22 Exceptional Canadian Sport Horses: Cilroy to Hickstead

Canadian Sport Horse Cilroy, ridden by John Rumble at the 1956 Olympics, where Canada won team bronze in three-day eventing.

Updated:

October 9, 2026

Interviews & Profiles, History & Heritage, Horse Industry

By Tania Millen, BSc, MJ

Some of North America’s top sport horses are the result of 100 years of matchmaking by Canadian Sport Horse Association breeders.

From Olympic medal winners to champion hunters, show jumpers, eventers, and influential breeding stallions, these exceptional horses have made their mark on equestrian sport in Canada and internationally. As the Canadian Sport Horse Association (CSHA) celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2026, their achievements reflect a century of dedication to breeding and developing outstanding performance horses. Here are a few of the stars they’ve produced:

CILROY (main image)

Cilroy, a 1947 gelding by Candar, was ridden by John Rumble at the 1956 Olympic Games, where they were part of Canada’s bronze medal three-day eventing team. Photo courtesy of CSHA

COTTAGE COLLEEN

Cottage Colleen, ridden by Jim Elder as part of Canada's bronze medal three-day eventing team at the 1956 Olympic Games.

Cottage Colleen, ridden by Jim Elder at the 1956 Olympic Games, helped the Canadian three-day eventing team to a bronze medal. Photo courtesy of CSHA

MAPLE LEE

Sam Stanley with Canadian Sport Horse Maple Lee, being congratulated by Brigadier General D. Whittaker at the Tournament of Champions.

Maple Lee by First Secretary was one of the best horses that Sam Stanley bred. He was ridden to second place in the 1967 Canadian Equestrian Team show jumping trials by Tom Gayford. Here, Sam Stanley and Maple Lee are being congratulated by Brigadier General D. Whittaker at the Tournament of Champions in the early 1970s. Stanley was President of the Canadian Hunter Improvement Society in the early 1960s and helped develop the first Breeder Show in 1965. Photo courtesy of CSHA

ME TOO

hunter-horse.jpg Diana Martyn riding Canadian Sport Horse mare Me Too at the 1970 Sunnybrook Park Horse Show in Toronto.

Me Too was a 1965 mare by Battle Royal, owned by well-known Canadian Sport Horse breeders Diana Martyn and Sam Stanley. This photo is from 1970 at Sunnybrook Park Horse Show in Toronto, where Me Too was Green Working Hunter Reserve Champion with Diana Martyn. Photo courtesy of CSHA

SIOUX DOE

Champion Canadian Hunter Broodmare Sioux Doe, bred by Sam Stanley, shown with Diana Martyn in 1971.

Sioux Doe was a mare by War Doe, bred and owned by Sam Stanley. She was the 1971 Champion Canadian Hunter Broodmare, shown with Diana Martyn. Photo courtesy of CSHA

REVENIR

Revenir, a 1977 mare by The Schreiber, was bred, owned, and ridden by Dinnie Greenway of Brickenden Stables. She won the 1980 Canadian Hunter Under Saddle with Greenway.

HEIRLOOM

Eric Lamaze riding Canadian Sport Horse mare Heirloom over a fence at the 1986 Cheltenham Horse Show.

Heirloom was a 1981 mare by Spun Gold, bred and owned by Diana Martyn. She won the Canadian Equestrian Federation 1984 Reserve Championship for Ontario 3-year-olds. In 1987, she was the Champion Second Year Green Working Hunter in Ontario and Reserve Champion Regular Working Hunter in Ontario. In 1988, she was Champion of the Sport Horse Performance Division in Ontario. The over-fences photo is at the 1986 Cheltenham Horse Show with Eric Lamaze. The in-hand photo is with owner/breeder Diana Martyn. Photo courtesy of CSHA

SUPER TROOPER

Canadian show jumper John Pearce riding Super Trooper, a Canadian Sport Horse that competed in international show jumping.

Super Trooper, a 1982 grey gelding by Old Pioneer, was ridden by Canadian Equestrian Show Jumping Team rider John Pearce. In 1990, they were second at the World Cup qualifier at Spruce Meadows National and third in the World Cup qualifier in Halifax, Nova Scotia. In 1992, they were members of Canada’s winning Mexico Nations’ Cup show jumping team. Photo courtesy of CSHA

RIO GRANDE

Canadian Olympic show jumper Eric Lamaze riding Rio Grande, a stallion that competed at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.

Rio Grande, a 1986 stallion by Raphael, was ridden by Eric Lamaze on Canada’s 1996 Atlanta Olympic show jumping team. He was imported by Augustin Walch, who operates W. Charlot Farms in Ontario and won the CSHA Brickenden Stallion Award in 2001 for achievements as a sire. Photo: Michelle C. Dunn

Related: The Madden Method Symposium

CARRICK

Eventing horse Carrick, ridden by John Williams on the US gold medal team at the 2002 World Equestrian Games.

