Margie Goldstein-Engle
Encyclopedia
Margie Goldstein-Engle is an American show jumping
equestrian
, and a 10-time American Grandprix Association
Rider of the Year.
, to Mona (an elementary school principal and teacher) and Irvin Goldstein (an accountant), and is Jewish. She grew up in her middle class family in South Miami, Florida, with two older brothers. In third grade, she became passionate about horses.
Because her parents could not afford to pay for more than one riding lesson a week for her when she was 9 years old, to obtain more lessons as a young girl she cleaned out stalls and dog kennels in exchange for lessons. Less affluent than other riders, she said: "You're maybe not dressed like the other riders. You don't have the custom things, you don't have the top clothing, and a lot of my stuff was hand-me-downs.... It was more cliquish than anything. They'd more snub you than tease you."
She attended South Miami High School
and North Miami Beach High School
, and graduated from Florida International University
with a 4.0 GPA, majoring in business education. She married her husband, horse veterinarian Steve Engle, in 1995.
In 1987, she recorded a world-record-high jump of 7 foot. Speaking of such high jump event, she said: "You have to figure the horse either has a lot of trust, or a lot of heart, because once the wall gets over six and a half feet, it looks more like the side of a building."
In 1991, a 2,000-pound (910 kg) stallion she was riding at a horse show lost its footing and fell while her left foot was still in a stirrup
, crushing every bone in her foot and causing nerve damage. Doctors told her she would likely not ever walk normally again. The following week, she was again riding, and 10 weeks later she resumed competing. In 1992, a 1,200-pound (540 kg) horse fell on her at a show, breaking four of her ribs, and trampled her trying to get up, slicing open a foot-long gash in her back from her shoulder blade on down with his steel cleats. In July 1998, a horse that she was riding stumbled on a jump, and she smashed her face, broke her nose, required 40 stitches, and could only see out of one of her eyes. She rode the next day. She has also fractured her left shoulder, and broken her collarbone twice, her arm, her wrist, and two fingers.
At the 1999 Pan American Games
in Winnipeg
, she won a silver medal with the U.S. jumping team (riding Alvaretto). She competed for the U.S. 2000 Olympics team in Sydney, Australia. She won a team gold medal and an individual bronze medal at the 2003 Pan American Games
, and a silver medal with the U.S. team in the 2006 World Equestrian Games (riding Quervo Gold).
Goldstein-Engel was the American Grandprix Association
’s (AGA) only ten-time Rider of the Year. She won the award in 1989, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999/2000, 2000/2001, 2003, 2005, and 2006. She was also the was the 1991 American Horse Shows Association Equestrian of the Year.
She set a record with career show-jumping earnings of more than $4 million dollars (which goes to the owner of the horse). She also set a record in 1991 with most AGA wins on the same horse in the same season; she won five races on Saluut II.
Goldstein-Engle has more than 195 Grand Prix victories, and as of October 2011 she was the all-time career leader in Grand Prix wins. She set a record with most Grand Prix wins in a single season (11; on Saluut II), and with two Grand Prix victories in two days. She also became the first rider to have six horses place in ribbons in a the same Grand Prix, and the first to place 1st-through-5th in a Grand Prix.
.
Show jumping
Show jumping, also known as "stadium jumping," "open jumping," or "jumpers," is a member of a family of English riding equestrian events that also includes dressage, eventing, hunters, and equitation. Jumping classes commonly are seen at horse shows throughout the world, including the Olympics...
equestrian
Equestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
, and a 10-time American Grandprix Association
American Grandprix Association
The American Grandprix Association is a national association that promotes Olympic-level show jumping in the United States.The AGA was established in 1978 by Eugene R. Mische...
Rider of the Year.
Early and personal life
She was born in Wellington, FloridaWellington, Florida
Wellington is a village in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. As of 2006, the village had a population of 55,584 according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Wellington is part of the South Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, to Mona (an elementary school principal and teacher) and Irvin Goldstein (an accountant), and is Jewish. She grew up in her middle class family in South Miami, Florida, with two older brothers. In third grade, she became passionate about horses.
Because her parents could not afford to pay for more than one riding lesson a week for her when she was 9 years old, to obtain more lessons as a young girl she cleaned out stalls and dog kennels in exchange for lessons. Less affluent than other riders, she said: "You're maybe not dressed like the other riders. You don't have the custom things, you don't have the top clothing, and a lot of my stuff was hand-me-downs.... It was more cliquish than anything. They'd more snub you than tease you."
