Both Games played out amid tight health and safety restrictions and relative quiet as family and friends tuned in from home. Nonetheless, the Canadian Equestrian Team was able to finish with a national record, top-10 finishes, personal bests and lifelong experiences to add to their equestrian careers.
Four New Riders Earn the Title of Olympian/Paralympian
Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu of Saint-Bruno, QC, and All In, whom Fraser-Beaulieu owns with father Craig Fraser and husband Marc-Andre Beaulieu, made a stunning Olympic debut. The veteran partnership made it to the Dressage Freestyle, where they set a Canadian Freestyle record of 76.404%, breaking the previous record set by her coach, Ashley Holzer (71.450%) at Beijing 2008.
Brittany’s teammates – Ridgetown, ON’s Chris von Martels and Eclips, whom he co-owns with Barbara Soederhuizen, and Toronto, ON’s Lindsay Kellock and Enterprise Farm Equestrian, LLC’s Sebastien – also skillfully made their first appearances in the Olympic ring during the Grand Prix.
Read more about the Canadian Dressage Team’s performances:
- Chris von Martels Makes Successful Olympic Debut at Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games
- Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu Dazzles in Olympic Debut at Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games
- Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu Sets Canadian Freestyle Record at Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games
The oldest athlete on Team Canada, 62-year-old Winona Hartvikson of Langley, BC, made a strong statement for her Paralympic debut in the Individual Test (69.893%). Riding Onyx, whom she owns in partnership with Jane Macdonald, Winona missed the Para-Dressage Grade I top-eight cut off to move on to the Freestyle by less than one percentage.
Tokyo 2020 was also the Paralympic debut of Lieutenant Lobin, a new mount for Rio 2016 Paralympian, Jody Schloss of Toronto, ON.
Games Memories
Mario Deslauriers, 56, reached the milestone of participating in his third Olympics and seventh major games. The native of Saint-Jean QC, and Bardolina 2, whom Mario co-owns with Wishing Well Farm LLC, spared no effort to place 22nd in the Jumping Individual Final.
Two-time Olympian Colleen Loach of Dunham, QC, and Peter Barry’s Qorry Blue d’Argouges put on a cross-country masterclass to finish 28th overall on 50.80 penalties. Through all three days of competition, they were bolstered by the support of teammate, Jessica Phoenix of Cannington, ON, who sadly withdrew her partner, Pavarotti, before competition began.
The Canadian Para-Dressage Team of Winona and Onyx; Lauren Barwick of Aldergrove, BC, and Lee Garrod’s Sandrino; and Roberta Sheffield and her heart horse, Faiurza, combined their Team Test performances to earn a respectable 10th place finish for Canada with a score of 211.699 – an improvement of three places from the team’s finish at Rio 2016!
Lauren and Sandrino went on to close out the final equestrian event at Tokyo 2020, finishing sixth in the Grade III Individual Freestyle. The five-time Paralympian and Sandrino danced across the ring to upbeat instrumentals to secure a final score of 72.507%.
Thank You Japan and Hello Paris!
Equestrian Canada (EC) would like to thank all the fans worldwide who cheered on athletes riding for the maple leaf. EC would also like to thank the Canadian Olympic Committee, Canadian Paralympic Committee and Sport Canada for their support throughout the Games.
With the history books closed on Tokyo 2020, the road to Paris 2024 begins – but first, Herning, DEN, for the 2022 World Championships!
Relive all the #RidetoTokyo magic at www.equestrian.ca/events-results/games/ridetotokyo.