In her quest to be the best horsewoman she can be, Kara Chad – just 26 years old – has both attempted and accomplished much. But nothing says commitment to the sport more than her newest venture along with partner, British rider Matthew Sampson: the creation of Maplepark Farms in England.
“We both share a huge passion for the sport and after a year of working together, we decided to start a stable together,” explained Chad, originally from the Calgary area. “It’s been really successful. We’ve been lucky to have great support behind us and great horses. It’s really exciting having all the pressure being on your own, your responsibility. So far it’s going great.”
Chad and Sampson spent this summer literally in her former backyard, Spruce Meadows, and have enjoyed cumulative success. He won the RBC Grand Prix during the National in June, his biggest win ever, whereas Chad finished eighth.
“I don’t think too many couples can say they compete in five-star grand prix together,” she pointed out proudly. “We definitely look up to certain couples like (Brazilian) Marlon Zanotelli and (his wife) Angelica (Augustsson Zanotelli). I could list a few more. We want to strive to being the best of the best, both of us. We’re very ambitious and hopefully we can keep doing well.”
Kara and Matthew. (Kara Chad Facebook)
She beams when she speaks of Sampson, her 32-year-old boyfriend who she met in 2019, and their shared affinity for the sport.
“He’s very compassionate and he is down to the ground a horseman,” Chad explained. “He understands horses, gets in their minds more than I’ve ever experienced anybody else doing and is able to figure them out and work with them to be able to bring the most out of them. I think that’s a huge skill.
“He’s had good support behind him but it’s been his hard work, sweat and tears that’s got him to this point. He’s very much self-made so it’s a lot to be proud of. He’s so passionate about the sport and doing well and supporting me … it’s all positive energy, while being a super talent.”
Chad began riding as a child along with her sister, Bretton. “My family had things to do with horses and my mom grew up around them,” she said. “We did a bunch of sports when we were younger: tennis, swimming, skiing, everything. Riding became our main focus.”
Her sister has also been competing at Spruce Meadows this summer, a great opportunity for the two to catch up. “I’ve been over in Europe for the past five or six years and she’s been in Europe and back in North America a bit more,” Chad noted. “It’s just recently that we’ve been on the same continent. It’s nice to come back, especially at Spruce Meadows, and compete together. We’re all for each other’s success. I’m lucky to have her by my side.”
Working with Eric Lamaze at Torrey Pines early in her career was a boon for Chad. Not only did she learn from the master himself, but she was exposed to scenarios which she may not otherwise have enjoyed.
“Eric is an incredible rider, competitor, teacher, everything,” she said. “It’s pretty amazing what he’s done in his lifetime thus far and his career and now continues on to help other Canadians as chef d’équipe. His career is idealistic and working with him was amazing. He gave me loads of opportunities and I’m very, very grateful for everything he did for me. He’s one of the greats … what else can I say?”
Among those opportunities was being a travelling alternate for the Rio Olympics and being part of the 2018 World Equestrian Games squad at Tryon.
“I was lucky to tag along with the team there,” she said of Brazil. “That was pretty fundamental, to see a championship and the pressure and the planning. Being there really prepared me to go to the WEG in Tryon.
“I rode my mare Corona; I love her to death. She did a lot of firsts with me. It was invaluable. We had a great result. We were within the top 30, which I was pretty proud of. It was an incredible experience and I hope in the future to be on more teams and represent Canada even more.
“Just to get the feeling of it … it’s hard to describe. Just being in that atmosphere and understanding it and not being overwhelmed by it is a huge part of being successful at a championship.”
These days, Chad is grooming Quidamo F – the 12-year-old Swiss warmblood gelding she’s been partnered with since 2017 – for big things.
“He had a little time off in 2020-21, so it’s really rewarding and thrilling to have him back at this level,” she explained. “And to have a result like that (in the RBC grand prix) was pretty amazing. I’m hoping we can stay on that roll.”
Competition and the running of a farm – that’ll keep Kara Chad on her toes for years to come.
“When you go out on your own and start your own business with a partner, you do take a step back to build everything up again; to get the horses, the support and to get yourself in the right mindset to achieve what you want to achieve,” she said. “It may take a little bit of time, but obviously I want to keep striving to represent Canada and be at the top of the sport and be the best I can.”