She attended South Miami High School
South Miami High School
South Miami Senior High School is a high school located at 6856 SW 53rd Street in Miami, Florida, in the United States. Its principal is Gilberto Bonce.The school is about a mile and a half west of the University of Miami...
and North Miami Beach High School
North Miami Beach High School
North Miami Beach Senior High School is a secondary school located at 1247 NE 167 Street in North Miami Beach, Florida, USA; its current principal is Raymond L. Fontana. NMB High School was built in 1971 as an overcrowding reliever school for North Miami High School to the south at 800 N.E. 137...
, and graduated from Florida International University
Florida International University
Florida International University is an American public research university in metropolitan Miami, Florida, in the United States, with its main campus in University Park...
with a 4.0 GPA, majoring in business education. She married her husband, horse veterinarian Steve Engle, in 1995.
Equestrian career
Goldstein-Engle won 6 World Cups and 20 Nations Cups between 1984 and 2005. The FEI (Federation Equestre Internationale) ranked her as high as # 6 all-time.In 1987, she recorded a world-record-high jump of 7 foot. Speaking of such high jump event, she said: "You have to figure the horse either has a lot of trust, or a lot of heart, because once the wall gets over six and a half feet, it looks more like the side of a building."
In 1991, a 2,000-pound (910 kg) stallion she was riding at a horse show lost its footing and fell while her left foot was still in a stirrup
Stirrup
A stirrup is a light frame or ring that holds the foot of a rider, attached to the saddle by a strap, often called a stirrup leather. Stirrups are usually paired and are used to aid in mounting and as a support while using a riding animal...
, crushing every bone in her foot and causing nerve damage. Doctors told her she would likely not ever walk normally again. The following week, she was again riding, and 10 weeks later she resumed competing. In 1992, a 1,200-pound (540 kg) horse fell on her at a show, breaking four of her ribs, and trampled her trying to get up, slicing open a foot-long gash in her back from her shoulder blade on down with his steel cleats. In July 1998, a horse that she was riding stumbled on a jump, and she smashed her face, broke her nose, required 40 stitches, and could only see out of one of her eyes. She rode the next day. She has also fractured her left shoulder, and broken her collarbone twice, her arm, her wrist, and two fingers.
At the 1999 Pan American Games
1999 Pan American Games
The 1999 Pan American Games, officially the XIII Pan American Games or the 13th Pan American Games, was a major international multi-sport event that was held from July 23-August 8, 1999 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Approximately 5,000 athletes from 42 nations participated at the games. The 1999...
in Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, she won a silver medal with the U.S. jumping team (riding Alvaretto). She competed for the U.S. 2000 Olympics team in Sydney, Australia. She won a team gold medal and an individual bronze medal at the 2003 Pan American Games
2003 Pan American Games
The 14th Pan American Games were held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, from 1 to 17 August 2003. The successful bid for the games was made in the mid-1990s, when this country had one of the highest growth rates in Latin America....
, and a silver medal with the U.S. team in the 2006 World Equestrian Games (riding Quervo Gold).
Goldstein-Engel was the American Grandprix Association
American Grandprix Association
The American Grandprix Association is a national association that promotes Olympic-level show jumping in the United States.The AGA was established in 1978 by Eugene R. Mische...
’s (AGA) only ten-time Rider of the Year. She won the award in 1989, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999/2000, 2000/2001, 2003, 2005, and 2006. She was also the was the 1991 American Horse Shows Association Equestrian of the Year.
She set a record with career show-jumping earnings of more than $4 million dollars (which goes to the owner of the horse). She also set a record in 1991 with most AGA wins on the same horse in the same season; she won five races on Saluut II.
Goldstein-Engle has more than 195 Grand Prix victories, and as of October 2011 she was the all-time career leader in Grand Prix wins. She set a record with most Grand Prix wins in a single season (11; on Saluut II), and with two Grand Prix victories in two days. She also became the first rider to have six horses place in ribbons in a the same Grand Prix, and the first to place 1st-through-5th in a Grand Prix.
Halls of Fame
In 2001, she was honored by the U.S. Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, and in 2009 she was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of FameInternational Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
The International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame was opened July 7, 1981, in Netanya, Israel. It honors Jewish athletes and their accomplishments from anywhere around the world....
.
External links
- No Hurdle Too High: The Story of Show Jumper Margie Goldstein Engle, by Mona Pastroff Goldstein, Margie Goldstein Engle, Globe Pequot, 2005, ISBN 1592286836