Is Another Beezie in the Making?
Beezie Madden, one of the greatest show jumpers in history, has had an illustrious career that spans over two decades. In 2006, she made her mark at the Spruce Meadows tournament by winning the $147,270 Shell Cup Derby with her horse, Judgment.
Fast forward to 2017, Madden opened Madden Mountain, an equine retirement facility, providing a safe haven for her famous mounts to live out their days. The facility is a testament to Madden's deep love for horses and her commitment to good horsemanship.
Madden's achievements are numerous. In 2008, she and Authentic earned a second, back-to-back Olympic Team gold medal and the Individual bronze at the Beijing Olympic Games. She has four Olympic medals, two FEI World CupTM Jumping Finals Championships, four World Championships, and five Pan American Games medals.
In 2018, Madden made history by becoming the oldest athlete ever to win the Longines FEI World CupTM Jumping Championship in Paris. Her win was a testament to her resilience and dedication to the sport.
Madden and her horse, Darry Lou, are a formidable pair. In the Longines FEI Jumping Nations CupTM of the United States at Deeridge Farms in Wellington, they participated in a rare jump-off round against Great Britain. The atmosphere inside the arena was strangely calm during the jump-off round, but Madden and Darry Lou's precision and skill shone through. They won the jump-off round, making their final gallop for home in what would ultimately be the winning time.
Madden's influence extends beyond her own performances. Young, up-and-coming female riders like Jessica Springsteen, Adrienne Sternlicht, and Lucy Deslauriers demonstrate some of Madden's strengths. Madden has hinted at a retirement plan that may include coaching riders up to the championship level.
The Syracuse Invitational Sport Horse Tournament, created by Madden and her husband John, proved to be an economic boon to Syracuse, New York. The National Horse Show, held at the Syracuse Invitational, received the North American Riders Group award for best U.S. show in 2010.
In 2018, Madden won the CSI4* 'Saturday Night Lights' with Breitling LS at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington. Madden has indicated that coaching riders up to the championship level will be part of her next chapter.
However, Madden has not specified any potential young riders who may succeed her. As she steps back from certain aspects of high-performance sport following the Tokyo Olympic Games, now rescheduled for 2021, the equestrian world eagerly awaits the next chapter in Beezie Madden's storied career.
