Goldstein-Engle, Margie

Sport:
equestrian

Country Represented:
United States

Years Competed:
2000

Olympic Info:
Goldstein-Engle was a member of the United States equestrian team at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. During the competition, she finished in 10th place in the individual jumping event, while the U.S. placed sixth in the team jumping event.

Career Highlights:
The leading money-winner in American show jumping history, Margie became interested in riding when a friend in elementary school told her about the sport. She took a job at a dog and cat kennel in Miami because of the kennel's horses. She said: "All I wanted was to be around horses. The trainers used to kid me that I would ride a donkey if they'd let me." Her parents agreed to pay for one lesson per week at Gladewinds Farm and she volunteered to clean out the stalls in exchange for further instruction. Robert and Dorothy Kramer, the owners of Gladewinds, became Margie's mentors, and then, her sponsors.

She made her international debut at the 1999 Pan-American Games, finishing fifth in the individual competition and winning the silver medal as a member of the jumping team. During the 1990s, Margie became one of America's top riders and holds many awards and records. She is a six-time American Grand Prix Association Rider of the Year (no woman has more), and holds records for the most Grand Prix wins in a single season (11), and the most American Grand Prix wins with the same horse in a single season (5 wins on Saluut in 1991). She is also the first rider to place six horses in the top 10 in a single Grand Prix class.

Over the years, Goldstein-Engle has incurred several serious injuries, but she always returns to competition quickly and thus has earned a reputation as a tough competitor. At a 1991 horse show, a 2000-pound stallion lost its footing and went down with Margie's foot still in the stirrup. Every bone in her foot was crushed and she suffered nerve damage. She was back in the saddle the following week and returned to competing ten weeks later. In July 1998, her horse misjudged a jump and she smashed her face into the cup, breaking her nose. Margie needed 40 stitches and could only see out of one eye, but rode the next day. She said: "I still had two horses who qualified."

Birth and Death Dates:
b. March 31, 1958

Origin:
Miami, Florida

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