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Jacqueline Brooks

Biography

Please note: the information below is accurate as of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Jacqueline Brooks made her second consecutive appearance at an Olympic Games in 2012. The equestrian rider competed in the individual dressage and finished in 41st place. The team of Brooks, David Marcus and Ashley Holzer were also set to compete in the team dressage, but were eliminated during qualification for the team competition.

After graduating from the University of Western Ontario in 1990, Brooks attended the Pan Am Games in Havana, Cuba as a groom for Canadian Ashley Holzer. This experience became the determining factor in her choice of an equestrian career.

The following year, Finnegan, an Oldenburg gelding, was purchased by Brooks in Germany as a two year old. The duo would later go on to compete in the Swarovski Canadian League World Cup Final in 2002 and 2003.

With her 2003 Pan American Games team silver medal mount Gran Gesto, Brooks enjoyed considerable success starting with their Grand Prix debut in early 2004 which qualified them for the Canadian Olympic Trials.

In 2006, Brooks and Gran Gesto earned a place on Canada’s World Equestrian Games team and traveled to Europe for preparatory training and competition.   They enjoyed impressive results competing in lead-up competitions including second place in the Freestyle at CDI3*Pompadour, France.

In April 2007, Brooks and Gran Gesto were awarded a wild card spot from the FEI to represent Canada at the World Cup Finals. This was the first appearance for Brooks at the World Cup Finals after a number of years competing at the Canadian World Cup League Finals.

Jacqueline and Gran Gesto were members of Canada’s 2008 Olympic Games Team after an impressive winter competition season in Florida with a win in the Palm Beach Derby CDI-W Grand Prix Special and a double second place behind team mate Ashley Holzer at the Wellington CDI3*.

Getting to know…

  • Her first international competition was in 2002 in Sydney where she won the Derby and a team silver for Canada

Olympic Highlights

Games Sport Event Finish
2008 BeijingEquestrian - DressageTeam - Mixed8
2008 BeijingEquestrian - DressageIndividual - Mixed28
2012 LondonEquestrian - DressageIndividual - Mixed42
2012 LondonEquestrian - DressageTeam - MixedDNF

Notable International Results

  • 2003 Pan Am Games team silver medal on mount Gran Gesto (an Oldenburg gelding owned in partnership by Eric and Mary Brooks (Brinc Ltd.) and Anne Welch)
  • Participated in the 1991 Pan Am Games in Havana as a groom for Canadian Ashley Holzer
  • Was named to the 2006 World Equestrian Games team in Germany, but a hoof abscess on Gran Gesto kept them from competing