After three days of intense competition in Show Jumping, Reining and Dressage at the Bromont Olympic Equestrian Park, the Quebec delegation prevailed. Gold medal recipient in the three disciplines, Team Quebec was elected Champion with a total of 215 points. Saskatchewan finished 2nd with 162 points, followed by Nova Scotia with 120 points.
In the first edition of this interprovincial battle, riders were allowed to compete both as Individuals and as a Team. Six provinces, namely British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland & Labrador, as well as Quebec, gathered points in the disciplines of Dressage, Show Jumping and Reining (the latter being the only western saddle discipline recognized by the FEI). Although Quebec had a great showing in this competition, Team Saskatchewan was very competitive as well, earning Silver medals in Show Jumping, Dressage and Reining. Representatives of British Columbia took the Bronze in Dressage, while Team Nova Scotia gathered Bronze medals in Reining and Show Jumping.
In the Individual category, six Quebec riders garnered Gold medals in the three featured disciplines. Riders from the other provinces, particularly those mounting loaned horses from Quebec owners, also deserve great praise. Of the 12 members of Team Saskatchewan’s delegation, 7 rode loaned horses. All of Team British Columbia’s riders, as well as the lone participant from Newfoundland & Labrador, performed on horses which were not their own. Aboard Roméo, owned by Carolie Dejordy et Louise Couillard, 13-year-old Paige Hodgson from Saskatchewan took the Bronze medal in the Junior category. Her teammate Heather Brodsky achieved the same feat for the Seniors with Qui Est-ce, property of the Centre équestre de Bromont. Riding Carolane Grenier’s Canadian horse Rafale du Coteau Mermoz, Rachel Blackmon(BC) took home the Bronze for the Seniors. Such performances are all the more worthy considering the short amount of preparation these riders had with their horses.
Competitors who had brought their own horses also had issues to overcome, namely those of transport fatigue and getting used to a new environment. Yet 13 year-old Brooklyn Braun from Saskatchewan rose up to the challenge and brought home a Gold medal in Reining for the Juniors. For her part, Christie Reiber (SK) won the Silver in the Senior category, while Team Nova Scotia’s Erin Huntington and Laura Perry took the Bronze in each category. After winning the first test in Dressage, their teammate Vanessa Scanlan finished 9th on the second test and 2nd on the third, earning a Silver medal for the Seniors, as did Matthew Cormier in Show Jumping.
“I want to congratulate Team Quebec, particularly the Gold medal recipients Béatrice Boucher (Junior) and Maude Joannette (Senior) in Dressage, as well as Alexandre Gonzalez in Show Jumping, Vicky Tzournavelis and Stephanie Briggs ex-aequo in Reining, and Silver medal winners Camille Carier-Bergeron in Dressage et Tamara Ducatel in Show Jumping”, stated Gisèle Pagé, chef d’equipe for Team Quebec. “But I also want to underline the excellent participation of all the riders. There was a healthy competition spirit and a great atmosphere throughout the event”.
This great happening was a stunning success, and all the more proof that organising an equestrian Championship between provinces in different disciplines is highly feasible. Organisers and representatives of the different provinces unanimously agree that this first edition of the Canadian Equestrian Championships is a great success. All participants hope to reconvene in 2012.
Results
Overall Ranking:
1st Quebec
2nd Saskatchewan
3rd Nova Scotia
4th British Columbia
5th Prince Edward Island
6th Newfoundland & Labrador
Team Championships
Dressage
Gold: Quebec
Silver : Saskatchewan
Bronze : British Columbia
Reining
Gold: Québec
Silver: Saskatchewan
Bronze : Nova Scotia
Show Jumping
Gold: Quebec
Silver: Saskatchewan
Bronze : Nova Scotia
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