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Canadian Eventing Team Prepares for the 2004 Olympic Games

July 13, 2004

Ottawa, Ontario --- As part of the final preparations for the Athens Olympics, the Canadian Eventing Team riders and alternates competed at the Maui Jim Wayne Horse Trials in Wayne, Illinois, USA, held July 9 to 11, 2004.

Stuart Black of Orangeville, Ontario, led the Canadians winning the advanced division with his own and Elkin’s Wetherill’s Fleeceworks Pacific Storm, Black’s third win in as many years. He also placed seventh riding his own and Elkin’s Wetherill’s Fleeceworks Blackout. Ian Roberts of Port Perry, Ontario, was third and fourth with Kelly Plitz’s Mata-Riki and Napalm respectively while Bruce Mandeville of Puslinch, Ontario, finished sixth with Franz and Elke Hollenbach’s Larissa.

The Wayne Horse Trials provided an excellent preparatory outing as horses and riders prepare for the Olympics. As well, it provided the opportunity for horses to be examined carefully by the Team’s International Technical Advisor, veterinarians and selectors in a scheduled assessment that would determine optimal preparation for the Games.

The final list of horses and riders was submitted to the Canadian Olympic Committee on July 12th.

The list is as follows in alphabetical order:

Hawley Bennett/Livingstone
Stuart Black/ Fleeceworks Blackout
Bruce Mandeville/Larissa
Ian Roberts/Mata-Riki
Mike Winter/Balista

Two horse rider combinations, Balladeer Ted/Peter Gray and Waikura/Garry Roque, will remain as alternates. It is possible that an alternate may be substituted on the to team up until the start of the competition. Suzy Pettman and Kilcotrim have withdrawn for medical reasons.

“The Horse Trials at Wayne did their job in being just hard enough to get our riders sharp,” noted Canadian Eventing Team International Technical Advisor, James Wofford. “The organizers went out of their way to make the Canadian Team very welcome. The state-of-the-art stadium jumping course, ideal cross-country course and footing, and a world-class dressage judge, General Jonathon R. Burton, made this competition a perfect preparatory stop.”

Katherine Lindsay, the competition organizer, was recognized with a presentation made by the Canadian delegation at the awards ceremony.

The Team will meet for their final pre- Olympic Training Camp July 28-August 4 at the York Equestrian Centre near Toronto and then depart for Athens on August 5th. The team will train under the leadership of James C. Wofford, International Technical Advisor and Olympic Eventing Team Coach and Dressage Coach Jane Savoie. Together with the Coaching staff, Eventing Team Manager Greg Paull, Team Veterinarian Dr. Jennifer Miller, Team Farrier Andy Vergut and Team Therapist Debbie Dobson will accompany and provide support to the team throughout the Games .

The Canadian Eventing Committee is grateful to Sport Canada, the Canadian Olympic Committee and all of its patrons, benefactors, and sponsors for their continued support of the Canadian Eventing Team in its quest for a Team top–six placing at the 2004 Olympic Games.

The Olympic sport of Eventing encompasses three separate tests: dressage, cross-country, and show jumping held consecutively. Each test ridden by the rider and horse in combination is scored individually but added together for the final results. The rider/horse combination with the fewest number of penalty points over the three days wins the competition. At the 2004 Olympic Games, the team and individual competition will run concurrently. The team competition consists of a minimum of three and a maximum of five competitors with the best three scores to count for the team classification. Following the first / Team medal show jumping round, the top twenty-five competitors compete in a second round of show jumping to determine the Individual medals.

Canadian Eventing is a committee of Equine Canada responsible for the sport of eventing in Canada from the grassroots to the international level. Canadian Eventing Committee is comprised of 12 members, including two rider representatives elected by the Elite Riders Association. Directed by the strategic plan for eventing, all Eventing activities are administered by this committee via six sub-committees with the support of Eventing Manager based at the Equine Canada office in Ottawa. The National Team athletes and program led by International Technical Advisor James C. Wofford, are monitored by the High Performance Committee. For more information about Canadian Eventing, visit www.canadianeventing.com

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