Two Olympic gold medals and an individual bronze in 2008 kept the spotlight on Beezie and her top mount Authentic, who maintains his form year after year. Since Authentic is sidelined with a tendon injury for much of 2009 and 2010, Beezie is turning to her back-up horse, Danny Boy, in her quest for a berth on the U.S. team at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Danny Boy rose to the occasion and finished 12th at the FEI Rolex World Cup Finals in his first competition at that level.
Beezie's landmark victories include the 2007 Grand Prix of Aachen in Germany, where she was named the leading rider. Team and individual silvers at Aachen when it hosted the World Equestrian Games in 2006 are among her many other honors. She has won back-to-back titles as USEF Equestrian of the Year—the first rider ever to do so-- and is only the second rider in history to win the honor twice in their career. In addition, Authentic was named the Farnam®/Platform™ USEF Horse of the Year in 2007.
Beezie was the first woman—and the first U.S rider—to ever reach the Top Three in the Show Jumping World Ranking list in 2004. Her credits also include earning the American Grand Prix Association (AGA) Rider of the Year title.
Originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Beezie has been riding since the age of three and made her grand prix debut in 1985. She was the 1989 U.S. Olympic Committee's Female Equestrian of the Year in 1989. She is married to trainer John Madden, who plans her campaigns.
DiscoverHorses.com Columnist Nancy Jaffer WEG preview:
Beezie Madden has won two Olympic team golds, as well as an Olympic individual bronze in 2008 with Authentic; but he has been sidelined with an injury and doesn't look like a player at the WEG. Luckily, Beezie has an up-and-comer in Danny Boy, who had his first big test at the World Cup finals, where he placed 12th, and went on to show good form at Spruce Meadows. As 2009 drew to a close, the New Yorker took time off for shoulder surgery; but she came back to take her place as a player at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, where she won a class in February with her hot new mount, Mademoiselle. The mare, previously ridden by Richard Spooner, belongs to Abigail Wexner, Authentic's owner.
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