If there’s one name that’s synonymous with dressage in Canada, it’s Jacquie Brooks. More than just a decorated athlete and sought-after clinician and coach, Jacquie is renowned as an ambassador for the sport, always seeking to promote Canadian dressage and to develop the sport by sharing her vast knowledge with dressage riders and trainers at every level.
In a career spanning more than 20 years, Jacquie has qualified for six Canadian teams – so far. She has ridden for Canada at two Olympic Games (2008 and 2012), two World Cup Finals (2007 and 2013), the 2006 World Equestrian Games, and the 2003 PanAm Games, where she earned a silver medal aboard Gran Gesto.
Jacquie and her grey gelding D Niro (aka Goose) were fan favourites wherever they went, and drew large crowds to a number of farewell events marking D Niro’s retirement from competition in 2018. The pair are perhaps best known for their stunning freestyle performances, where Jacquie set new standards by using popular tunes, music with vocals, and performing an entire freestyle routine to a single song.
Jacquie also bucked another tradition by becoming the first dressage rider in history to wear a helmet instead of the traditional top hat in Olympic competition – something she defines as “definitely my favourite career moment.” Since the 2012 Games in London, riders have increasingly followed her safety-conscious lead; helmets are now the norm at the highest levels of competition in North America and are becoming more commonplace in Europe. As of 2021, all riders will be required to wear protective headgear in FEI competition.
Never one to stay out of the spotlight for long, Jacquie has already found international success with her new grand prix partner Westwood 5 and is set to make her FEI debut in Wellington this winter with another rising star, Te Amo.
Foreseeable Future
“My biggest goal is, of course, qualifying for the 2020 Olympic Games with Westwood 5, owned by Stonehill Equestrian (Kerry and Allison Youngdale). But I set many daily, weekly, and monthly goals. They always are to see growth in the horses and students I have in training, to see greater confidence and happiness in my horses, and greater connections between my students and their horses.”
Mission Possible
“I have been very fortunate to have a very well-supported clinic schedule, and to have Brookhaven become a place where professionals bring their students to learn with them. The system spreads and the knowledge is shared through many, many programs. I would like to see these partnerships between me and many Canadian and American professionals continue to grow.
“I especially enjoy bringing knowledge to the smaller programs in many of the rural areas in the Canadian provinces. Local professionals organizing repeat clinics has resulted in successful long-term programs being established. I’m excited to see where they will be in ten years.”
