By Ann Caine 

Congratulations to Margaret Tibbo!

On January 27, 2026, Margaret “Muggs” Tibbo, CanTRA’s Vice President, was honoured with The Order of Newfoundland and Labrador! She has devoted more than four decades advancing inclusion in sport for persons with disabilities in Newfoundland and Labrador. Her vision and leadership have transformed the province’s sporting community, ensuring that individuals of all abilities have opportunities to participate and compete.

Muggs began her volunteer work in the 1970s and quickly became a driving force for adaptive sport. For 37 years she served as Newfoundland and Labrador’s representative for the Canadian Association for Disabled Skiing, holding various positions on its board.

This lady is a multi-tasker:

• Manager of the Canadian Para Nordic Ski Team for 15 years;
• Certified Instructor in both Alpine and Cross-Country/Para Nordic Skiing; 
• Introduced the first ice sledges and the sport of boccia to Newfoundland and Labrador; and,
• Has supported athletes at regional and national events as well as athletes representing Canada at Paralympic Games, World Championships, and the World Dwarf Games.

L-R: Margaret Tibbo; Joan Aylward, Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador; Hon. Carl Thompson.

Muggs has worked tirelessly to grow para swimming and collaborated with provincial sports organizations to make the Newfoundland and Labrador games more inclusive. She can also add to her credit: involvement in para sport including hockey, adaptive sailing, athletics, rowing, wheelchair basketball, and canoeing. She is a national level classifier and referee for Boccia Canada.

After a phone call from Andrea Gillies in 1990, Muggs and Andrea became founders of Rainbow Riders Therapeutic Riding Centre in St John’s, Newfoundland, which has a stellar reputation as a member of the Canadian Therapeutic Riding Association. Muggs is CanTRA’s liaison to Horses in Education and Therapy International (HETI). CanTRA was a founding member of this organization, originally known as the Federation of Riding for the Disabled International (FRDI), before the name change to HETI. Muggs ensures that CanTRA’s liaison remains strong internationally.

For more information or to find a CanTRA centre near you please contact:  

• General Inquiries: office@cantra.ca
• Instructor Certification: certification@cantra.ca
• Program Accreditation: accreditation@cantra.ca 

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Main Photo: Margaret Tibbo