Michael R. Matz

Michael Matz
Michael Matz
Personal information
Full name	Michael Ray Matz
Nationality	American
Discipline	Show jumping
Born	January 23, 1951 (age 73); Reading, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Medal record
Equestrian
Representing the United States
Olympic Games
World Championships
Pan American Games

Michael Matz
Michael Matz
	American Classics / Breeders' Cup wins:; Kentucky Derby (2006); Belmont Stakes (2012); Breeders' Cup Distaff (2006)
Significant horses
	Barbaro, Round Pond, Union Rags

Michael R. Matz (born January 23, 1951) is an

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 on which he was a passenger.

Equestrian career

Matz had a successful

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.

He began to train

2000 Olympic team.^[1] He trains at the Fair Hill Training Center, in Maryland. In addition to Barbaro, he trained the 2005 Arlington Million winner Kicken Kris, and shortly after Barbaro's injury, he returned to the scene of his greatest victory to score another major Churchill Downs win at the 2006 Breeders' Cup Distaff with Round Pond. In 2012 he trained Union Rags to become the winner of the 144th Belmont Stakes

.

United Airlines Flight 232

Matz was chosen for the honor of carrying the flag at the 1996 Closing Ceremonies not only because of his career in the show ring, but also for an extraordinary act of heroism seven years before. On July 19, 1989, Matz and his then-fiancée D.D. Alexander were traveling home from judging a horse show in Hawaii. They missed their connection from Denver to Philadelphia, and had a choice of two flights 20 minutes apart. They chose United Airlines Flight 232.^[1]

After a catastrophic engine failure that destroyed all of the plane's hydraulic systems, the plane crashed at Sioux Gateway Airport in Sioux City, Iowa. Although 112 people were killed, Matz not only survived, but led four young children to safety. He first led to safety three siblings who were traveling alone, and then went into the burning wreckage to save an 11-month-old girl. He was named "Person of the Week" by ABC News for his heroism on Flight 232.^[1] Matz has remained in touch with the three siblings, who were at Churchill Downs on Derby Day 2006, and met with him during the run-up to the race.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Richard Rosenblatt, "A Remarkable Tale of a Derby Trainer", Associated Press, May 1, 2006

External links

Michael Matz Stats and News,
NTRA
Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Michael R. Matz". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 2020-04-18.
Bio at stadiumjumping.com
Chester County Sports Hall of Fame
Bio at NYRAINC

[Journey-1] Richard Rosenblatt, "A Remarkable Tale of a Derby Trainer", Associated Press, May 1, 2006

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