Ian Millar

{{distinguish|Ian Miller (disambiguation){{!}}Ian Miller}}

{{Infobox equestrian

| name = Ian Millar

| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=CAN|size=100%|CM}}

| image = Ian Millar head.jpg

| imagesize = 240px

| fullname = Ian Millar

| nationality = {{CAN}}

| discipline = Show jumping

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1947|1|6}}

| birth_place = Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

| height = {{height|ft=6|in=1}}

| weight = {{convert|167|lb|kg stlb|abbr=on}}

| show-medals = yes

| medaltemplates =

{{Medal|Country|{{CAN}}}}

File:Olympic rings.svg

{{Medal|Silver|{{nowrap|2007 Rio de Janeiro}}|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.{{cite Sports-Reference}} Due to his longevity and accomplishments, he is often nicknamed "Captain Canada" in his sport.{{cite news |title=London 2012: Canada's Ian Millar to compete at record 10th Games |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/18742149 |access-date=July 6, 2012 |newspaper=BBC Sport |date=July 6, 2012}} 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.

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.{{Cite news |url=https://nationalpost.com/sports/olympics/ian-millar-thrilled-to-pass-olympic-show-jumping-torch-to-daughter-amy |title=Ian Millar thrilled to pass Olympic show-jumping torch to daughter Amy |date=July 13, 2016 |work=National Post |access-date=November 20, 2018 |language=en-US}}

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.{{cite web |url=http://oshof.ca/index.php/honoured-members/item/125-ian-millar |title=Ian Millar |website=oshof.ca |publisher=Ontario Sports Hall of Fame |access-date=September 25, 2014 |archive-date=December 28, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141228125512/http://www.oshof.ca/index.php/honoured-members/item/125-ian-millar |url-status=dead }}

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.{{Cite web |date=2008-03-07 |title=Ian Millar's wife passes away |url=https://www.equisport.pt/en/news/ian-millars-wife-passes-away/ |access-date=2024-07-10 |website=EQUISPORT |language=en-US}}

=Equestrian career=

Millar is a twelve-time winner of the Canadian Show Jumping Championship.{{cite web |url=https://ontarioequestrian.ca/ian-millar-claims-2014-greenhawk-canadian-show-jumping-championship-title |title=Ian Millar Claims 2014 Greenhawk Canadian Show Jumping Championship Title |date=November 8, 2014 |publisher=Ontario Equestrian |access-date=October 8, 2021}} He has been a staple on the Canadian Equestrian Team for decades, and has amassed over $3.5 million{{Cite web |url=https://www.sprucemeadows.com/athletes/search_athlete_profile.jsp?id=29 |title=Spruce Meadows Athletes |website=www.sprucemeadows.com |language=en |access-date=November 20, 2018}} 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.{{cite news |url=https://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/480503 |title=Millar finally gets Olympic medal in show jumping at 61 |author=Doug Smith |access-date=July 24, 2024 |date=August 18, 2008 |newspaper=Toronto Star |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110113150025/https://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/480503 |archivedate=January 13, 2011}}

Millar was named to the 2012 Olympic team, making that appearance, his tenth, a record for any Olympic athlete's appearances at Olympics.TSN, (April 18, 2012) ([https://www.tsn.ca/story/print/?id=393515 "Top 12 Canadian reasons to watch London in 2012"], CTVOlympics.ca, Retrieved May 29, 2012 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.CBC, (September 14, 2014) ([http://www.cbc.ca/sports/ian-millar-wins-cp-international-at-spruce-meadows-1.2766199 "Ian Millar wins CP International at Spruce Meadows"], cbc.ca, Retrieved September 15, 2014 This was the third time he had won the class, having won previously in 1987 and 1991 with Big Ben.{{Cite news |url=https://ontarioequestrian.ca/ian-millar-wins-1-5-million-cp-international-presented-by-rolex/ |title=Ian Millar Wins $1.5 Million CP International, Presented by Rolex - Ontario Equestrian |date=September 15, 2014 |work=Ontario Equestrian |access-date=November 20, 2018 |language=en-US}}

On July 23, 2015, Millar won a gold medal in the Pan American Games team jumping event.The Globe and Mail (July 23, 2015) ([https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/more-sports/ian-millar-leads-canada-to-gold-in-team-equestrian-at-pan-am-games/article25650885/ "Ian Millar leads Canada to gold in team equestrian at Pan Am Games"], theglobeandmail.com, Retrieved July 26, 2015

On May 1, 2019, Millar announced his retirement from international competition to re-focus his attention on coaching and developing young horses.{{Cite web |url=https://www.worldofshowjumping.com/en/News/Ian-Millar-announces-retirement-from-international-competition.html |title=Ian Millar announces retirement from international competition {{!}} World of Showjumping|last=Showjumping|first=www worldofshowjumping com, World of|website=www.worldofshowjumping.com|language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-03}}

