Cambridge, Ontario – Show jumping athlete Keean White has been named the recipient of the Dr. George Jacobsen Trophy as the 2003 Equine Canada Athlete of the Year.

The 20-year-old athlete from Cambridge, ON, will be honoured on Saturday, February 7, during the Equine Canada Awards Banquet held as part of its Annual Convention in Richmond, BC. As White is currently competing at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL, his father, Randy White, will accept the award on his behalf.

“It is an honour to even be considered for this award,” noted White, who operates Angelstone Farms in Cambridge, ON. “In a year where so many Canadian riders enjoyed remarkable accomplishments, I feel privileged to have been selected.”

Established in 1995 to honour the man who served as President of the Canadian Equestrian Federation, now known as Equine Canada, for 25 years, the Dr. George Jacobsen Trophy is awarded to an individual who has demonstrated superior sportsmanship, dedication and the pursuit of excellence in equestrian competition.

White earned the Equine Canada Equestrian of the Year title based on his outstanding results throughout the 2003 season. In August, he won the Individual Silver Medal and led Ontario to a Team Gold Medal at the North American Young Riders’ Championship in Bromont, QC. Less than one month later, White made his international debut as a member of the Canadian Show Jumping Team competing in the Nations’ Cup competition at the CSIO Spruce Meadows Masters tournament in Calgary, AB. In addition, White was the traveling alternate for the Canadian Show Jumping Team at the Pan American Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.