The Gordon Jenkins International Award recognizes one who advances our breed internationally.
Our recipient has achieved that through her many wins in many divisions aboard American Saddlebreds. She has competed successfully not only in the United States and South Africa, but also in her native country of Canada.
She was twice the Ontario Equestrian Federation's Saddle Seat Equitation Champion. She was ASHA of Ontario's Saddle Seat Equitation Champion as well as their Adult Saddle Seat Champion. Twice, she and her CH Kiss for Luck were the Ontario Saddlebred association's Three-Gaited Show Pleasure Champions.
Perhaps the greatest Canadian honor to date for our recipient was the presentation of the "Gillian Wilson Award" as Canada's 1997 Junior Equestrian of the Year. The presentation of this award to Margaret Elizabeth Biggs marked the very first time the Canadian Equestrian Federation has recognized a Saddlebred exhibitor as either the Senior or Junior Equestrian of the Year.
Her show ring achievements in the United States are equally as impressive. In 1996, Margaret and her mare CH Kiss for Luck won the Three Gaited Show Pleasure World's Championship for riders 14 to 17. The pair were also awarded the USA Equestrian's "Horse of the Year Award" for 2000.
Along the way, she has accumulated many blue ribbons and medals in scores of saddle seat equitation competitions, expertly instructed by Jan Lukens.
Nineteen ninety eight marked the beginning of Margaret's adult show career, and she continued earning many impressive championships and honors, including a Reserve World's Championship in Three-Gaited Country Pleasure.
As captain of Canada's World Cup team, she led them to a bronze medal in Madison, Wisconsin, and was selected as her country's best rider. Margaret will proudly represent Canada in the World Cup of Saddle Seat Equitation competition in South Africa later this year.
Congratulations to Margaret Elizabeth Biggs, our Gordon Jenkins International Award recipient.