n. — also Games
a ribbon awarded for first place in a race or contest.
Type: 3. Semantic Change — In Canada, a red ribbon is awarded for first place and a blue ribbon for second. In the US it is just the opposite; contests give first place a blue ribbon and second place a red ribbon (see the 2012 quotation).
See also COD-2, s.v. "red ribbon" (1a), which is described as "in Canada", and OED-3, s.v. "red ribbon" (1b-b), which is marked "chiefly Canad.".