It is only fitting that Dr. Ian Reid be nominated to the Water Ski and Wakeboard Canada Hall of Fame as he is a true pioneer of the sport in Canada. In 1951 Ian, along with his father Dr. W.W. Reid, introduced water skiing to western Canada. Together they founded the Selkirk Seals Water Ski Club in Selkirk, MB and two years later Ian was a founding member of the Manitoba Water Ski Association, the first provincial Water Ski Association in Canada.
Over the years, Reid served on countless committees and councils: from 1972-76 he acted as the VicePresident of Competition for the Canadian Water Ski Association; a few years later he became President of the Association (1975-76); in 1975 Ian was the
Canadian Water Ski Association representative to the World Water Ski Congress in London England and in 1976 he represented the Association once more at the Pan Am Group 1 Congress in Mexico. In 1976, as a result of his invaluable work, Reid became a Lifetime Honorary Member of the Canadian Water Ski Association.
Ian also judged at numerous regional, provincial, national and international tournaments from the 50’s to the 80’s. He was a Chief Judge in Canada at all levels for many years and conducted judging clinics in Saskatchewan and Manitoba in the 60’s and 70’s. In 1985 Reid judged at the first World Masters Water Ski Championships in Bala, ON.
Perhaps Ian’s greatest contribution to the sport has been his commitment to safety. He was a chairman of
several water safety committees provincially and nationally for many years. Reid actually introduced
safety helmets to water ski jumping, now a mandatory safety precaution in many countries around the world.
Reid is the creator and Curator of the Manitoba Museum of Water Skiing, housed in the Manitoba Marine Museum. It is his love of the sport of water skiing that propelled him to write “A history of Water Skiing in Manitoba.” Ian Reid has been highly involved in many other sports as well. In 1980, Ian Reid received the Government of Manitoba Sports & Recreation Plaque for service on the organizing committee of the first Manitoba Summer Games. From 1980 to the present Ian has been on the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame Committee. In 1983, he was awarded “The Order of Canada,” the centrepiece of Canada’s honour system. The award recognizes a lifetime of outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation.
Three years later he was inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame(Builder Category) and was given the Government of Manitoba Community Service Certificate of Appreciation. In 2003, Ian Reid received the Queen Elizabeth “Golden Jubilee Medal” which is awarded to Canadians who have made outstanding and exemplary contributions to their communities or to Canada as a whole. Reid received a Medical Degree and Surgery Diplomafrom the University of Manitoba and practiced Medicine in Selkirk from 1960 to 1986. He has been married to his wife Ruth for 54 years and has three children, Kim, a Corporate Lawer in Calgary AB, Bruce, an Orthopedic Surgeon, and Patty, an operating room nurse in Winnipeg, MB.
‘’Water skiing has been my life, I’ve gotten so much out of it,’’ said Dr. Reid, whose son Bruce was inducted in 2005 and his grandson Brody is a star in American college water skiing. ‘’It’s the only true family water sport. It’s been fun to see the sport
evolve from ski shows to competitions and from competitors wearing WWII helmets to the specialized gear of today. I’m proud of my achievements and proud how the sport has been an important part of my family’s life.’’