Carrick, a 1992 gelding by Cozy’s Commander, was ridden by American John Williams on the US three-day eventing team at the 2002 World Equestrian Games. They won team gold and placed fourth individually. Photo courtesy of CSHA

HICKSTEAD

Canadian show jumper Eric Lamaze riding Hickstead, the CSHA breeding-approved stallion who won individual gold and team silver at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Hickstead, a 1996 stallion by the International Grand Prix jumper Hamlet, was ridden by Canada’s Eric Lamaze to an individual show jumping gold medal and team silver medal at the 2008 Olympics. They also won the 2007 $1 million CN International at Spruce Meadows, plus many other grand prix. Hickstead was one of the first Canadian Sport Horse Association breeding-approved stallions to be awarded Platinum Performance Premium. Photo: Clix Photography

CABARDINO

Cabardino, a 1999 Canadian Sport Horse-approved stallion, stood at W. Charlot Farms. He was the #1 USEF Hunter Sire in 2017 and 2018 and has sired numerous hunter champions in Canada and the US.

PHILANA

Canadian Sport Horse mare Philana, winner of the 2003 McCallum Cup Trophy, handled by Graham Vollick.

Philana was a 2000 Mare by Landslide. In 2002, she won the 2-year-old Canadian Sport Horse mare class and Senior Champion Mare with handler and co-owner Graham Vollick. Philana went on to win the 2003 McCallum Cup Trophy as the top 3-year-old Canadian Sport Horse at the Ontario Chapter Breeders Show. Photo courtesy of CSHA

RIDDLE MASTER

Canadian eventing rider Rebecca Howard riding Riddle Master, her mount at the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games.

Riddle Master was a 2001 gelding by Rodero, ridden by Rebecca Howard on Canada’s three-day eventing team at the 2010 World Equestrian Games, 2012 London Olympics, and 2016 Rio Olympics. They were 11th at Burghley Horse Trials in 2011 and 12th at Badminton Horse Trials in 2014. Photo: Clix Photography

VIVA VEROVERAAR

Dressage horse Viva's Veroveraar, ridden by Esther Mortimer at the 2011 Pan American Games.

Viva’s Veroveraar is a 2001 gelding by Viva Voltaire, ridden in dressage at the 2011 Pan American Games in Mexico by Esther Mortimer on Team Guatemala. Photo courtesy of CSHA

FOXWOOD HIGH

Canadian eventing rider Selena O'Hanlon riding Foxwood High, who represented Canada at the 2014 World Equestrian Games.

Foxwood High is a 2003 gelding by Rio Bronco, owned by John and Judy Rumble and ridden by Selena O’Hanlon on Canada’s three-day eventing team at the 2011 Pan American Games in Mexico and 2014 World Equestrian Games in France. Photo: Clix Photography

A LITTLE ROMANCE

Jessica Phoenix riding A Little Romance, her Canadian eventing mount at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

A Little Romance was a 2005 mare by A Fine Romance that Jessica Phoenix rode on Canada’s three-day eventing team at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Photo courtesy of CSHA

TIENNA

Show jumping mare Tienna, ridden by Daniel Coyle, winner of major competitions at Spruce Meadows.

Tienna is a 2008 mare by For Pleasure, who won the 2017 Canadian Utilities Cup and 2018 ATB Financial Cup CSI5* at Spruce Meadows with Daniel Coyle. Photo courtesy of CSHA

CAFE NOIR

Canadian Sport Horse mare Café Noir, winner of the 2012 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair Lieutenant Governor's Cup.

Café Noir is a 2009 mare by Cabardino that won the 2012 RAWF Lieutenant Governor’s Cup for 3-year-olds. She was ridden by Shawn Ferguson. Photo courtesy of CSHA

MESSENGER VF

Messenger VF, a 2013 stallion bred by ValleyField Farm in Alberta, is a 1.6-metre Grand Prix jumper and has competed in Europe. He is the only Canadian stallion to receive KWPN (Dutch registry) Full Stallion Approval, and only the second stallion bred in North America, next to Judgment, to receive this approval.

COLD HARBOUR

Event rider Dom Schramm riding Canadian Sport Horse Cold Harbor at the 2013 Fair Hill three-day event.

Cold Harbor, a 1998 gelding ridden by Dom Schramm at Fair Hill three-day event in 2013, was bred by Doug Dean, a well-known CSHA breeder in Ontario. Photo by Jenni Autry, courtesy of CSHA

IRONCLAD'S FAIRMONT

Canadian Sport Horse Ironclad's Fairmont, winner of a yearling colt and gelding class at the 2016 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair.

Ironclad’s Fairmont is a 2015 gelding by Farscape DSF that won the 2016 RAWF class for yearling colt/gelding. He was handled by Claire Hunter. Photo courtesy of CSHA