Ottawa, ON—The Canadian Eventing Committee is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2007 Canadian Eventing Athlete Development Scholarship Program.

The 2007 Scholarship recipients are Shawn Ferguson of Caledon, ON, Selena O’Hanlon of Elgin, ON, and Kerri Short, of Calgary, AB.

Designed to recognize and encourage Canadian riders in the pursuit of international competition, this year’s program offered scholarships of $1,000 each these three outstanding young athletes. The assessment criteria included eventing experience, competition results, competition plans and goals, and dedication to the sport, including support and promotion of the sport of eventing in Canada. Canadian Eventing received 33 applicants for the scholarship.

Ferguson is not only a rider, but also a working student for his coach Garry Roque. Based on his results with Leatherhead, Christine Merrill’s 16-year-old Thoroughbred gelding, at the 2006 Midsouth CCI 1*, Ferguson was named to the 2007 Canadian Eventing Talent Squad. During 2007 he competed in four Preliminary level Horse Trials riding Savannah, the 18-year-old Trakehner mare owned by Kathy Gold. Ferguson’s goals for 2008 are to train and compete in Ocala, FL, and move up to the Intermediate level ultimately competing in a CCI 2* Three Day Event and achieving performance result to earn Long List status. His ultimate goal is to ride for Canada, and successfully compete at the three-or four-star level. 

O’Hanlon competes almost every weekend and also teaches pony club. One of O’Hanlon’s most successful seasons to date happened in 2007 with her finishing in the top 10 at two CCI 3* competitions—seventh place at Jersey Fresh Three Day Event in Allentown, New Jersey and sixth place at Fairhill International Three Day Event, Elkton,  Maryland.  Both results were with Colombo, Elaine and Michael Davies’ 14-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding. In 2008, O’Hanlon would like to travel to England for additional training , then, like Ferguson, she wants to go to Ocala, FL, for additional coaching and training. O’Hanlon’s full-time coach is also her mother, Morag O’Hanlon.

Short is currently a working student, training in Ocala, FL, with Olympic Gold medalist, Leslie Law. Short competed successfully in three Intermediate Horses trials in 2007 with her horse Fantasia, an 11-year-old Canadian bred Westphalian, and the pair finished the season with 13th place finish at the CCI 2* Florida International Three Day in Ocala Florida. In 2008, Short plans to take her horse Fantasia to the advanced level and complete a CCI 3*. Her long-term dream is to make the Canadian Team.


“Again this year our committee was overwhelmed with a vast variety of excellent award applications,” says Canadian Eventing Committee Chair, Lori Leach. “It is very encouraging to see so much blossoming skill in eventing in Canada. We would like to thank everyone who applied and would like to congratulate this year’s three recipients.”

 

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