Sam Walker, 16, of Nobleton, ON won his second major North American equitation title within one week after claiming the 2018 Running Fox CET Medal National Final on Nov, 8, 2018 at the Royal Horse Show in Toronto, ON.
Just a few days before the CET Final, Walker made history as only the fourth Canadian to win the prestigious ASPCA Maclay National Championship, held Nov. 4 in Lexington, KY. Walker joins an elite list of Canadian winners, comprised of Canadian Show Jumping Team Members, Brian Walker (2001), Erynn Ballard (1998), and Laura Tidball-Balisky (1980).
“It feels a little bit surreal,” Walker said of his back-to-back wins, although he is no stranger to equitation success, having also won the 2017 Jump Canada Medal, and finishing as the 2018 Reserve Champion on Nov.6 at the Royal Horse Show. “I’m really happy that my horse, Waldo, was amazing in the Maclay. I brought a different horse, Willem, up to the CET from Castlewood Farm, based in Wellington, FL, and he was also amazing this week; I couldn’t be happier with how he performed. I’m really grateful that I had the opportunity to ride him.”