Ottawa, Ontario — The Canadian Equestrian Federation has honoured Barbara Kemp of St. Lazare, Quebec, with the Gold Medal Lifetime Achievement Award. Barbara, 85, has devoted her life to the sport of equestrian. She has been a member of the Canadian Equestrian Federation, as it is now known, since 1948. In 1949, she was listed as a Recognized Judge in Hunter and Jumper and a Senior Judge in Hack. By 1989, Barbara was listed as a Senior judge in 15 disciplines. Barbara has served on provincial and national committees in the divisions of hack, equitation and combined training and was especially instrumental in the area of dressage. She assisted in the establishment of rules, procedures, and tests from the inception of the Dressage Division. Barbara was the Chair of the Officials Committee under the National Dressage Committee for six years and established productive, fair and objective procedures for licensing and promoting officials. Her own riding career began in 1916 in glamorous fashion – on a donkey! Barbara went on to pursue a successful competitive career, not hanging up her riding boots until 1986, exactly seventy years later. For three decades, from the 1930’s to 1960’s Barbara showed in the hack, hunter-jumper, equitation and hunter trial divisions. She also competed in dressage as well as eventing, bringing two different horses up to the advanced level. In addition to competing, Barbara actively hunted in Quebec, Maryland and England from 1948 to 1960. Barbara has been involved with the Canadian Pony Club since 1948 and has been a legend among Pony Clubbers for decades. She took the Montreal team to the first National Rally as well as five subsequent Rallies. She also organized and built courses for three National Rallies. She has held the positions of Instructor, District Commissioner, Regional Chairman and ‘A’ Level Examiner with the Canadian Pony Club and is currently Visiting Commissioner. She is also an ‘A’ Level examiner and Instructor with the United States Pony Club. Aside from her involvement with horses, Barbara also made a huge contribution to the war effort, joining the Red Cross in 1939. Always a pioneer, Barbara enlisted in the first contingent of the Royal Canadian Air Force Women’s Division in 1941, where she filled numerous roles until being discharged in 1946 to take over the Quebec division of the Royal Canadian Air Force Benevolent Fund in Montreal. In 1952, Barbara organized and built the course for the first combined event in the province of Quebec. From then on, she designed and built at least one cross country course every year until 1976. Until retired by the FEI age rule, Barbara held her FEI ‘International’ status in dressage, three day eventing and course design. Her numerous and prestigious FEI appointments have included being Technical Delegate at the 1979 European Young Riders’ Three Day Event Championship in Ireland, and Stewarding at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea. Additional appointments at FEI competitions have included the 1978 World Three Day Event Championships, the 1984 Olympic Games, the 1993 European Young Riders’ Eventing Championship and judging the international division of the 1986 World Dressage Championships in Cedar Valley, Ontario. She has also officiated at a total of seven North American Young Riders’ Championships. The highlight of Barbara’s career came in 1976 when she was named the three day event course designer and builder for the Olympic Games in her home country of Canada. To this day, Barbara has the distinction of being the only woman to ever design an Olympic three day event course. Barbara’s incredible commitment to the development of the sport and in particular the education of up-and-coming riders has made a lasting impression. She rightfully holds the world-wide respect of her peers for her knowledge, her sense of fairness and her courage. Equestrian sport will be eternally grateful for her contributions. Barbara was presented with the Canadian Equestrian Federation Gold Medal Lifetime Achievement Award at the annual CEF Awards Banquet on Saturday, January 22, 2000, in Halifax, NS. For further information please contact: Jennifer Ward Media Relations Coordinator Tel: (613) 248-3433 ext. 133 e-mail: jward@equestrian.ca