MacBay, who passed away at the end of October after battling ALS, was full of life and truly an active member at many Ontario horse shows in her lifetime from the bronze to the platinum levels – it was unlikely you wouldn’t cross paths with her at some point. She enjoyed her time at the barn, riding and hacking the countryside or enjoying the Dundas Valley.
Martha Worts and Andrea MacDonald, long-time friends of MacBay reflect on her dedication to the sport. Worts said “Sharon was an active and positive member of the Trillium Hunter Jumper Association and the greater equestrian community in Ontario.” “She would always provide expertise to many horse shows, including the Hamilton Hunt Horse shows,” said MacDonald. MacBay also was a steward for many national or FEI competitions, including the Royal Winter Fair and 2015 Pan American Games.
MacBay was retired from being a bank manager, mortgage broker for more than 10 years and had love of travel with her husband Robert to the beaches in Florida or the lights of Las Vegas, she would always find time to mentor stewards and judges who have all gone on to become an official at the FEI level.
“Our original stewards group, who remained the same until the pandemic, were instrumental in shaping the flavour of our Ottawa shows” said Karen Sparks, EC’s Chair of Jumping Committee. “Sharon, a staple of our competitions team, was passionate, dedicated and just a lovely person, her loss has affected not only our whole team here in Ottawa but our entire equestrian community – we will all miss her dearly”
EC is pleased to have the opportunity to recognize the immense value that MacBay brought to both the organization and the sport of show jumping worldwide. MacBay’s long and celebrated career is a testament not only to her professional excellence, but also to her complete devotion to the sport and the people that comprise it.
MacBay leaves her loving husband Robert, her adored dog Lucky, her mother Maureen Carroll, Summerleeze barn family and friends. Anyone wishing to make a donation in Sharon’s name, please gift the ALS society or Whispering Hearts Horse Rescue.
First introduced in 2004, the EC Official of the Year Award was created to shed light on the talented and knowledgeable officials who help ensure EC sanctioned competitions are safe, fair and fun for all participants. MacBay is part of a list of distinguished award recipients, which includes Kim Morrison (2019), Eric Ratledge (2018), John “JT” Taylor (2017) and Michel Vaillancourt (2016). For a full list of recipients, click here.
FEI Stewards from L to R: Jan Stephens, Martha Worts, Jill Barton, Pat Chalmers, Sharon MacBay.