Lauren Esdale
On August 13, Lauren Esdale rode Pauline Esdale’s Viamdios D’Avril (Diamant De Semilly x Fol Avril) to victory at the North American Youth Championships at the Great lakes Equestrian Festival in Traverse City, MI. The 12 -year-old Selle Français gelding carried Lauren through the CH-N.Am-Y-S jump-off to beat Caelinn Leahy and Coldplay 31 of the US to come out on top with 0 faults.
Nyomi Yzerman
Photo Credit: Andrew Ryback Photography
Also at the North American Youth Championships in Traverse City, MI, young rider Nyomi Yzerman of Lacombe County, AB managed to secure first place in the Children’s Final with WH Coconut (Carthago Sun III x Chameur), the 13-year-old Canadian Warmblood mare that she co-owns with Anges van den. Beating 14 young riders on August 14, Nyomi became the only Canadian individual to enter the winner’s circle.
Mélissa Boutin
Mélissa Boutin of Ascot Corner, QC and her very own Obeah Dancer GS (Humble GS x Buddenbrock), a nine-year-old Trakehner mare opened the weekend at the Bromont CCI-S Horse Trials on a good note by winning the CCI2*-S on August 13. The bonded pair only received 24.9 penalties in dressage and managed to keep it that way through cross country and show jumping. They came out on top against 13 other horse and rider combinations including Kendal Lehari who managed a victory later that day.
Kendal Lehari
Kendal Lehari of Uxbridge, ON and her own Audacious, an eight-year-old Canadian Sport Horse gelding tackled a CCI3*-S class on August 13 and earned the win. At the Bromont CCI-S Horse Trials in Québec, Kendal and Audacious ended with 34.8 penalties, with 29.6 penalties gained in dressage, and 5.2 time penalties gained in cross country. The duo beat fellow Canadian Colleen Loach and FE Golden Eye who received a better score in dressage but gained 9.6 time penalties while going cross country and ended up with 36.1 penalties overall.
Brandon McMechan
Finally, to close off the successful day at the Bromont CCI-S Horse Trials in Québec, Brandon McMechan of Toronto, ON and Oscar’s Wild, a 12-year-old thoroughbred gelding who is owned by himself and Glenn McMechan won the CCI4*-S. The event proved to be difficult as no athlete came off the cross-country course penalty-free. Brandon and Oscar’s Wild gained 29.3 penalties in dressage, only 5.2 time penalties on the cross country course, and an unfortunate pole during show jumping that cost them 4 penalties. In the end, they came up with a well-earned score of 38.5 penalties to top the leaderboard.
Tiffany Foster
Owned by Artisan Farms LLC, Brighton (Contendro II x Quick Star), the seasoned 15-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding demonstrated his experience by winning the London Grand Prix CSI 2* in 33.08 seconds. The city of London, UK was witness to Tiffany Foster’s expert athleticism as she rode Brighton to beat Skye Morssinkhof on G-Vingino-Blue of the Netherlands, who ended in 34.25 seconds. Tiffany, who resides in Wellington, FL, represented her home country in the UK on August 15 to leave as champion over 32 horse and rider combinations.
Lynn Macyk
Only a province away from home, in Langley BC, Lynn Macyk and her very own eight-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare, Be Aware (Pacino x Damsire) won the CSI 3* class at the Thunderbird 2021 Summer Fort Classic. On August 18, the Canadian pair from Edmonton, AB topped a leaderboard of 30 athletes with a time of 30.12 seconds.
Brian Morton
On the same day on August 18 in Langley, BC, Brian Morton of Calgary, AB and Spruce Meadow LTD’s Crusador Z (Chacco-Blue x Labor’s VDL Indorado) won the CSI 3* Happy Welcome class without a second to spare. The 12-year-old Zangersheide mare carried Brian through the course to win in 70.73 seconds, without any faults. Sebastien Devrainne of France had a time of 67.39 seconds but knocked down a pole and gained 4 faults which cost them the win.
Three days later at the Thunderbird Challenge, Brian and Spruce Meadows LTD’s Chili Pepper SM (Calido x Graf Top) won the CSI 3* $15,000 Kubota Canada Winning Round class. Brian and the 12-year-old Hanoverian gelding beat a scoreboard of 13 horse and rider combinations in the jump-off with a time of 39.80 seconds.
No strangers to the winner’s circle, the following weekend, Brian Morton and Crusador Z (Chacco-Blue x Labor’s VDL Indorado) won the CSI 3* Happy Welcome on August 25 at Thunderbird. The Canadian duo finished the course in 63.93 seconds to beat 6 other seasoned athletes.
