Biography

It will be a first Badminton for British-based Canadian Michael Winter (47). Michael who is based in Cirencester competed for Canada in the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games. Since relocating to England in 2009 he runs Wayfarer Eventing in Chedworth with his British wife Emma. Michael and El Mundo completed Pau 5* last year.

Michael comes from urban Toronto from a non-horsey family. He got into horses after a summer camp and then riding lessons then worked for several riders along the way meeting Emma in Florida one winter. The couple then spent several years working horses whilst training and competing their own event horses alongside raising a family. In 2000 they moved to Georgia where after a short spell they acquired their own yard.

Riding Balista, Mike represented Canada at the 2003 Pan American Championships where he was the top placed Canadian, securing the team silver medal. The following year, the pair made its Olympic debut in Athens where they were Canada’s top finishers. In 2007 with Kingpin he was a member of the silver medal team at the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, eighth individually.

Michael is married to Emma and the couple has three children. Whilst based in the USA Emma represented GBR at 5* level (she competed at Burghley and Lexington in 2005) and is currently competing at 3*. Daughter Amelia is a member of the GB youth development squad while daughter Lilly competes in dressage.

Michael lists his hobbies as snowboarding and tractors.

El Mundo owned by Michael and Emma Winter and Jonathan Nelson, is a 13-year-old Dutch-bred gelding. Bred by Mr Koos Derks, he is by the leading jumping sire Numero Uno out of Calvaro’s Bria by Calvaro Z. He was acquired as a six-year-old from Dani Evans and is a family favourite. He completed his first 5* at Pau  in 2021.