Brian Herbinson was born in Great Britain, but settled in Canada at a young age and took up equestrian in the 1940s. He was working in the insurance industry in Toronto when he was called to represent Canada in equestrian at the 1956 Summer Olympics. There, alongside Jim Elder and John Rumble, he won a bronze medal in the three-day event, while also placing 20th in the individual competition. He was an alternate on the team that won gold in the three-day event at the 1959 Pan American Games, which included Jim Elder and his brother Norman, and Tom Gayford, but did not compete. The quartet’s next stop was the 1960 Summer Olympics, where Herbinson and Gayford failed to finish the event and thus disqualified Canada from the tournament. Herbinson was one of four riders and numerous horses (two of which died) who were injured on the difficult course. After retiring from active competition he worked as a horse breeder and judge at equestrian events and shows. He also had a career as a financial consultant, at one point working at Towers, Perrin, Forster & Crosby in Toronto. In 2009 he was made an inaugural member of the Canadian Eventing Hall of Fame, alongside his bronze medal-winning team and their horses.
Canada