International championship results

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
colspan="11" align="center" \| Results
Year ! Event ! Horse ! Placing ! Notes
1972	Olympic Games	The Shoeman \|6th \|Team
1976	Olympic Games \|Count Down \|5th \|Team
rowspan="2" \| 1979	rowspan="2" \| Pan American Games	rowspan="2" \|Brother Sam \|{{Silver02}} \|Team
{{Bronze03}} \|Individual
1980	World Cup Final \| Year of the Cat	14th \|
rowspan="2" \| 1980 \| rowspan="2" \| World Championships \| rowspan="2" \| Brother Sam \|{{Gold01}} \|Team
RET \|Individual
rowspan="2" \| 1982 \| rowspan="2" \| World Championships \| rowspan="2" \| Wunderbar \|5th \|Team
49th \|Individual
rowspan="2" \| 1983 \| rowspan="2" \| Pan American Games \| rowspan="2" \| Foresight \|{{Silver02}} \|Team
5th \|Individual
1984 \|World Cup Final \|Wotan \|18th \|
rowspan="2" \| 1984 \| rowspan="2" \| Olympic Games \| rowspan="2" \| Big Ben \|4th \|Team
14th \|Individual
1985 \|World Cup Final \|Big Ben \|8th \|
1986 \|World Cup Final \|Big Ben \|{{Silver02}} \|
rowspan="2" \|1986 \| rowspan="2" \|World Championships \| rowspan="2" \|Big Ben \|4th \|Team
10th \|Individual
1987 \|World Cup Final \|Big Ben \|5th \|
rowspan="2" \|1987 \| rowspan="2" \|Pan American Games \| rowspan="2" \|Big Ben \|{{Gold01}} \|Team
{{Gold01}} \|Individual
1988 \|World Cup Final \|Big Ben \|{{Gold01}} \|
rowspan="2" \|1988 \| rowspan="2" \|Olympic Games \| rowspan="2" \|Big Ben \|4th \|Team
15th \|Individual
1989 \|World Cup Final \|Big Ben \|{{Gold01}} \|
1990 \|World Cup Final \|Czar \|12th \|
1991 \|World Cup Final \|Czar \|15th \|
1992 \|World Cup Final \|Big Ben \|40th \|
rowspan="2" \|1992 \| rowspan="2" \|Olympic Games \| rowspan="2" \|Big Ben \|9th \|Team
54th \|Individual
1993 \|World Cup Final \|Future Vision \|37th \|
rowspan="2" \|1994 \| rowspan="2" \|World Equestrian Games \| rowspan="2" \|Future Vision \|7th \|Team
27th \|Individual
rowspan="2" \|1996 \| rowspan="2" \|Olympic Games \| rowspan="2" \|Play It Again \|16th \|Team
47th \|Individual
1997 \|World Cup Final \| \|28th \|
rowspan="2" \|1998 \| rowspan="2" \|World Equestrian Games \| rowspan="2" \|Mont Cenis \|10th \|Team
39th \|Individual
rowspan="2" \|1999 \| rowspan="2" \|Pan American Games \| rowspan="2" \|Ivar \|{{Bronze03}} \|Team
{{Gold01}} \|Individual
2000 \|World Cup Final \|Ivar \|30th \|
rowspan="2" \|2000 \| rowspan="2" \|Olympic Games \| rowspan="2" \|Dorincord \|9th \|Team
13th \|Individual
rowspan="2" \|2003 \| rowspan="2" \|Pan American Games \| rowspan="2" \|Promise Me \|5th \|Team
7th \|Individual
2004 \|Olympic Games \|Promise Me \|22nd \|Individual
rowspan="2" \|2005 \| rowspan="2" \|World Equestrian Games \| rowspan="2" \|In Style \|13th \|Team
90th \|Individual
rowspan="2" \|2007 \| rowspan="2" \|Pan American Games \| rowspan="2" \|In Style \|{{Silver02}} \|Team
4th \|Individual
rowspan="2" \|2008 \| rowspan="2" \|Olympic Games \| rowspan="2" \|In Style \|{{Silver02}} \|Team
22nd \|Individual
2009 \|World Cup Final \|In Style \|15th \|
rowspan="2" \|2011 \| rowspan="2" \|Pan American Games \| rowspan="2" \|Star Power \|4th \|Team
24th \|Individual
rowspan="2" \|2012 \| rowspan="2" \|Olympic Games \| rowspan="2" \|Star Power \|5th \|Team
9th \|Individual
rowspan="2" \|2014 \| rowspan="2" \|World Equestrian Games \| rowspan="2" \|Dixson \|8th \|Team
36th \|Individual
rowspan="2" \|2015 \| rowspan="2" \|Pan American Games \| rowspan="2" \|Dixson \|{{Gold01}} \|Team
16th \|Individual
colspan="11" align="center" \| EL = Eliminated; RET = Retired; WD = Withdrew

