Michael R. Matz
| Michael Matz | |
|---|---|
Matz in 2016
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| Occupation | Trainer |
| Born |
January 23, 1951 Collegeville, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Career wins | 655+ (ongoing) |
| Major racing wins | |
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American Classics / Breeders' Cup wins: Kentucky Derby (2006) Belmont Stakes (2012) Breeders' Cup Distaff (2006) |
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| Significant horses | |
| Barbaro, Round Pond, Union Rags | |
| Michael Matz | |
|---|---|
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| Personal information | |
| Full name | Michael Ray Matz |
| Nationality | USA |
| Discipline | Show jumping |
| Born |
January 23, 1951 Collegeville, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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Medal record
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Michael R. Matz (born January 23, 1951 in Collegeville, Pennsylvania) is an American race horse trainer and former Olympic equestrian team member who was inducted into the show jumping Hall of Fame. He lives in Coatesville, Pennsylvania. As a trainer, he has scored two wins in the Classics, the 2012 Belmont Stakes with Union Rags and the 2006 Kentucky Derby with Barbaro. Matz also was named "person of the week" by ABC News for his heroism in saving four children from the crash of United Airlines Flight 232 in 1989.
Matz had a successful equestrian career as a show jumping rider. He was a six-time U.S. national champion, and won at least one major show jumping event in 20 consecutive years. Matz won team gold at the 1986 World Championships in Aachen riding Chef, to go with his individual and team bronze medals he won at the 1978 World Equestrian Games while riding Jet Run on whom Matz also won the 1981 Show Jumping World Cup. Matz won a total of four gold medals and four bronze medals at the Pan American Games, and was a member of the U.S. Olympic equestrian teams in 1976, 1992, and 1996. In 1996, he won a team silver medal on Rhum IV, in the show jumping equestrian event, along with Peter Leone, Leslie Burr-Howard, and Anne Kursinski. Matz was also chosen to carry the United States flag into Centennial Olympic Stadium at the Closing Ceremonies of the 1996 Games. He retired from show jumping as the leading money-winning rider in the sport's American history, with over $1.7 million. On April 1, 2006, Matz was inducted into the Show Jumping Hall of Fame.
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