Following two days and three rounds of competition, 19 year-old Danielle Sayer of Kemptville, ON (representing the Atlantic region) captured the 2024 CET Medal National Final title, presented by Running Fox Equestrian Products. The final jumping rounds were held the afternoon of Thursday, November 9 during the Royal Horse Show in Toronto, ON, part of the 102nd Royal Agricultural Winter Fair.
Riding Corleone, a borrowed horse very generously loaned from Faith, Tim and Janice Saunders, Sayer finished her first (and only!) year competing in the CET classes at the very top. Once you win the National Finals, you are no longer eligible to compete in CET Medal classes.
Sayer bested a field of up-and-coming athletes who qualified for the CET Final from four regions across Canada (Atlantic, Ontario, Prairies and British Columbia). This was Sayer’s first Royal competing on a horse, having previously shown pony hunters throughout her childhood.
Having the advantage of riding the final test fourth, following the other three riders in the class, Sayer commented her primary goal was to “have a positive experience for herself and her horse,” which she obviously did and more.
“I was really stressed about the final test,” she admitted. “I was lucky to ride the test last, and since trainers are not allowed to walk the course or give advice, I had a little mantra going in my head saying what (trainer Kelley Robinson) would be telling me: ‘Ride the course first, equitate second.’”
Speaking with judge Chris Wynne (Virginia Beach, VA) after the class, he mentioned while the final scores were very close, Sayer’s polish, finesse and conservative plan stood her ahead of the others.
“For the final test, it was very, very close with the top three scores,” Wynne remarked. “What separated the top score in the test was just a little bit more finesse going around the course. The winner rode beautifully, and I think she knew she was far enough ahead, that she rode very comfortably and didn’t push things to have a rail down. She was very safe with her ride, which was brilliant, I think on her part. She made no mistakes, but she was also smart enough to know to protect the good job she had done coming into the final round.”
The CET medal class has been part of developing young athletes on their way to represent Canada in international competition. Several notable past winners include Canadian Team members Erynn Ballard, Tiffany Foster, and Sam Walker.
Rounding out the final were Margaret Armstrong (Ontario region) riding her own Falstaff in second place, and in third, Emma Sauders (Atlantic region) riding her own Cedo.
The class is generously sponsored by Running Fox a Canadian-owned retailer of prestigious English riding apparel and equestrian products. They provided a saddle for the winner as well as coolers for the top eight placings.
The W. Douglas Hood Memorial Trophy is presented to the winner by his family, in the memory of the late Douglas Hood.
For complete results as well as the full Royal Horse Show schedule, live scoring, live streaming and more, visit www.royalfair.org.
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