Todd Minikus
Show Jumping

Todd Minikus started showing at the grand prix level in 1985 and then, in 1990, took the show jumping world by storm with an unprecedented sweep of all open jumper classes at the Washington International Horse Show, including the President’s Cup. His record-setting performance earned him Washington’s Ennis Jenkins Award as Leading Rider (he was both Leading Gentleman and Leading National Rider) to go with that year’s Midwest Grand Prix Rider of the Year award. His grey Canadian Thoroughbred, Thrilling, also earned the honors of the Midwest Horse of the Year.

Since then, Minikus has represented the U.S. in the 1991, 1995 and 1997 World Cup Finals, has received a U.S. Equestrian Team grant to represent the U.S. on a 1997 European tour and has participated in a 1996 USET European Developing Rider tour.

Minikus has been on six Nations Cup teams and in four FEI World Cup Show Jumping Finals over the years. He has collected more than 75 Grand Prix wins during his career, including the $100,000 Cosequin Grand Prix at HITS Catskills IV and the $100,000 Rolex/USET Show Jumping Championship at the Bayer/USET Festival of Champions at the US Equestrian Team Olympic Training Center in Gladstone, N.J. Other honors include being named the 2001 USA Equestrian Horseman of the Year and winning the William C. Steinkraus Equestrian of Honor Trophy.

Career Highlights

• Placed 3rd at Kilkenny/ICH International Cup CSI (Wellington, Fla.) on Gardenio in 2003
• Won the WEF Challenge Cup II (Wellington, Fla.) on Gardenio in 2003
• Placed second at the Grand Prix of Tampa on Oh Star in 2002
• Place 4th at Cosequin US Open Jumper Championship (Wellington, Fla.) on Oh Star in 2002
• Placed 3rd at Budweiser American Grandprix Association Championship (Wellington, Fla.) on Oh Star in 2002
• Placed 2nd at WEF Challenge IV (Wellington, Fla.) on Playboy in 2002
• Won the Tournament of Champions (Tampa, Fla.) on Gardenio in 2002
• Named USA Equestrian Horseman of the Year in 2001
• Placed 3rd at Nortel Networks International, CSIO Spruce Meadows (Calgary, Canada) on Oh Star in 2001
• Won Cargill Grand Prix of the United States (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) on Oh Star in 2001
• Won Rolex/USET Show Jumping Championship, Bayer/USET Festival of Champions (Gladstone, N.J.) on Oh Star in 2001
• Was an alternate for the United States at the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000