In 2016, Élisabeth Brosda of Gatineau, QC, tragically lost her life in a car accident. Though the promising dressage star would never see her name in Olympic lights, her spirit lived on through our Canadian Dressage Team at the Paris 2024 Games this past summer.
Élisabeth, dreamed of representing Canada on the Olympic stage. Today, her legacy lives on through the Brosda Olympic Bursary and Memorial Fund, which supports Canada’s top dressage athletes.
Camille Carier Bergeron, a recipient of the Brosda Olympic Bursary in 2022, has directly benefited from this support, which enabled her to play a key role in the team’s success at both the 2023 Pan American Games and the Paris 2024 Olympics.
“It is so inspiring that the power of Élisabeth Brosda’s legacy lives on and her dream is kept alive,” said Camille. “The Brosda family have been so generous towards me and towards the Team, and I feel incredibly grateful for their support. Receiving the Brosda award in 2022 helped me achieved my dream of making a Major Games, starting with the 2023 Pan-American Games and helping qualify a team for Paris, and then the 2024 Olympics.”
Christine Peters, senior manager of the Dressage Olympic/Paralympic program commented: “On behalf of Equestrian Canada and the dressage team we thank the Brosda family for their generous and unwavering support of the Brosda Bursary. Their commitment to empowering dressage Olympians in memory of Élisabeth means so much to us. We hold her close in our thoughts, and their generosity inspires us to strive for excellence, honoring her legacy through our passion for the sport.”
James Hood, director, EC High Performance, was on the ground in Paris and had the opportunity to observe first-hand the impact the Brosda funding has made to Team Canada.
“The support and partnership with Élisabeth Brosda’s family has allowed for the advancement of riders and has been an important contributor to athlete development,” Hood remarked. “Their funding has made it possible for athletes to add areas of focus to training, including improvements to their physical, tactical and mental skills.
“One of Élisabeths favourite quotes “Champions Train, Losers Complain” was embroidered on the team belts at the games as a reminder of the dedication and commitment that it takes to be successful. Equestrian Canada would like to thank Élisabeth’s family and we encourage our members to support the work being done.”
About the Élisabeth Brosda Memorial Fund
The Brosda Olympic Bursary is offered in memory of the late Élisabeth Brosda of Gatineau, QC. A passionate young equestrian and an accomplished dressage athlete, Élisabeth was tragically killed in a head on car collision in September of 2016. Élisabeth’s goal was to reach the Grand Prix level and represent Canada at the 2024 Olympic Games.
The Brosda Olympic Bursary is designed to assist aspiring athletes reach their full potential and support the development efforts of athletes showing the skill and determination to represent Canada at the 2024 Olympic Games. The Bursary provides up to $10,000 annually toward financial support for international competition, sport science, training, equipment and sport education.
As a lasting legacy in memory of Élisabeth Brosda, funds donated to the Élisabeth Brosda Memorial Fund are directed specifically to the annual Brosda Olympic Bursary.
Donations to the Élisabeth Brosda Memorial Fund can be made online or by cheque. Please make cheques out to the Canadian Olympic Foundation and include Élisabeth Brosda Memorial Fund in the memo area of the cheque. Cheques can be mailed to: Canadian Olympic Foundation, 250 Yonge Street, Suite 3000, PO Box 19, Toronto, ON Canada, M5B 2L7.
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