Tim Grubb, who represented Britain on their Olympic Show Jumping team on three occasions and rode in over 75 Nations’ Cups, died of congestive heart failure in Illinois on May 11th at the age of 55.
The friendly and popular rider was born in Leicestershire, and his riding history ran the gamut from Pony Club through foxhunting, steeplechasing, and finally showjumping when he started working for horse dealer John Massarella, the brother of British chef d’equipe Ronnie Massarella.
Riding Linky, he helped the Brits win the team silver medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics with teammates Steven Smith and the Whitaker brothers, John and Michael. He also competed in the Alternate Olympics in Rotterdam in 1980, where the British team won a silver medal, and at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
Following his marriage to U.S. showjumper Michele McEvoy in 1978, he moved to the U.S. and became an American citizen in 1994. In the years that followed, he represented the U.S. at the 1994 World Equestrian Games, won the American Invitational, the Devon and the Hampton Classic grand prix, and the American Grand Prix Association Championship. His mount, Denizen, won the AGA Horse of the Year title in 1993. Although he no longer rode competitively, Grubb had continued to be involved in the industry through his California-based company, Tim Grubb Training & Sales, which specialized in retraining and developing horses,.
Grubb, who was divorced at the time of his death, is survived by his children, Christopher and Dottie.