Kudos for Canada’s Equestrians

The Canadian Paralympic Equestrian team caught the attention of European nations at its first competition against 68 of the top Paralympic riders from 17 countries. The Open European Championships took place in Anadia, Portugal, from September 17 to 22.

This was the first "own horse" competition for riders with disabilities, and most of the Europeans were riding their own Grand Prix level horses. However, the Canadian team leased horses in Portugal to save shipping expenses.

Despite this disadvantage, Canada placed seventh overall in the competition. In fact, Canadians were the top-scoring riders on borrowed horses, often scoring above the European riders on their own horses.

The Canadian team, which included Judi Island of Cheltenham, Ontario, Lauren Barwick of Aldergrove, B.C., Jenni Rowe of Guelph, Ontario, and Karen Brain of London, Ontario - with with Mary Longden as Coach and Jane James as Chef d’Equip - arrived just one week before the competition to lease horses at the Portuguese Military School in Mafra, south of Lisbon.

The team selected four Portuguese-bred, Lusitano-cross horses, with varying degrees of training. After three training days, the team travelled 230 km north of Lisbon to the competition at Anadia. In spite of unusually wet conditions, Team Canada rode very well.

The next International Competition for the Canadian Paralympic Equestrian Team will be held September 2 to 7, 2003, in Mooresele, Belgium.

For complete competition results, visit the website of the International Paralympic Equestrian Committee, www.ipec-athletes.de. For more information, about CanTRA (Canadian Therapeutic Riding Association), call (519) 767-0700, or visit www.cantra.ca.