Jaimie Ackerman
On August 19, Jaimie Ackerman of Vancouver, BC stayed close to home to compete at Thunderbird in Langley, BC in the CSI 3*. Jaimie and her 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Driek (Lord Z x Celano) won the class by racing around the course in 44.84 seconds. A full second behind, fellow Canadian Katie Kraft and Goodwill VB finished the course in 45.85 seconds, to grab 2nd place.
Wesley Newlands
Weslands Farm’s Maestro Van Het Binnenveld (Hunter´s Scendix x Conan Z) carried Wesley Newlands of Toronto, ON to the winner’s circle at the Angelstone Tournaments CSI 2* on August 20. In Rockwood, ON the nine-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion skillfully completed the solid course in 31.95 seconds to beat Seagrave, ON’s Lauren Esdale and Hilco who ended in 33.35 seconds.
Gareth Graves
Again, at Thunderbird in Langley, BC, Gareth Graves of Edmonton, AB and Mairi Chadwick’s HVL Oxana (Orestus x Flagmount King) won the CSI 3* $2,500 Emily Sandhack Real Estate Classic on August 21. The 10-year-old Irish Sport horse mare and her rider raced around the course to beat 12 athletes in 39.68 seconds.
Amy Millar
On August 21, Amy Millar of Perth ON, rode Christiano (Canoso x Compliment) to victory in the CSI 5* MlSJ at the Angelstone Tournaments in Rockwood, ON. The 11-year-old Dutch Sport Horse gelding owned by Future Adventures skillfully completed the final round in 37.52 seconds to beat fellow Canadian Jacqueline Steffens and Freaky who took 40.21 to set off the buzzers. Both scores led to the first place accomplishment for team Eye Candy that day.
Team Eye Candy
A fit team that is no stranger to the winner’s circle, team Eye Candy made-up of Amy Millar from Perth, ON, Jacqueline Steffens of Harriston, ON and Paul O’Shea of Ireland worked together to beat 8 other teams in the CSI 5* MlSJ at the Angelstone Tournaments in Rockwood, ON. Amy, riding Christiano (Canoso x Compliment) a 11-year-old Dutch Sport Horse gelding owned by Future Adventures managed a time of 37.52 seconds, Paul and his own Squirt Gun (Diarado x Quick Silver) the 10-year-old Oldenburg gelding came in at 39.08 Seconds and following right behind was Jacqueline riding her own 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Freaky (Darco x Litho X) finished in 40.21 seconds to keep team Eye Candy at the top.
Tim Wilks
On August 21, Tim Wilks of Henley on Thames, UK rode Dahlia De Roy sired by Kannan, to win the CSI De Peelbergen, NED 1*. The eight-year-old Selle Français mare, owned by Laurent Saglio expertly carried Tim around the course in 29.18 seconds to squeeze in front of France’s Benjamin Robert on Bella Baloubette HE Z who came in at 29.42 seconds.
Traveling to the Netherland’s neighboring country Belgium, Tim Wilks and Diamanthella VG Z (Diamant De Semilly x Hickory Mail) dominated the line-up at the Brussels Stephex Masters 2021 CSIYH 1*. On August 26, the eight-year-old Zangersheide mare owned by IN Showjumpers beat 55 seasoned athletes to the winner’s circle by completing the course in 62.21 seconds.
Erynn Ballard
Staying close to home, Erynn Ballard of Tottenham, ON and Django Du Lys (Landsturm x Harlay L’Echenau) entered the winner’s circle at the Angelstone Tournaments CDI in Rockwood, ON. Erynn, aboard the eight-year-old Selle Français gelding owned by Alvarez Moya Horses S.L. won the CSI 2*, both on August 21st and 22nd. The first day, the pair finished the course in 57.99 seconds, beating 32 seasoned athletes, while the next day beating 27 in 41.27 seconds.
Vanessa Mannix
Once again, at Thunderbird’s CSI 3* $100,000 ATCO Cup in Langley, BC, Vanessa Mannix and her mount Catinka 25 (Catoki x Luxano) took home the win to make her hometown Calgary proud. On August 22, the 12-year-old Oldenburg mare carried Vanessa over the last jump within a time of 39.03 seconds to win the jump-off and beat fellow Canadian Samantha Buirs and Baton Rouge who finished in 39.98 seconds.
Alicia Gadban – Lewis
On August 26, still at Thunderbird in Langley, BC, Alicia Gadban-Lewis and her own Beneficial (Banderas x Damsire), the nine-year-old Oldenburg mare won the $8,700 CSI 3* tbird Speed class in 42.78 seconds. Competing against a mix of Canadians and Americans, Alicia of Delta, BC, brought the heat in her home province to make it to the winner’s circle over seven horse and rider combinations.