British Columbia native Eiren Crawford can’t remember her first ride. Her mother, an avid English and western rider, and her father, a cutting horse competitor, had her on the back of a horse before she could walk. Early in her riding career Eiren’s mother, Mary Ellen, impressed upon her how dressage could improve a horse. In 1988, a lesson with Canadian Olympian Gina Smith made a lasting impression on the then-12-year-old rider. “Gina made dressage seem fun and exciting,” she recalled. From that day on she was hooked on the sport.

Eiren’s riding education took her to Europe from 2008 to 2014 to train at some of the most well-respected stables in Germany and Denmark. “A [planned] year of training turned into six-and-a-half years,” she said. During this time, Eiren worked for Ingrid Klimke for a year and a half, describing the experience as “an absolute privilege.” Eiren worked with Morton Thompson in Denmark for two years, and also trained out of the barn of Andreas Helgestrand.

Eiren, 42, feels she benefitted from the complete immersion in the culture of dressage while in Europe. Every facility she rode at provided an opportunity to gain insight into different styles of riding and barn management. Eiren also gained valuable experience riding and competing young stallions and made her grand prix debut in Europe.

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