Bo Mearns on her horse jumping on the course

Bo Mearns on her horse jumping on the course

Bo Mearns was the greatest equestrian rider ever to come out of Greater Victoria and was the Canadian equestrian queen of the 1970s. In her time, she was one of Canada s top-three equestrian riders and was a member of the Canadian national equestrian team a number of times. Through her top seasons, between 1973 and 1980, she set a seven-foot-two-inch Canadian jumping record and scored sixteen major event wins across Canada. The only disappointment during that decade of success was a near miss in making the Canadian team for the 1976 Montreal Summer Olympics. The Oak Bay High graduate rebounded to make the national team in 1977 for its tour of Europe and was on six International Nations Cup Teams. Most of Bo s success came atop Flying Nun, an unlikely future championship horse she bought at the racetrack for a mere $400 in 1968. By the time of its death in 1981, Flying Nun had amassed career winnings of $110,000. Flying Nun, the horse Bo bought on an impulse, was one of the best show-jumping horses of its time and catapulted Mearns to international stardom in equestrian sport.

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saveonABOUT THE GREATER VICTORIA
SPORTS HALL OF FAME

Victoria enjoys a stellar sports history and we celebrate the many athletes, teams and builders who have contributed to that history.  Our displays are seen at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre (1925 Blanshard St.)  through Gate Three.

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