Mary Jane Tumbridge

{{Infobox equestrian

| name = M.J. Tumbridge

| image =

| caption =

| full_name = Mary Jane Tumbridge

| nationality = Bermudian

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1964|7|12|df=yes}}

| birth_place =

| show-medals = yes

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry|{{BER}} }}

}}

Mary Jane "M.J." Tumbridge (born 12 July 1964) is a Bermudian equestrian.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/11485 |title=MJ Tumbridge |work=Olympedia |access-date=16 February 2022}}{{cite web|url=http://www.highoffleystud.co.uk/stableexpress/Article.asp?T=Bermuda%20Equestrian%20Federation |title=Bermuda Equestrian Federation |work=High Offley Stud |access-date=16 February 2022}} She competed at the 1992 Summer Olympics and the 2000 Summer Olympics.{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/tu/mj-tumbridge-1.html |title=MJ Tumbridge |access-date=4 May 2020 |quote=Full name: Mary Jane Tumbridge}} She was the first sportsperson from Bermuda to win a gold medal at the Pan Am Games,{{cite web|url=https://bernews.com/bermuda-profiles/mj-tumbridge/ |title=MJ Tumbridge |work=Bernews |access-date=16 February 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bef.bm/about-us/brief-history/ |title=History of the Bermuda Equestrian Federation |work=Bermuda Equestrian Federation |access-date=16 February 2022}} and is considered to be the best equestrian from the country.{{cite web|url=https://www.fei.org/stories/sport/jumping/seven-decades-pan-american-games-thrills |title=Seven Decades of Pan Am Games Thrills |work=FEI |access-date=16 February 2022}}

Biography

Tumbridge was born in 1964 in Bermuda and began horse riding at the age of seven. At the age of eighteen, Tumbridge moved to the United States to compete in competitions, before moving to England in 1992. At the 1991 Pan American Games, Tumbridge won a silver medal, and six years later, at the 1999 Pan American Games, she won gold. Also in 1999, she was named as Bermuda's Female Athlete of the Year.{{cite web|url=https://www.sportcal.com/News/PressReleases/39679?sportID=190%2C190&size=50%2C50 |title=Has Bermuda Triangle Jinx Reached Sydney? |work=SportCal |access-date=16 February 2022}}

At the Olympic Games, Tumbridge competed in the individual eventing at the 1992 Summer Olympics,{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/185395 |title=Individual, Open |work=Olympedia |access-date=16 February 2022}} and the same discipline at the 2000 Summer Olympics.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/185467 |title=Individual, Open |work=Olympedia |access-date=16 February 2022}} She was also the flag bearers for Bermuda at the 2000 Olympics.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/flagbearers?edition_id=25 |title=Flagbearers for 2000 Summer Olympics |work=Olympedia |access-date=16 February 2022}}

At the 2000 Summer Olympics, Tumbridge rode the horse "Bermuda's Gold", the same horse she had won her gold medal at the Pan American Games a year earlier.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/oly/summer00/news/2000/0921/762805.html |title=Horse put to death after event |work=ESPN |access-date=16 February 2022}} However, during the Olympics, the horse broke her left hind leg, and was euthanised.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/09/21/olympics/american-rider-leads-after-accidentmarred-day.html |title=American Rider Leads After Accident-Marred Day |work=The New York Times |access-date=16 February 2022}} This was the first time since the 1968 Summer Olympics that a horse had to be put down at the Olympics.{{cite web|url=https://bernews.com/sports/bermudians-who-competed-in-the-2000-olympics-in-sydney-australia/ |title=Bermudians who competed in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia |work=Bernews |access-date=16 February 2022}}

Following the Olympics, Tumbridge became a horse riding coach in England.{{cite web|url=https://www.royalgazette.com/equestrian/sport/article/20180811/fearless-bolt-reminds-me-of-me-says-tumbridge/ |title='Fearless' Bolt reminds me of me, says Tumbridge |work=Royal Gazette |access-date=16 February 2022}}