Gail Greenough

{{Infobox equestrian | name = Gail Greenough | image = | imagesize = 200px | fullname = Gail E. Greenough | nationality = {{CAN}} | discipline = Show jumping | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1960|3|7}} | birth_place = Edmonton, Alberta | medaltemplates = {{MedalCountry | {{CAN}} }} {{MedalSport | Equestrian}} {{MedalCompetition|World Championships}} {{MedalGold | 1986 Aachen | Individual jumping}} }}

'''Gail E. Greenough''', {{Post-nominals|country=CAN|CM}} (born March 7, 1960) was a member of the Canadian Equestrian Team for show jumping.

==Life== Gail Greenough was born on March 7, 1960, in Edmonton, Alberta. She began to learn equestrian skills when she was eleven. In 1983, she joined the Canadian Equestrian Team. She had gained some experience competing at a few World Cups.<ref name="Encyclopedia">{{cite web |last1=Ward |first1=Jennifer |last2=West| first2=J. Thomas|title=Gail Greenough |url=https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/gail-greenough |website=The Canadian Encyclopedia |accessdate=December 9, 2019 |date=June 16, 2008}}</ref>

==Career== When Greenough competed with Mr. T, they competed for 5 days where they produced many clean rounds. In the final, however, she had to ride 3 of 4 rounds riding her competitors' horses. She rode cleanly and managed to incur no penalty points, thus taking the title and the $23,000 prize for first place. On July 13, 1986, Greenough won the 1986 World Show Jumping Championships in Aachen, West Germany, riding a Hanoverian horse named Mr T. She was the first woman, the first North American, and the youngest person to win this championship, and she was the first rider to do so with zero faults in the competition.<ref name="Encyclopedia" /> Also at the 1986 World Cup, she put on display her best show jumping while competing against 72 athletes. The odds were against her, but she finished four Finals without knocking down a rail or making any violations.<ref name="ASHFM" /><ref name="Glass">{{cite web |title=Gail Greenough |url=https://www.globetrotting.com.au/breaking-through-show-jumpings-glass-ceiling/ |website=Horse Riding Holidays and Safaris |accessdate=December 9, 2019 |date=January 29, 2017}}</ref>

In June 1987, at the Loblaws Showjumping Classic, she took the victory, which qualified her to compete in the August 1987 Pan-Am Games and the World Cup competition. After these competitions were over, Greenough continued to compete for a while with moderate success. After failing to secure a position on Canada's Olympic Equestrian Team in 1992, she retired.<ref name="Encyclopedia" />

After she stopped competing, she provided commentary for events on CBC Sports. Greenough participated in Prince Edward of the United Kingdom's charity television special ''The Grand Knockout Tournament'' in 1987. She became a member of the Canadian Show Jumping Team selection committee. In 2001, she made a return to the grand prix ring. She won several events. She also won the highly favored Chrysler Leading Canadian Rider Award at the Spruce Meadows Masters tournament. In 1990, she was made a Member of the Order of Canada.<ref name="Encyclopedia" />

==Honors== * Alberta Female Athlete of the Year<ref name="ASHFM" /> * Alberta Premiers Award for Performance<ref name="ASHFM" /> * Canadian Equestrian Gold Medal<ref name="ASHFM" /> * 1983 Canadian National Equestrian Team<ref name="ASHFM" /> * 1984 Sports Federation of Canada Achievement Award<ref name="ASHFM" /> * 1986 Edmonton Sports Report Association Amateur Athlete of the Year<ref name="ASHFM" /> * 1986 TSN Female Athlete of the Year<ref name="ASHFM" /> * 1987 Alberta Achievement Award<ref name="ASHFM" /> * 1988 Edmonton YWCA Tribute to Women Award<ref name="ASHFM" /> * 1988 Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame<ref name="ASHFM" /> * 1988 Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame<ref name="Encyclopedia" /> * 1994 Alberta Sports Hall of Fame<ref name="ASHFM">{{cite web |title=Greenough, Gail |url=https://ashfm.ca/hall-of-fame-honoured-members/browse/equestrian/greenough-gail |website=Alberta Sports Hall of Fame |accessdate=December 9, 2019}}</ref> * 1998 Canada Olympic Hall of Fame<ref>{{cite web |title=Gail Greenough |url=https://olympic.ca/canadian-olympic-hall-of-fame/gail-greenough/ |website=Team Canada - Official Olympic Team Website |accessdate=December 9, 2019 |date=October 18, 2019}}</ref> * 2001 Chrysler Leading Canadian Rider Award<ref name="Encyclopedia" /> * 2006 Jump Canada Hall of Fame<ref>{{cite web |title=Gail Greenough |url=https://www.equestrian.ca/cdn/storage/resources_v2/sxk8PrDzK9uqMNuYt/original/sxk8PrDzK9uqMNuYt.pdf |website=Jump Canada Hall of Fame |accessdate=December 9, 2019}}</ref>

==Medals== * National Cup - Gold * National Horse Show - Gold * International Grand Prix - Gold * National Grand Prix - Gold * DuMaurier Grand Prix - Gold <small>Source:</small><ref name="ASHFM" />

==Personal life== Greenough has her business now, Greenough Equestrian, in Creekside Farm near Calgary, Alberta. It is a clinic where she trains and teaches equestrian skills.<ref name="Encyclopedia" />

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [http://www.grandprix-replay.com/us/article/5243/videos-gail-greenough-jappeloup-was-a-thrilling-ride- Video: Gail Greenough - "Jappeloup was a thrilling ride!"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191209224450/http://www.grandprix-replay.com/us/article/5243/videos-gail-greenough-jappeloup-was-a-thrilling-ride- |date=December 9, 2019 }} * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoizxGNf1go Gail Greenough - Mr T - Worlds in Aachen 1986] * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAHNp5q8xZI Gail Greenough - Jappeloup - Worlds in Aachen 1986]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Greenough, Gail}} Category:1960 births Category:Living people Category:Canadian female equestrians Category:Canadian show jumping riders Category:Members of the Order of Canada Category:Sportspeople from Edmonton Category:20th-century Canadian sportswomen