Also women tend to be more detail oriented. I also find that the top women in this sport are able to keep their ego’s in check. Its an up and down roller coaster ride at the top and being able to stay even helps considerably.
Q: It was said that Mr. T, who you won the championships with in Aachen was a ‘small but mighty’ horse. In the format at that time, you also had to ride three other competitors’ horses before your final round with him. What have you seen in horses today that is similar or different to your experiences in the ring ?
A: Mr T was a phenomenal athlete with a tremendous heart!
I was fortunate in that he had all the attributes that are needed in today’s sport. Presently the modern horse needs to be naturally careful and quick off the ground, efficient in its way of going. The time alloweds are much less lenient in today’s sport. The modern show jumper is a fast one!
Q: What is your reflection on female representation from your involvement with Team Canada and our top athletes in your high performance role ?
I was so proud of our 4 female team at the World Championships this year. We really have come so far in this sport with female representation. If I have been in any way a small part of this because of my win at the World Championships then for me that is worth everything!