George Morris Biography
Considered one of the most influential riders and trainers in the equestrian sport, George’s career began as a precocious junior rider, winning both the AHSA Hunter Seat Medal Final and the ASPCA Maclay Final at the tender age of 14, the youngest rider ever to do so. In international competition, he represented the United States on the gold medal-winning Pan American Games team in 1959 and on the silver medal-winning team at the 1960 Rome Olympics. Between 1958 and 1960, he rode on eight winning Nations Cup teams and in later years served as Chef d’Equipe for numerous Nations Cup teams including as Co-Chef d’Equipe at the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Canada, where the U.S. won both the team and individual silver medals. George also served as a Director of the former USET and as a member of its Executive and Show Jumping Committees.
George’s training successes include a “Who’s Who” of the United States’ top show jumping riders, figuring prominently in U.S. Olympic history. At the 1984 Olympics, the gold medal-winning team included three former students, Conrad Homfeld, Leslie Burr-Howard and Melanie Smith Taylor. The 1992 team included students Lisa Jacquin, Anne Kursinki and Norman Dello Joio. IN 1996, George was assistant Chef d’Equipe of the silver medal Olympic team, which included former students Burr-Howard, Kursinski and Peter Leone. At the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, former student Chris Kappler won the individual silver medal and was a member of the gold medal-winning team.
He is a member of the United States Hunter Jumper Association Hunt Seat Equitation Task Force and is a member of the USHJA Trainer Certification Program Committee. He is also a Member Emeritus of the United States Equestrian Federation Jumper Committee and a non-voting advisor of the High Performance Show Jumping Committee.