Cairns equestrian legend Clive Gordon dies aged 87

Mr Gordon, aged 87, enjoyed a long career in the Cairns equestrian industry.

He accumulated more than 70 years involvement in equestrian sports, having started out as a 12-year-old show jumper competitor at the Cairns Show in 1946.

In the early 1960s, he was the first course-builder under what was a new concept in Australia, known as "Olympic Style Show Jumping".

Clive continued his work as ring announcer for the Cairns Show, Atherton, Malanda, Mossman, Innisfail, Tully, Mt Isa, and Cloncurry shows.

A prominent race caller for many far northern racetracks, Clive was involved with rodeos and pony clubs and was a mentor to many up-and-comers in the industry.

Clive continued to be involved in the evolution of equestrian sports in Cairns and across the North Queensland over many years.

In 2010, the Cairns Show arena was named The Clive Gordon Arena.

In 2019, Mr Gordon retired as the Cairns Jockey Club's Clerk of Scales after more than 40 years in the role and was announced patron of the Cairns Show in the same year.

He received the Lifetime Achievement Award as part of the Cairns Australia Day ceremony, for his lifetime of work with the Cairns Show Society.

The Showmens Guild of Australasia announced Mr Gordon's passing in a statement on their Facebook page.

The guild said he was a beautiful man and a dear friend.

"Clive was the much loved patron of the Cairns show and walking history book of the Equestrian world in North Queensland," the statement said.

"Rest in peace you beautiful man.

"You will be sadly missed but you will be in our hearts always."

Cairns Show society president Ian Allen also paid tribute to his great friend.

Mr Allen said you wouldn't get a "better gentleman".

"Clive started his career at the Cairns Show in 1946, the year I was born," he said.

"He was 12 then and he was competing with horses, so he's certainly been around the industry for a long time.

"In 1960, he became the inaugural course builder, and was responsible for the introduction of what we call concept of Australian Olympic Style Showjumping.

"Clive was the first one that came up with that idea and he done that under the specifications of the Equestrian Federation of Australia."

Before each show day, Clive would often get there early to talk to the horse riding competitors.

Mr Allen said once he started announcing, his voice was really unique.

"People certainly took notice of his voice and it's like Angus Layne, he had a voice of his own, and now we have a new ring announcer, young Jake Smith," he said.

"I remember saying to Clive a while ago, once you go, there's no one that's going to have that knowledge of history.

"Clive was just a wizard at remembering, he could tell me who a rider was, what year it was and how high it jumped, was just phenomenal.

"It didn't matter who he spoke to, he was just a gentleman and he truly deserves to be honored."

Equestrian Queensland also released a statement, stating the Mr Gordon was dedicated to the equestrian industry.

"Equestrian Queensland is deeply saddened to hear of the recent passing of Mr. Clive Gordon," the statement reads.

"Dubbed "the voice" and "the man with the mic", over the decades Clive recorded a vast amount of equestrian history, celebrating and highlighting the incredible achievements of so many throughout the equestrian arenas.

"Our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Clive."

Clive passed away peacefully on Sunday, May 8 in Cairns.