Christilot Boylen

Christilot Boylen was born in Java, Indonesia, and bought her first horse at age ten with savings she earned acting on the famous children's television program, "The Howdie Doodie Show." She trained her first Olympic mount, Bonheur, and, at age 17 received special permission to compete for Canada in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. She has since been named to eight Olympic Teams, including the 1980 Alternate Olympics.

One of Canada's best-known dressage riders, Christilot has also competed on four Pan American Games teams. She earned individual gold medals at the 1971, 1975 and 1987 Pan American Games, making her the only athlete to achieve three individual gold medals in Pan Am history. In addition, she has been a Canadian National Dressage Champion seven times and, with a tenth place finish, was the highest placed North American rider at the 1984 Olympics. In 1991, she won the Hamburg Dressage Derby riding Pink Power, becoming the only North American to win the prestigious German event.

Christilot has trained with Willi Schultheis, George Theodorescu, Herbert Rehbein, and with partner Udo Lange. She has also written two books and produced a video about dressage.

In 1969, Christilot initiated the idea of starting a club that would make dressage more accessible and better known among the local equestrian community. The Canadian Dressage Owners’ and Riders’ Association (CADORA) was born with its first chapter in the Toronto area. Within years the group had expanded beyond its borders and a national organization was formed to cater to dressage enthusiasts in the different regions across Canada.

Christilot presently resides in Gammershof, Germany, where she trains, competes and provides a base for Canadians wishing to expand their international competition experience. Christilot also makes regular trips to Oakcrest Farms in Stouffville, Ontario, to conduct clinics.

(Source: Canadian Entry and www.eurodressage.com)

Career Highlights

1964   Tokyo Olympics on Bonheur
1967   Team Bronze at Pan Am Games, Winnipeg, Canada on Bonheur
1968   Mexico Olympics aboard Bonheur
1971   Named most successful horsewoman (dressage), Aachen, Germany, on Armagnac and Bonne Anee
1971   Hamburg Dressage Derby — Second place on Armagnac
1971   Double Gold medals at Pan Am Games, Cali, Columbia on Jungherr
1972   Munich Olympics —  10th place and best placed non-European, on Armagnac
1973   Individual Gold and Team Silver medals at Pan Am Games, Mexcico, on Jungherr
1974   Montreal Olympics — 6th place on Gaspano
1975   Hamberg Dressage Derby — Second place on Anklang
1976   Los Angeles Olympics — 10th place on Anklang
1977   World Championships, Cedar Valley, Ontario on Caracas
1978   Double Gold medals at Pan Am Games, Indianapolis, U.S.A. on Epernay
1979   Hamberg Dressage Derby — Winner on Pink Power
1980   Winner at all Canadian Olympic qualifiers; Barcelona Olympic Games — 12th place on Biraldo
1981   Goodwood Grand Prix — Winner on Biraldo; Grand Prix Speciale — Winner on     Biraldo
1982   Waldorf Grand Prix — Winner on Biraldo; Grand Prix Speciale — Winner on Biraldo
1983   Donaueschingen, Inter’ — Winner on Eiswind; Winner of 13 “S” level dressage tests on Eiswind
1984   Swarowski event, Austria — Winner of Grand Prix CDI on Moment; Winner of         Grand Prix Kür on Moment
1985   Bad Abbach — Winner of Grand Prix Kür on Lucky Lemon; Baden Würtemberg     Elite Preis, Affalterbach — Winner of three classes: Grand Prix; Grand Prix Speciale     and Grand Prix Kür, all on Lucky Lemon
1986   Herioldsberg, German — Winner in three classes: Grand Prix; Grand Prix Speciale and Grand Prix Kür, all on Lucky Lemon who wins the Golden Bowl as     most successful horse
1987   Open European Championships, Hickstead, England — 13th place in Grand Prix aboard Lucky Lemon — highest placed Canadian at competition
1988 Neu Anspach, Germany — Winner, Grand Prix on Lucky Lemon; Gachino wins     “S” contest and has several placings in little tour
1989   Hagen CDI³*, Germany — Gachino wins two Gran Prix and one Grans Prix Speciale;  Lucky Lemon is second and third; Don Valentino is second place Intermediare
1990   Neu Anspach, Germany — Don Valentino has first placings in Grand Prix and Speciale; Lucky Lemon wins good placings in Grand Prix (third) and Speciale (fourth)   
        Heroldsberg, Germany — Don Valentino wins both contests “Stars of Tomorrow”:  Inter 2 and Kür Grand Prix); Lucky Lemon is fourth
2007   April, Gut Aichet: Gachino wins Grand Prix and Grand Prix Speciale; May, Mariakalnock CDI Hungary — Gachino takes third in Grand Prix and second in Speciale; June, Aichleiten DCI Austria: Gachino takes fourth in Grand Prix and third in Speciale; July, Wattens, CDI**** Austria — Gachino takes third in Speciale     Gachino and Christilot names to Canadian Olympic Dressage team for Beijing,     Olympics; Gachino — second place Grand Prix Kur Giengen with 72%; Ronaldo —     Winner Prix St. Georges and S3 in Efringen-Kirchen; Ronaldo, Winner S in Auben    hausen; Ronaldo takes second at Gut Aichet in “Kurz Grand Prix”