Thomas Gayford

Thomas Gayford, equestrian (born 21 November 1928 in Toronto, ON). An outstanding international competitor, Tom Gayford was a member of the Canadian jumping team from the late 1940s until the early 1970s; he then became team coach. Tom Gayford first represented Canada at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics in the three-day event and in 1959 helped win the three-day event Pan-American Games gold medal. With James Day and James Elder he formed the gold-medal show-jumping team at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. This team went on to win several international events. Gayford also captained the 1971 champion Pan-American Games team. He was three times individual high-jumping champion at the NY National Horse Show and jumping champion at the National Horse Show (1972). After 1978 Tom Gayford served as chef d'équipe of the national jumping team. In 1976 he designed the Montréal Olympic jumping course.