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

colspan="11" align="center" | Results

Year

! Event

! Horse

! Placing

! Notes

1972

Olympic Games

The Shoeman

|6th

|Team

1976

Olympic Games

|Count Down

|5th

|Team

rowspan="2" | 1979

rowspan="2" | Pan American Games

rowspan="2" |Brother Sam

|{{Silver02}}

|Team

|Individual

1980

World Cup Final

| Year of the Cat

14th

rowspan="2" | 1980

| rowspan="2" | World Championships

| rowspan="2" | Brother Sam

|{{Gold01}}

|Team

RET

|Individual

rowspan="2" | 1982

| rowspan="2" | World Championships

| rowspan="2" | Wunderbar

|5th

|Team

49th

|Individual

rowspan="2" | 1983

| rowspan="2" | Pan American Games

| rowspan="2" | Foresight

|{{Silver02}}

|Team

5th

|Individual

1984

|World Cup Final

|Wotan

|18th

rowspan="2" | 1984

| rowspan="2" | Olympic Games

| rowspan="2" | Big Ben

|4th

|Team

14th

|Individual

1985

|World Cup Final

|Big Ben

|8th

1986

|World Cup Final

|Big Ben

|{{Silver02}}

rowspan="2" |1986

| rowspan="2" |World Championships

| rowspan="2" |Big Ben

|4th

|Team

10th

|Individual

1987

|World Cup Final

|Big Ben

|5th

rowspan="2" |1987

| rowspan="2" |Pan American Games

| rowspan="2" |Big Ben

|{{Gold01}}

|Team

|Individual

1988

|World Cup Final

|Big Ben

|{{Gold01}}

rowspan="2" |1988

| rowspan="2" |Olympic Games

| rowspan="2" |Big Ben

|4th

|Team

15th

|Individual

1989

|World Cup Final

|Big Ben

|{{Gold01}}

1990

|World Cup Final

|Czar

|12th

1991

|World Cup Final

|Czar

|15th

1992

|World Cup Final

|Big Ben

|40th

rowspan="2" |1992

| rowspan="2" |Olympic Games

| rowspan="2" |Big Ben

|9th

|Team

54th

|Individual

1993

|World Cup Final

|Future Vision

|37th

rowspan="2" |1994

| rowspan="2" |World Equestrian Games

| rowspan="2" |Future Vision

|7th

|Team

27th

|Individual

rowspan="2" |1996

| rowspan="2" |Olympic Games

| rowspan="2" |Play It Again

|16th

|Team

47th

|Individual

1997

|World Cup Final

|28th

rowspan="2" |1998

| rowspan="2" |World Equestrian Games

| rowspan="2" |Mont Cenis

|10th

|Team

39th

|Individual

rowspan="2" |1999

| rowspan="2" |Pan American Games

| rowspan="2" |Ivar

|{{Bronze03}}

|Team

|Individual

2000

|World Cup Final

|Ivar

|30th

rowspan="2" |2000

| rowspan="2" |Olympic Games

| rowspan="2" |Dorincord

|9th

|Team

13th

|Individual

rowspan="2" |2003

| rowspan="2" |Pan American Games

| rowspan="2" |Promise Me

|5th

|Team

7th

|Individual

2004

|Olympic Games

|Promise Me

|22nd

|Individual

rowspan="2" |2005

| rowspan="2" |World Equestrian Games

| rowspan="2" |In Style

|13th

|Team

90th

|Individual

rowspan="2" |2007

| rowspan="2" |Pan American Games

| rowspan="2" |In Style

|{{Silver02}}

|Team

4th

|Individual

rowspan="2" |2008

| rowspan="2" |Olympic Games

| rowspan="2" |In Style

|{{Silver02}}

|Team

22nd

|Individual

2009

|World Cup Final

|In Style

|15th

rowspan="2" |2011

| rowspan="2" |Pan American Games

| rowspan="2" |Star Power

|4th

|Team

24th

|Individual

rowspan="2" |2012

| rowspan="2" |Olympic Games

| rowspan="2" |Star Power

|5th

|Team

9th

|Individual

rowspan="2" |2014

| rowspan="2" |World Equestrian Games

| rowspan="2" |Dixson

|8th

|Team

36th

|Individual

rowspan="2" |2015

| rowspan="2" |Pan American Games

| rowspan="2" |Dixson

|{{Gold01}}

|Team

16th

|Individual

colspan="11" align="center" | EL = Eliminated; RET = Retired; WD = Withdrew

References

External links

{{Team Canada|ian-millar}}
{{Olympics.com profile|ian-millar|oc_archive=20210201113907}}
{{Olympedia|12430}}
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120723000425/http://www.london2012.com/athlete/millar-ian-1076634/ Athlete profile] at London 2012 web site
[https://web.archive.org/web/20070824044355/http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0009577 Ian Millar] at The Canadian Encyclopedia
[https://www.cbc.ca/sports/2.720/late-blooming-ian-millar-just-hitting-his-stride-1.708987 Late-blooming Ian Millar just hitting his stride?]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20070930154523/http://www.canadianencyclopedia.ca/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1SEC820133 Equestrian Sports at The Canadian Encyclopedia]
{{Commons category-inline}}