Hugh Graham to be inducted into Jump Canada Hall of Fame

October 12, 2016 · 0 Comments

King’s Hugh Graham will be one of four new inductees into the Jump Canada Hall of Fame on Sunday, Nov. 6, at the Liberty Grand in Toronto.

Photo by Ben Radvanyi Photography

One of King’s equestrians will join three colleagues as new inductees into the Jump Canada Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony and gala, presented by BMO Financial Group, on Sunday, Nov. 6, at the Liberty Grand in Toronto.
The Jump Canada Hall of Fame was created in 2006 to recognize outstanding contributions to hunter/jumper sport. To date, 53 champions have been welcomed into the Hall of Fame, including 19 horses and ponies, 24 humans, six organizations, and four teams. This year, the Hall of Fame will debut the new category of Groom to pay tribute to the hard-working individuals behind the scenes whose dedicated care for their equine charges plays an integral role in the hunter and jumper industry.
Rider Hugh Graham of Schomberg will take his place among his peers.
“We are thrilled to present the 10th Jump Canada Hall of Fame Gala,” said Mark Samuel, chairman of the Jump Canada Hall of Fame committee. “We are inducting four very deserving champions, and it promises to be an entertaining and emotional evening.
“This year, we have decided to refresh and innovate with our selections and will be debuting the new category of Groom,” continued Samuel. “For anyone connected to the sport, there is a great awareness that the very foundation for the nurturing and caretaking of our equine partners begins with the groom. We are excited to honour Marion Atkinson as our first inductee in this category, and look forward to making many more such inductions in the years ahead. I warmly invite the entire horse community to join with us in November to celebrate Marion, Elizabeth Bordeaux, Hugh Graham, and of course, Glen Owen!”
The Jump Canada Hall of Fame Gala has quickly grown into an annual favourite and each edition has been a sell-out. Videos commemorating each inductee’s contributions to the sport are a highlight of the evening, and friends and associates present the distinct Hall of Fame awards, making for a very special evening recalling the sport’s greatest memories. Induction and acceptance speeches run the gamut from factual to humorous to poignant.
Tickets for the Jump Canada Hall of Fame Gala and Induction Ceremony are $200 per person and can be purchased individually or in tables of eight. To purchase tickets, please visit https://www.equestrian.ca/sport/jumping/hall-of-fame. Hall of Fame tickets will only be sold on-line through an easy-to-use credit card system.
For more information, please contact Chrystal Labelle at 613-287-1515 ext. 142 or e-mail: CLabelle@equinecanada.ca.
A veteran rider, Hugh Graham has been a stalwart of the Canadian Equestrian Team for more than 40 years. A champion calf roper throughout high school, Graham’s rodeo career ended due to a fractured leg. He went on to work for Olympic team gold medalist Jim Day and became interested in show jumping, winning his first grand prix event in 1973. Graham has since ridden on Olympic, World Championship and Pan American teams with great success, including a team gold medal at the 1987 Pan Am Games, and has represented Canada in four World Cup Final events.
Graham’s career continues to flourish into its fifth decade. He won two FEI level events in 2014 riding Airborne, owned by Julie Firestone, and continues to enjoy great success riding products of the breeding program at KingRidge Stables, denoted by the ‘3E’ at the end of their names, where Graham is the head trainer. No stranger to the hunter ring throughout his long career, Graham also successfully competes in the hunter derbies.
Graham’s daughter, Laurel, is following in her father’s footsteps by also pursuing a show jumping career.