Wondering what’s been happening in the Canadian equestrian community over the past month? Check out the Caught on Camera Photo Gallery to find out!
Event: Ottawa Dressage Festival
Date: May 16-19
Location: Ottawa, ON
More Info: www.nationalcapitaldressage.ca
All Photo Credits: Cealy Tetley
No hands, no problem for Tina Irwin of Stouffville, ON, who nabbed wins in both the small and big tour.
Not pictured: Canadian Olympian Megan Lane of Loretto, ON, having to explain to her dog, Juno, that the ribbon unfortunately does not belong to him.
The grey weather didn’t dampen the spirits of Armand Valkenborg (left) and Birgit Epskamp-Valkenborg (right) of Hudson, QC.
Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu of Saint-Bruno, QC, traded in her famous mount, All In, for a golf cart – a move that seemed to greatly please her pup, Jake – as she and husband, Marc-Andre Beaulieu, are expecting their first child this month.
Where there’s dressage, there’s Christine Peters (right), Equestrian Canada (EC) Senior Manager of the Dressage Olympic/Paralympic Program. And it’s a safe bet that you’ll find Jon Garner, EC Director of Sport, in attendance, too!
Canadian Olympian Jacqueline Brooks of Cedar Valley, ON, proved there’s a bit of merit to the thought that dogs look like their owners, showing off matching tousled blonde locks and winning smiles with Tucker.
Event: Canada Cup CVI 3*
Date: May 24-26
Location: Chilliwack, BC
More Info: Facebook
All Photo Credits: www.divineequine.ca
Dallyn Shields of Didsbury, AB, grabbed serious air on Angelique Vick’s 16-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, Wagner PR (Justice x Flemmingh), in the CVI 2* Individual Junior Female Freestyle on May 26.
Megan Leeper of Strathmore, AB, exuded emotion on Lausbub (Landzauber x Osterbote), a 15-year-old German Sport Horse gelding owned and lunged by Katie Axani in the CVI 2* Individual Female Freestyle.
Vaulter, Brodee Godlonton and Rebecca Marland of Rocky Mountain House, AB, shared an emotional post-performance hug.
Charlotte Axani of Cochrane, AB, flexed her awesome arm strength on Lausbub in the CVI 3* Individual Senior Female Freestyle on May 26.
Emily Bradshaw of Red Deer County, AB, knows the best ways to prepare for competition: breathe, smile, and know your team has your back.
Many equestrians have mastered the art of horse braiding, but the ladies of the Meadow Creek Vaulting Club in Olds, AB, haven’t forgotten about their own manes either!
Maliha Virk of Chilliwack, BC, set a moody tone in her performance, perfectly matched with Angel Robson’s 12-year-old black Canadian Sport Horse mare, Braviarre, in Round 1 of the Vault Canada Individual Walk Freestyle on May 25.
Railey Bird (sitting), Ava Burgener (airborne), and Samantha Kennedy (on ground) of Freedom Acrobatics in Chilliwack, BC, showed off the precise coordination and communication required for squad vaulting in their performance.
Event: CSIO 5* Odlum Brown BC Open
Date: May 28-June 2
Location: Langley, BC
More Info: https://tbird.ca
All Photo Credits: Cealy Tetley
Canadian show organizers, assemble! The President and CEO of Spruce Meadows in Calgary, AB, Linda Southern-Heathcott, combined with Thunderbird Show Park’s President and Tournament Director, Jane Tidball of Fort Langley, BC, and COO and Tournament Manager, Chris Pack of Langley, BC, form a dream team of venue management.
Chris Pack, pictured with his sons, knows that you’ve got to get them in to the sport early.
It was a great weekend for Ariel Grange of Lothlorien Farm in Cheltenham, ON, pictured with her husband, Daryl Somes, after her 13-year-old Holsteiner mare, Cita (Casall x Pik Ramiro), won the $36,500 CSIO 5* tbird Cup on June 1 with Ireland’s Daniel Coyle in the irons.
Equestrian sport’s version of the Gatorade cooler dump: The Canadian Show Jumping Team doused Chef d’Équipe, Mark Laskin, in champagne after winning the $400,000 CSIO 5* Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ of Canada on June 2.
L to R: Nicole Walker, Lisa Carlsen, Mark Laskin, Tiffany Foster, Mario Deslauriers
Nicole Walker’s 14-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding, Falco van Spieveld (Toulon x Lys de Darmen), sported two maple leafs on his headband for the prize-giving ceremony – one for each of his clear Nations Cup rounds!
Canadian equestrian legend, Gail Greenough of Calgary, AB, never strays far from the show jumping action.
Show jumping is a family business for Mario Deslauriers and his daughter, Lucy Deslauriers, who rides for the United States and sits in the Rolex/USEF Show Jumping Ranking List top 15.
The only thing that can make Tiffany Foster’s mega-watt smile even brighter? A Nations Cup win in her hometown.
Community Corner
Photo Credit: Ringside Media
“After all the ribbons, it’s just a girl loving her pony.” Savannah Tuck of Oakville, ON, shared a sweet moment with Crown Ridge Finnegan (sired by Stockham Commander M), a 10-year-old Welsh Pony gelding owned by Elaine Kilmer-Choi, after showing at the Caledon Equestrian Park in Caledon, ON.
Want to boast about your amazing horse or share your equestrian adventures with the Canadian equestrian community? Get in on the action and submit your photos using the hashtag #ECCommunityCorner on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter for the chance to be featured in the next month’s Caught on Camera.