Thomas Gayford, a Canadian equestrian and Olympic champion, died on April 26, 2026, at the age of 97.
Born in Toronto on November 21, 1928, he competed for Canada in the 1952 and 1960 Olympics in the individual and team three-day events. At the 1968 Olympics, he won a gold medal in show jumping with the Canadian team.
Gayford also served as a coach, judge and course designer after retiring before the 1972 Olympics, later designing the jumping course at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal and heading the Canadian national jumping team from 1978 through 1996.
Thomas Gayford, 97, Canadian equestrian (Olympic Champion 1968).