The Canadian Para-Equestrian Team finished in second place overall following the Individual Championship Test, on July 10, at the Hartpury Festival of Dressage CPEDI3* held July 9-11, 2014 in Gloucester, ENG.

Using the combined scores of Lauren Barwick, Ashley Gowanlock and Roberta Sheffield from the Team Test, on July 9, and Individual Championship Test determined the overall team results. The Canadian Para-Equestrian Team finished in second place with a total score of 407.718. First place went to the team from Great Britain (463.851), and third spot was awarded to France (406.561).

“Placing second as a nation was a good achievement illustrating the hard work from all the team members in preparation for the 2014 World Equestrian Games,” said Elizabeth Quigg, chef d’équipe.

For the second day in a row, Sheffield of Lincolnshire, UK won her Grade III test. Riding Double Agent, her seven-year-old Anglo-European Studbook mare, Sheffield was victorious in the Individual Championship Test posting the top score of 70.145%. She also finished in third with Evelyn Little’s eight-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, Bindro T, with a score of 68.927%.

Barwick of Aldergrove, BC and Equine Canada’s 13-year-old Oldenburg mare, Off to Paris, were third in the Grade II Individual Championship Test, scoring 68.457%.

Riding Barwick’s Ferdonia 2, a 15-year-old Oldenburg mare, Gowanlock of Surrey, BC finished in fourth place with 68.379% in the Grade Ib Individual Championship Test. With Collegiate Sweet Leilani, M. Kendalyne Overway’s 13-year-old Morgan mare, Gowanlock earned a score of 64.586% for eighth.

Complete results for the Hartpury Festival of Dressage CPEDI3* may be found here.

“It is great to be competing against the top nations in England,” said Mary Longden, team coach. “The horses and riders did a great job representing Canada over the past two days, and we are looking forward to the Freestyle Tests tomorrow.”

As a result of a very successful spring competition season in North America and Europe, Canada is currently ranked second as a nation in the FEI world para-dressage rankings.
Leading the team in England is Amie O’Shaughnessy, Director of Para-Equestrian, Mary Longden, team coach; Elizabeth Quigg, chef d’équipe; and Dr. Jennifer Miller, team veterinarian. The grooming team includes Skye Hanlon, Laura Dixon, Lauren Massey and Justine Bowers.

The Canadian riders’ participation in these competitions has been made possible through the Own the Podium program, a national sport technical initiative designed to help Canada’s summer and winter athletes achieve podium success at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.