Ariel MacLeod of Montney, BC, will represent Canada at the FEI World Endurance Junior & Young Rider Championship, which will take place on December 10 in Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates.
MacLeod, 17, will ride Cairos Summer Romance, a Canadian-bred nine-year-old black Anglo-Arab mare owned by MacLeod’s mother Tara Macleod, over the 120 km race. With 129 competitors representing 33 nations, this CH-M-E-JYR 4* competition is certainly a premier international event on the endurance circuit.
“My goal is to take it easy during the first couple of loops,” said MacLeod, of her plans with her home-bred partner. “If everything goes according to plan, we will kick it up for the last few loops if Summer feels like she has some spunk.”
Team Canada Veterinarian, Glenn Sinclair, DVM, left on December 2 to be in Abu Dhabi to meet Cairos Summer Romance on her arrival. MacLeod and her grooms, Tara MacLeod and Joan Harris, traveled on December 3 with Team Canada chef d’équipe, Maura Leahy.
“I would like to thank Glenn, my mom and dad, Joan and Maura for all their help and support,” added MacLeod.
Competition schedule at the Emirates International Endurance Village
December 9 at 10 a.m. — vetting in
December 10 at 6:30 a.m. — race day
Vet Gates:
Phase 1 — 21 km — hold of 30 minutes
Phase 2 — 28 km — hold of 30 minutes
Phase 3 — 24 km — hold of 40 minutes
Phase 4 — 20 km — hold of 40 minutes
Phase 5 — 16 km
To view the trail maps for the Championship, please visit http://bit.ly/voWSoc. For complete details about the FEI World Endurance Junior & Young Rider Championship, visit http://bit.ly/tbDT0j.
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