For the first time in over 25 years, Equestrian Canada’s National Dressage and Para Dressage Championships were held, divided between the East and West sides of the country across back-to-back weekends. The National (West) Championships took place September 26-27 at Thunderbird Show Park in Langley, BC, with competitors from across British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba competing. The National (East) Championships took place October 3-5 at the Complex Équestre de Bécancour in Bécancour, Quebec, with competitors from Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland.
Riders had to declare their intention to compete, with the top eight from each test level and category (Junior, Amateur and Open) being invited to their respective region’s Championships based on their qualification scores and ranking. Nearly 200 athletes declared and worked at qualifying during the January through September qualification period. Athletes were able to qualify across divisions ranging from Training to Fourth level, as well as FEI Children, Junior, Young Rider, U25, Small, Medium and Big Tour.
East coast organizer Carine Blaquière of Équico Quebec was thrilled with the success of the event. “Overall it was an excellent weekend,” she remarked. “There was great turnout, and the athletes told us they really appreciated both the event itself and the venue here at Bécancour.”
To keep the playing field level between the East and West as much as possible, the judging panels were identical over the back-to-back weekends, right down to the judges keeping their same positions from which to observe the competition at each event. Equestrian Canada and each organizer will be tabulating and reviewing the scores at which point the overall Canadian National Champion and Reserve Champions will be announced.
“The resurgence of the National Championships both East and West have created a great opportunity for our national and international riders to engage in a Championship format,” said James Hood, Director of High Performance at Equestrian Canada. “The novel feature of using the same panel of judges for both weeks is a distinctive Canadian advancement for our programming based on the size of the country. With a combined 150 entries between the two Championships, this will help create a nationwide platform for performance.
“Equestrian Canada extends our deepest thanks to both organizing committees, the volunteers and the officials for the work they did to ensure an outstanding competitive opportunity for all. Equally, we were thrilled to host our Red & White fundraising activities at both, bringing our communities together to celebrate, have fun and raise funds to help send our Dressage and Para Dressage teams to the World Championships at Aachen next year. With over $20,000 being raised between the two events, we are grateful to all who participated, and those who continue to do so through the Dressage and Para Dressage $500 Clubs.”
The Red & White fundraisers at the National (East), also included a silent auction and a dressage masterclass demonstration with Camille Carier Bergeron riding and Mathilde Blais Tétreault commentating before Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu performed a freestyle demonstration. Equestrian Canada’s annual Dressage and Para Dressage awards were handed out and will be publicly announced in a release to follow.
The following are the National (East) Champion and Reserve Champions (as applicable); for complete results including the concurrent EC Gold show, visit HERE.
Competitor, Horse, Hometown
EC National Training Open
CH: Anna Swackhammer, Perfexxion, Rockwood, ON
RES: Kiara Williams-Brown, O’Reilly, Navan, ON
EC National Training Amateur
CH: Léa Riopel, Fleur d’Iris, Blainville, QC
RES: Émilie Robert-Leblanc, Lady VIP, Mascouche, QC
EC National Training Junior
CH: Isla Grant, Wonder Woman, Ottawa, ON
RES: Elisabeth Campeau, Voila Voltaire, Mirabel, QC
EC National First Level Open
CH: Maya Markowski, Dance with the Devil, Listowel, ON
RES: Eve Morency, Manhattan, Saint-Bruno, QC
EC National First Level Amateur
CH: Courtney Vriens, Saritzia, Drayton, ON
RES: Marie-Ève Dionne, Leo, Saint Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC
EC National First Level Junior
CH: Elisabeth Campeau, Voila Voltaire, Mirabel, QC
RES: Masha Jung, Darius, Bridgewater, NS
EC National Second Level Open
CH: Cheryl Meisner, Natuurlijk, Windsor, NS
RES: Kiara Williams-Brown, Nikita, Navan, ON
EC National Second Level Amateur
CH: Carl-William Sévigny, Alberto de Niro, Eastman, QC
RES: Nathalie Côté, Bon Vivant, Bromont, QC
EC National Second Level Junior
CH: Olivera Donskov, Contessa the Red, Ottawa, ON
RES: Emma Larochelle-Lemieux, Yougo, Ulverton, QC
EC National Third Level Open
CH: Eloise Brulotte Dulude, Winhorse’s Ambiorix, Magog, QC
RES: Paul-Antoine Lepage, Lance, Melbourne, QC
EC National Third Level Amateur
CH: Josée Mercier, Gladiator III, Quebec, QC
RES: Caroline Tétreault, Azzaro, Saint-Germaine-de-Grantham, QC
EC National Fourth Level Open
CH: Emmanuelle Lord, Milo B, Pakenham, ON
RES: Justine Dilly, Iaccob d’Astra, Sherbrooke, QC
EC National Fourth Level Amateur
CH: Vivian Demerchant, Kingsdale, Rusagonis, NB
RES: Amelie Pilon, Ali Baba, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC
FEI Children’s
CH: Annabelle Gauthier, Northwind Marrakesh, Saint-Charles-Borromée
FEI Junior
CH: Frederique Genest, Flaminia, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC
FEI Young Rider
CH: Anna Swackhammer, Fabienna GV, Rockwood, ON
RES: Marilou Deschenes, Baldacci, Laval, QC
FEI U25
CH: Brooke Mancusi, Dejohn Ymas, Chambly, QC
FEI Small Tour Open
CH: Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu, Furst Foundation, Saint-Bruno, QC
RES: Camille Carier Bergeron, MSJ Furst Zonik, Laval, QC
FEI Small Tour Amateur
CH: Darlene Mergl-Moore, Rubina KG, Port Colborne, ON
RES: Vera Rubisova, Rockstar, Toronto, ON
FEI Medium Tour Open
CH: James Irwin, Flirtfaktor S, Stouffville, ON
RES: Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu, Harmonium, Saint-Bruno, QC
Grade I Para Dressage Grand Prix
CH: Alexandra Vadnais, Alaska du Fjord, Laval, QC
Grade IV Para Dressage Grand Prix
CH: Wanda Jamieson, Gerard XXII HCI, Merrickville, ON
Grade V Para Dressage Grand Prix
CH: Natasha James, Pantera, Nanaimo, BC**
(Natasha trained and showed in Quebec for the 2025 season hence was allowed to compete in the East championships.)
The results of the Overall Equestrian Canada National Dressage and Para Dressage Champions will be announced shortly from Equestrian Canada. If you were unable to be there in person, you can watch the EC National Championships (West) by day on the tbird TV Vimeo page HERE.
and the East on the Equico Quebec Facebook page HERE.
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