Karen Hendry-Ouellette’s name is synonymous with hunter/jumper sport in Canada. As the long-serving Manager – Jumping at Equestrian Canada, Hendry-Ouellette is the go-to person for all things related to the sport’s largest discipline. From working side-by-side with our high performance show jumping athletes at major games to managing the CET Medal and Youth programs, Hendry-Ouellette does it all.
With a competitive career that stretches from an early beginning in her native Scotland to training for 10 years with none other than Ian “Captain Canada” Millar, Hendry-Ouellette can talk the talk as well as walk the walk. Her personal experiences as an athlete, combined with her professional role at Equestrian Canada, make her an infinite, invaluable, and irreplaceable source of knowledge.
Let’s start at the beginning. Tell us how you first got involved with riding.
I was born in England and grew up in Scotland, just outside of Edinburgh. My grandmother gave me riding lessons as a gift when I was four years old. Shortly thereafter, my dad took me to an agricultural auction where I begged him for a pony. That is where we bought Super Snail, better known as “Surpy.” He was a grey Welsh pony that was so quiet yet so smart. He was the perfect first pony for a child.