The Canadian Eventing Committee is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2010 Canadian Eventing Athlete Development Scholarships. 

The 2010 recipients are Joelle Baskerville of Calgary, AB, Katherine Martineau of Brossard, QC, and Shannon Thompson of Surrey, BC.

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

Baskerville, 20, and her horse Malibu, an 11-year-old Thoroughbred Hungarian Warmblood cross mare, were selected as members of Team Canada—Alberta/British Columbia/Quebec/Ontario Combined Team Combined team in the CH-2* division at the 2010 North American Junior Young Riders’ Championships (NAJYRC) where they placed in ninth individually.  At the 2010 edition of the Jersey Fresh Three Day Event, held May 5–9, 2010, in Allentown, New Jersey, Baskerville and Malibu posted a final score of 56.0 which earned her a third place finish in the CCI 2* division. Baskerville plans on completing another spring two star in 2011 and has her sights set on NAJYRC once again.

Martineau, 18, and her horse H.M. As Spirits Go, a 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, were members of the bronze medal winning British Columbia/Quebec Combined Team in the Junior One Star Championship division at the 2010 NAJYRC, where the pair also placed sixth individually. In the CIC 1* division at the 2010 Will o’ Wind Farm Horse Trials in Orangeville, ON, Martineau and H.M. As Sprits Go placed second with a score of 52.5. In 2011, Martineau plans to move up to the Intermediate level in order for the CH-2* division at the 2012 NAJYRC.

In 2010, Thompson rode KS Priceless, her 10-year-old Connemara gelding, to a second place finish in the CIC 1* division at Aspen Farm Horse Trials in Yelm, WA, and placed first with a score of 36 in the Equestrian Institute Horse Trials in Auburn, WA. Thompson, 29, who is an Equine Canada Level 1 Coach, plans to train and prepare to complete a two star in 2011 with aspirations of moving up to the three star level shortly after that.

“On behalf of the CEC Scholarship selection committee we, the selection committee, would like to offer congratulations to the scholarship winners, and applaud all 23 riders, from four different provinces, who took the time to submit applications,” said Athlete Development Scholarship Selection chair Lori Leach. “Using the criteria set out, we sought applicants that demonstrated commitment to the sport, clearly defined goals and solid achievable plans for 2011.We wish to thank all applicants for their submissions and wish all of them well in their equine pursuits. May their continued persistence and dedication find its mark in 2011 and beyond.”

Details on the Canadian Eventing Athlete Development Scholarships are available on the Canadian Eventing section of the Equine Canada website at http://equinecanada.ca/eventing.