Olympic horseman Ian Millar retires from international competition
Equestrian plans to refocus on coaching riders and developing young horses
Show jumper Ian Millar, who has represented Canada around the world at more than two dozen Olympic Games, Pan American Games and world championships, has announced his retirement from international competition.
The equestrian plans to refocus on coaching up-and-coming athletes and horses.
Millar was born in Halifax and started riding in Alberta when he was young. He built his home stable, Millar Brooke Farm, just outside Perth, Ont., about 95 kilometres southwest of Ottawa.
He competed in 10 Olympic Games, breaking the world record for most Olympic appearances across all sports in 2012. He won his first and only Olympic medal — a silver — in 2008.
"Representing Canada many times over my career has been my greatest honour," Millar was quoted saying in a news release issued Wednesday.
"Over the past few years, I have found myself more and more drawn toward working with young horses and riders, and I am excited to expand my coaching to share my knowledge and passion with the next generation."
Millar is a Member of the Order of Canada, and has been inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame, the Ontario Sports Fall of Fame and the Jump Canada Hall of Fame.
Big Ben, the horse with which Millar had the most success, was a household name in Canada in the late 1980s and 1990s.
In 2014, 15 years after Big Ben's death, Millar won the CP International Grand Prix at Spruce Meadows with a horse named Dixson, who shares bloodlines with Big Ben. Millar had previously won the competition twice with Big Ben.
Big Ben is buried at Millar's farm in Perth.
