Ian Millar

Last updated

Ian Millar
CM
Ian Millar head.jpg
Personal information
Full nameIan Millar
NationalityFlag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
Discipline Show jumping
Born (1947-01-06) January 6, 1947 (age 77)
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight167 lb (76 kg; 11 st 13 lb)
Medal record
Equestrian
Representing Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
Olympic Games
Olympic rings.svg
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2008 Beijing Team jumping
Pan American Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1987 Indianapolis Individual jumping
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1987 Indianapolis Team jumping
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1999 Winnipeg Individual jumping
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2015 Toronto Team jumping
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1979 San Juan Team jumping
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1983 Caracas Team jumping
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1991 Havana Team jumping
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2007 Rio de Janeiro Team jumping
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 1979 San Juan Individual jumping
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 1999 Winnipeg Team jumping

Ian Millar CM (born January 6, 1947) is a Canadian Equestrian Team athlete for show jumping. He is a two-time winner of the Show Jumping World Cup, and an Olympic silver medallist. [1] Due to his longevity and accomplishments, he is often nicknamed "Captain Canada" in his sport. [2] He holds the record for most Olympic appearances by any athlete in any sport (10). A member of Canada's 2012 Olympic Games team, he broke the record when he took part in his tenth Games in London 2012. [2]

Contents

Biography

Millar was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He operates "Millar Brooke Farm" near the small town of Perth, Ontario, alongside his children Jonathon Millar and Amy Millar, and daughter-in-law Kelly Soleau-Millar. [3]

In 1986 he was made a Member of the Order of Canada, and in 1996 was inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame. In 2013, he was inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. [4]

He has a degree in business administration from Algonquin College, and received an honorary doctorate from the University of Guelph.

His wife Lynn died of cancer in March 2008. [5]

Equestrian career

Millar is a twelve-time winner of the Canadian Show Jumping Championship. [6] He has been a staple on the Canadian Equestrian Team for decades, and has amassed over $3.5 million [7] in prize earnings at the prestigious Spruce Meadows venue in Calgary, Alberta.

With his horse, Big Ben (1976–1999), Millar won more than 40 Grand Prix titles worldwide and the Show Jumping World Cup two years in a row (1988 & 1989). At the Pan American Games in August 1987, Ian Millar became the second Canadian to win an individual gold medal. He now has nine Pan American Games medals, including two individual golds. He holds the North American record for Grand Prix and Derby wins. He was a member of every Canadian Equestrian Team at the Show Jumping World Championships from 1972 to 2014. At the 2012 Summer Olympics, Millar competed at his tenth games (his first having been in 1972, having only missed the 1980 Games due to the US-led boycott against the Soviet Union), breaking the record set by Hubert Raudaschl.

On 18 August, at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, at the age of 61, Millar anchored his team (also including Jill Henselwood, Eric Lamaze, and Mac Cone) to a first-place standing. Riding In Style , he completed a faultless round to lead the Canadian team into a jump-off for gold with the United States. Ultimately Canada would finish behind the American team to capture silver – Millar's first Olympic medal. [8]

Millar was named to the 2012 Olympic team, making that appearance, his tenth, a record for any Olympic athlete's appearances at Olympics. [9] In the 2012 Olympics' Individual Jumping event, Millar finished in a three-way tie for ninth aboard his gelding Star Power, the best Canadian result. In Team Jumping, Millar, along with fellow riders Jill Henselwood and Eric Lamaze, scored a fifth-place finish for Canada.

On September 14, 2014, Millar won the $1.5-million CP International at Spruce Meadows aboard Dixson, who shares bloodlines with Big Ben. [10] This was the third time he had won the class, having won previously in 1987 and 1991 with Big Ben. [11]

On July 23, 2015, Millar won a gold medal in the Pan American Games team jumping event. [12]

On May 1, 2019, Millar announced his retirement from international competition to re-focus his attention on coaching and developing young horses. [13]

