Jill Henselwood, a top competitor and highly-respected clinician, has been turning out well-rounded horsemen and women from her Juniper Farms in Oxford Mills, ON, for more than 25 years. Her own life path was sparked after attending a riding camp as a child and eventually led to a full-blown career training and competing show jumpers. She first stepped into the grand prix ring in 1989, was named to the Canadian Equestrian Team in 1991– the year she also won the ‘Rookie of the Year’ title. The following year she was a member of the winning Nations’ Cup team at CSIO Mexico and also clinched the $90,000 Grand Prix there.

Jill’s team participation encompasses every major international event including five World Cup Finals, four Pan Am Games (winning individual gold and team silver in 2007 riding Special Ed), two World Equestrian Games and two Olympic Games (team silver on Special Ed in 2008). In 2005, Jill claimed her first Canadian Show Jumping Championship riding Black Ice at The Royal, repeating the title in 2015 aboard Farfelu du Printemps. Jill also won the Spruce Meadows North American Championship three years in a row in 2004, 2005 and 2006.

Jill’s somewhat unique educational background has lent itself to her being an especially effective coach. In the course of completing a four-year degree at the University of Ottawa in Human Kinetics, she studied the sciences of exercise and pedagogy (“the study of teaching, which gave me a unique education which I have used in my career ever since.”) As a Level 1 coach in soccer, swimming, basketball, and track and field, she honed theory and technique in teaching a variety of skills which has proved invaluable as she now imparts her knowledge to equestrian students.

Those students are now making their mark and starting their own professional careers. Makayla Barta is a top jumper and equitation competitor on both the east and west coast; Ali Ramsay has become a fierce grand prix competitor; Julia Madigan was U25 Champ at the 2018 Royal Horse Show; and Jaclyn Duff rode on the 2018 Nations Cup team in Rome. Another former student, Chris Surbey, went on to compete at the World Cup Finals in Omaha. Add Elizabeth Gingras, Kelly Small, Kim Farlinger, Joelle Froese, Jenn Serek, Brendan Keon, Stacey Ryan, Mark Leyton, and Taylor Bland to that list. “All are so accomplished and many received red coats and jumped a Nation’s Cup for Canada,” says Jill proudly.

Jill, 57, continues to compete aboard her top horses Eblesse and Caantinue, the latter which survived a fire as a five-year-old in Germany before coming into Jill’s care in 2017. Following a hernia operation in 2019, the first time back in the ring he jumped double clear. “The future is bright for 2020!”

Foreseeable Future

“I want to get back to join in with the Canadian Team. I will focus on individual athlete goals such as World Cup Qualifiers, and develop my two top horses. Athlete development for our younger Canadians is a top priority as well in 2020.”

Mission Possible

“My 10-year vision includes coaching and athlete development and staying current and involved in show jumping.”