The Canadian Show Jumping Team may be headed to Rio without Captain Canada, Ian Millar.
Millar has confirmed that his mount, Dixson, will not be competition ready for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games in August. The 13-year-old gelding, owned by Sue and Ariel Grange, recently underwent surgery to remove hematomas from his sinuses. The rare condition has been managed previously by injecting the hematomas with formaldehyde, which would cause them to sluff off. This winter in Florida, however, the method became ineffective.
Dixson, who was a member of the 2015 Pan American Games gold medal winning team with Millar, has been out of work since February, and there is not enough time, following his recovery, to prepare him for the Games.
Millar has attended a record 10 Olympic Games. He hopes to impress the Jump Canada selection committee aboard his top prospect, Teddy du Bosquetiau (aka Teddy), at Spruce Meadows. He acknowledges, however, that it would be quite a feat for a young, fairly untested horse.
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