Equestrian Canada (EC) has named Megan Lane of Loretto, ON the February 2018 Red Scarf Equestrian Dressage Athlete of the month in recognition of the consistent results she has produced at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) in Wellington, FL. Lane has been competing with three horses at AGDF, all of whom are in contention to compete at the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games: Caravella (sired by Contango), a 17-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare owned by Megan, Cathy & Kelsey Lane; San D’Or (Pavarottie W x Cocktail), a 12-year-old Westphalian gelding owned by Deer Ridge Equestrian; and, Zodiac MW (Rousseau x Amethist), a 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Deer Ridge Equestrian. At AGDF 5, Lane had two third place finishes...
Ava MacCoubrey from Cobourg, ON has been named the Red Scarf Equestrian Dressage Athlete of the Month for August 2017 in light of her consistent results and success in the dressage ring. In the spring of 2017, Equestrian Canada (EC) caught up with the 15-year-old rising star. At the time, MacCoubrey’s short-term goal was to qualify and represent Canada at the 2017 Adequan/FEI North American Junior & Young Rider Championships (NAJYRC). In July 2017, Ava not only represented Canada at NAJYRC, but was Canada’s highest-placed individual in the Junior division. “It was my first time competing at NAJYRC, and it was such an amazing experience,” said MacCoubrey. “I am honoured to be named Athlete of the Month for August.” Riding...
Based on her outstanding European debut, Equestrian Canada (EC) has named Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu of Ottawa, ON the Red Scarf Equestrian Dressage Athlete of the Month for July. Fraser-Beaulieu and All In (Tango x Damiro), her 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, started the month off at the CDI 4* Fritzens in Austria. After celebrating Canada Day with a Grand Prix finish of fourth place (70.100%) on July 1, they followed up with 12th place (67.675%) in the Grand Prix Freestyle on July 2. Next, Fraser-Beaulieu and All In moved on to the prestigious CHIO Aachen World Equestrian Festival in Germany. Weeks of travel showed little impact on the pair, who have been competing together since 2013. Both remained concentrated and poised in...
Recently, I attended a Dressage show to groom for a couple of my friends. Being a rider of a “certain age” myself, I noticed how most of the competitors were like me or older. When I have been to Event shows or Hunter/Jumper shows, it seems like most of the participants are quite young. What is it about Dressage that attracts mature riders? It most certainly doesn’t look easier than the other riding sports. I know that some mature riders are also professionals. At the 2012 Olympics, a 71 year old rider from Japan competed quite respectably at the top level. For this article, I am most interested in the adult amateurs who started competing in Dressage later in...