International championship results

Results
YearEventHorsePlacingNotes
1972Olympic GamesThe Shoeman6thTeam
1976Olympic GamesCount Down5thTeam
1979Pan American GamesBrother SamSilver medal icon.svgTeam
Bronze medal icon.svgIndividual
1980World Cup FinalYear of the Cat14th
1980World ChampionshipsBrother SamGold medal icon.svgTeam
RETIndividual
1982World ChampionshipsWunderbar5thTeam
49thIndividual
1983Pan American GamesForesightSilver medal icon.svgTeam
5thIndividual
1984World Cup FinalWotan18th
1984Olympic GamesBig Ben4thTeam
14thIndividual
1985World Cup FinalBig Ben8th
1986World Cup FinalBig BenSilver medal icon.svg
1986World ChampionshipsBig Ben4thTeam
10thIndividual
1987World Cup FinalBig Ben5th
1987Pan American GamesBig BenGold medal icon.svgTeam
Gold medal icon.svgIndividual
1988World Cup FinalBig BenGold medal icon.svg
1988Olympic GamesBig Ben4thTeam
15thIndividual
1989World Cup FinalBig BenGold medal icon.svg
1990World Cup FinalCzar12th
1991World Cup FinalCzar15th
1992World Cup FinalBig Ben40th
1992Olympic GamesBig Ben9thTeam
54thIndividual
1993World Cup FinalFuture Vision37th
1994World Equestrian GamesFuture Vision7thTeam
27thIndividual
1996Olympic GamesPlay It Again16thTeam
47thIndividual
1997World Cup Final28th
1998World Equestrian GamesMont Cenis10thTeam
39thIndividual
1999Pan American GamesIvarBronze medal icon.svgTeam
Gold medal icon.svgIndividual
2000World Cup FinalIvar30th
2000Olympic GamesDorincord9thTeam
13thIndividual
2003Pan American GamesPromise Me5thTeam
7thIndividual
2004Olympic GamesPromise Me22ndIndividual
2005World Equestrian GamesIn Style13thTeam
90thIndividual
2007Pan American GamesIn StyleSilver medal icon.svgTeam
4thIndividual
2008Olympic GamesIn StyleSilver medal icon.svgTeam
22ndIndividual
2009World Cup FinalIn Style15th
2011Pan American GamesStar Power4thTeam
24thIndividual
2012Olympic GamesStar Power5thTeam
9thIndividual
2014World Equestrian GamesDixson8thTeam
36thIndividual
2015Pan American GamesDixsonGold medal icon.svgTeam
16thIndividual
EL = Eliminated; RET = Retired; WD = Withdrew

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References

  1. Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Ian Millar". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on December 4, 2016.
  2. 1 2 "London 2012: Canada's Ian Millar to compete at record 10th Games". BBC Sport. July 6, 2012. Retrieved July 6, 2012.
  3. "Ian Millar thrilled to pass Olympic show-jumping torch to daughter Amy". National Post. July 13, 2016. Retrieved November 20, 2018.
  4. "Ian Millar". oshof.ca. Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on December 28, 2014. Retrieved September 25, 2014.
  5. "Ian Millar's wife passes away". EQUISPORT. March 7, 2008. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  6. "Ian Millar Claims 2014 Greenhawk Canadian Show Jumping Championship Title". Ontario Equestrian. November 8, 2014. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  7. "Spruce Meadows Athletes". www.sprucemeadows.com. Retrieved November 20, 2018.
  8. Doug Smith (August 18, 2008). "Millar finally gets Olympic medal in show jumping at 61". Toronto Star . Archived from the original on January 13, 2011. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
  9. TSN, (April 18, 2012) ("Top 12 Canadian reasons to watch London in 2012", CTVOlympics.ca, Retrieved May 29, 2012
  10. CBC, (September 14, 2014) ("Ian Millar wins CP International at Spruce Meadows", cbc.ca, Retrieved September 15, 2014
  11. "Ian Millar Wins $1.5 Million CP International, Presented by Rolex - Ontario Equestrian". Ontario Equestrian. September 15, 2014. Retrieved November 20, 2018.
  12. The Globe and Mail (July 23, 2015) ("Ian Millar leads Canada to gold in team equestrian at Pan Am Games", theglobeandmail.com, Retrieved July 26, 2015
  13. Showjumping, www worldofshowjumping com, World of. "Ian Millar announces retirement from international competition | World of Showjumping". www.worldofshowjumping.com. Retrieved May 3, 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
Records
Preceded by Athletes with the most appearances at Olympic Games
2012 –
Succeeded by
Incumbent