The Southern family has another medal to add to their achievements.
Spruce Meadows co-founder Margaret Southern was recently awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal, with the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, The Honourable Salma Lakhani, calling Southern "that anchor that grounds us."
"Mrs. Southern, you and your family are really that anchor that grounds us, in a world that has lost its mooring," Lakhani explained in a media release. "Thank you so much for everything that you have done, and your family continues to do."
The King Charles III Coronation Medal recognizes those who have made significant contributions to Canada and Alberta, and Southern was presented hers during the annual ATCO Military Family Day event at Spruce Meadows, which honours Canadian Military heroes and their families.
This award has come ahead of the ATCO Queen Elizabeth II Cup, which is the marquee competition of the North American tournament and Spruce Meadows' 50th Anniversary season.
Not only was Margaret Southern a founder of Spruce Meadows and developed it for much of the last half-century, Southern served as its President until 2005.
On top of that, Southern had also devoted her life to advancing sport, community, education, and business in Alberta and beyond.
In 1975, Southern, who is a former teacher, launched the Spruce Meadows School Tours program, which is still ongoing and has seen over 250,000 youth grace Spruce Meadows with their presence to learn about agriculture, ecosystems, equine welfare, and more.
Through her work, Southern had actively fostered a culture of charity and philanthropy at Spruce Meadows, which has intended to serve as a gift from the Southern family to the community.
According to Spruce Meadows in the media release about the award, 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."
Her efforts have helped to draw in hundreds of thousands of global tourists to the province, bringing in over $120 million to the broader Alberta economy each year, without any aid from government funding.
94-year-old Southern has now joined the ranks of her daughters Linda Southern-Heathcott, who is the President and CEO of Spruce Meadows, and Nancy Southern, who is the Chair and CEO of ATCO, both of which had received a King Charles III Coronation Medal earlier this year.
To read more about her and Spruce Meadows, click here.