Although as a youth she started out in eventing, Hilda Gurney became a dressage rider. Prior to winning her Olympic medal in 1976, Gurney had finished second in the individual dressage and won a gold medal in the team event at the 1975 Pan-American Games. Gurney improved at the 1979 Pan Ams, winning dressage gold, and leading the US team to first place, although team medals were not awarded that year because of insufficient entries. She competed again at the 1983 Pan American Games, winning a silver in individual and a gold in team dressage. During her career she won six US National Grand Prix Championships. In 1977 she was Martini & Rossi AHSA Horsewoman of the Year.
After graduating from Cal State Northridge in 1966, Gurney became a teacher of educationally handicapped children for 14 years. She then began teaching riding, and training and breeding dressage horses. Gurney later became a dressage judge both at the national and international level. She served as chair of the US Dressage Foundation Sport Horse Committee from 1997-2002. She has been a long-time member of the US Equestrian Federation Dressage Committee.
United States