Horse of the Year: All In
Owned by Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu
The Horse of the Year award is given to a horse that has had an exceptional performance year, and All In (Tango x Damiro), a 17-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu, her father Craig Fraser and husband, Marc-Andre Beaulieu, was the 2021 recipient. The Canadian pair has been together for 11 years and since 2017, they have been the highest placed Canadians on the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) Dressage World Ranking.
The Canadian pair had an exceptional 2021, posting personal best scores and breaking Canadian dressage records, beginning in Wellington and Ocala at the 12-week Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF).
The Saint-Bruno, QC, native and All In were named to their first Olympic Games in Tokyo 2020, held a year later in 2021 due to the pandemic and shined in their Grand Prix performance, scoring 71.677%. They would conclude their season in Aachen, placing in the top 8 in the Grand Prix with a score of 73.891%.
Fraser-Beaulieu believes All In has another year of competing, she said “he’s giving me no signs he wants to retire just yet.”
Photo Credit: Susan Stickle Photography
Canadian Bred Horse of the Year: Beneficial
Owner: Alicia Gadban-Lewis / Breeder: Paula Leweke
After winning the 2021 Truman Homes Canadian Show Jumping championship, Beneficial (Banderas x Timebreaker) and Gadban-Lewis received the Canadian Bred Horse of the Year.
The ten-year-old Oldenburg mare owned by Gadban-Lewis of Delta, BC, “Bella” was bred by Paula Leweke with sire Banderas of Dreamscape Farms in Vancouver to her dame Ivy at her Robin Hill farm in Metchosin, BC. With a show name of Beneficial, Bella Balatora is her registered name – Bella, for beautiful and Balatora, a feminized version of the second highest mountain in the Himalayas. Leweke has said that she wanted something that meant beautiful, strong and powerful.
Finding out that ‘Bella’ won the award, Leweke was ecstatic with joy. “It filled my heart up to the brim with joy and gratitude, as I love Bella with all my heart!” Leweke said. The former nurse and nursing instructor is well known locally for rescuing horses, rehabilitating and training in addition to her breeding program on her farm on Vancouver Island.
Leweke knew Bella was special since birth and contacted Gadban-Lewis, who she’s known since she was 12 years old. “This horse is special, and you need to believe me,” said Leweke. Gadban-Lewis rode Bella a few times and bought the mare as a five-year-old in the fall of 2017. A few weeks later, they won the Royal West five-year-old championship. “It was hard to sell her,” said Leweke. “I accepted less money than was asked just to make sure she got the best owner.” Leweke was confident that Gadban-Lewis could love her and fulfill her potential.
Leweke is happy that Gadban-Lewis and the partnership they have established during their time together. “I love my horses like they are my children,” Leweke said. “I would never sell for money alone, they must be ethical and good homes first and foremost.”
Beneficial and Gadban-Lewis have found time to train in Belgium with Canada’s Tiffany Foster. “Bella and I have a really strong partnership,” Gadban-Lewis said, “I put a lot of trust in her and I think she puts a lot of trust in me.”
Leweke believes that Canadian riders should support Canadian breeders. With the success she has had she believes there is quality here in Canada, as shown by Bella, and at a fraction of the cost of going to Europe.
Photo Credit: Amanda Ubell Photography