Cathy was born in Saskatoon in 1950 and began riding with the Saskatoon Pony club at the age of eight. In 1969, she entered her first international competition winning the Working Hunter championship at Seattle’s International Horse Show. As a member of the three-day event team she captured the Gold medal at the 1971 Pan-American Games in Cali, Columbia.

In 1972, she was named to Canada’s Olympic team, but a broken leg prevented her from making the trip. In 1974, Cathy won the Canadian three-day championship. Riding injuries kept her out of the 1975 Pan-Am games but in 1976 she made the short list for the Montreal Olympics. Her horses, City Fella and Jugger, placed first and third respectively at the final Olympic trials. At the Montreal Olympics, Cathy, with City Fella, worked together to place fifth in the three-day event.

Cathy was inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame in 1982.