Spruce Meadows co-founder Margaret Southern awarded King Charles III Coronation Medal
The medal was presented by Alberta Lieutenant Governor Salma Lakhani during ATCO Military Family Day, an annual event at Spruce Meadows honouring Canadian military heroes and their families.
'Mrs. Southern, you and your family are really that anchor that grounds us, in a world that has lost its mooring,' Lakhani said during the ceremony. 'Thank you so much for everything that you have done, and your family continues to do.'
The award recognizes civilians who have made significant contributions to Alberta and Canada.
Southern's recognition comes ahead of the ATCO Queen Elizabeth II Cup, the marquee event of the Spruce Meadows 'North American' tournament.
She joined her daughters — Linda Southern-Heathcott, president and CEO of Spruce Meadows, and Nancy Southern, chair and CEO of ATCO — who also received the coronation medal earlier this year.
A former teacher, Margaret Southern founded Spruce Meadows in 1975 alongside her husband Ron, and served as its president until 2005. Over nearly five decades, she helped transform the facility into one of the world's premier show jumping venues, attracting hundreds of thousands of international visitors each year.
'Mrs. Southern's decades of passionate leadership, tireless work, and enduring dedication helped make Spruce Meadows one of the most successful show jumping venues on the planet,' Spruce Meadows said in a release. 'That effort has helped draw hundreds of thousands of global tourists to Alberta, bringing in more than $120 million to the broader Alberta economy annually, without the aid of government funding.'
Southern has also championed philanthropy and youth education with initiatives such as the Spruce Meadows School Tours program, which has seen more than 250,000 youngsters visit Spruce Meadows to learn about agriculture, ecosystems and equine welfare.
Grand plan comes to fruition as Spruce Meadows celebrates 50th anniversary in style
Spruce Meadows at 50: Small dream, big ambition has led to world-class venture
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