Boyd Martin facts for kids
Martin at the 2012 Summer Olympics
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Medal record
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Boyd Martin (born August 20, 1979) is an Australian-born American equestrian. He competes in a sport called eventing, which is like a triathlon for horses and riders. It includes three parts: dressage, cross-country, and show jumping.
Boyd has competed in four Summer Olympic Games (2012, 2016, 2020, and 2024). He has also won several gold medals at the Pan American Games. He is known for winning two major five-star eventing competitions.
Contents
Boyd Martin's Early Life
Boyd Martin's parents were both Olympic athletes! His mom, Toy Dorgan, was an American speed skater. His dad, Ross Martin, was an Australian cross-country skier. They met at the 1968 Winter Olympics in France.
Boyd and his sister, Brook, grew up in Australia, near Sydney. Boyd started riding horses at a young age at the Forrest Hills Pony Club. His first pony was named Willy.
After high school, Boyd spent eight years learning and working at a top equestrian center. He started as a student and later ran his own horse business there. During this time, he represented Australia in young rider competitions. He even won a big four-star event in 2003 on his horse, True Blue Toozac. He was considered for the Australian Olympic team several times.
Moving to the United States
In 2006, Boyd traveled to the United States for a competition. A year later, he and his wife, Silva, moved to the U.S. to compete internationally. For the first three years, Boyd worked as an assistant to another famous rider, Phillip Dutton.
In 2010, Boyd and Silva started their own business called Windurra USA. They have a farm in Pennsylvania. In the colder months, they train in South Carolina.
Competing for the USA
In 2009, Boyd Martin began representing the United States in international competitions. One of his most famous horses was Neville Bardos, who Boyd bought for a small amount of money after Neville was rescued from a racetrack.
In 2011, Boyd and Neville faced some very tough challenges. Despite these difficulties, they showed amazing strength and finished 7th in a major competition in England. Neville Bardos was named the "International Horse of the Year" in 2011. Boyd was also named "Overall Rider of the Year" by The Chronicle of the Horse. They even appeared on the front page of The New York Times!
Boyd has competed in many important events for the U.S. team:
- He placed 10th at the 2010 World Equestrian Games with Neville Bardos.
- He was part of the U.S. Olympic Eventing Team in London in 2012, riding Otis Barbotiere.
- In 2015, he won a team gold medal at the Pan American Games in Toronto with Pancho Villa. He also placed 4th individually.
- He competed in his second Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, riding Blackfoot Mystery. He was the second-highest placed U.S. rider, finishing 16th individually.
- In 2019, at the Pan American Games in Lima, Boyd won two gold medals: one for the team and one for himself individually, riding Tsetserleg TSF.
- In 2021, Boyd won the Maryland 5 Star CCI5*-L competition with his horse, On Cue.
- In 2022, Boyd and the U.S. team won a silver medal at the FEI Eventing World Championships in Italy. This win helped the team qualify for the 2024 Summer Olympics.
When he's not riding, Boyd enjoys watching sports like boxing, MMA, and hockey.
International Championship Highlights
Boyd Martin has achieved great success in major international championships:
- At the World Equestrian Games, he helped the U.S. team to 4th place in 2010 and 10th place in 2014. In 2022, he won a silver medal with the team at the World Championships.
- In the Olympic Games, he was part of the U.S. team that placed 7th in 2012, 6th in 2016, and 6th in 2021.
- At the Pan American Games, he won team gold in 2015 and both individual and team gold in 2019.
See also
In Spanish: Boyd Martin para niños
