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Alberta Sweeps Seven Team Medals at the Canadian Nationals

August 17, 2008

Calgary, AB --- The Rocky Mountain Challenge - 2008 Canadian Nationals represented over 170 long distance riders from across Canada and the United States from July 31 - August 4, 2008. Three sports crowned their Canadian Champions: competitive trail riding, endurance and ride n’ tie. The events were hosted at Red Deer River Ranches a working cattle and guest ranch west of Sundre, AB.

FAST RESULTS

Competitive Trail
Individual Gold - Leanna Marchant, Calgary, AB; Individual Silver - Natasha French; Individual Bronze - Cathy Kolesar

Gold - Natasha French, Millarville, AB - Cathy Kolesar, Coutts, AB - Holly Tibble, St. Albert, AB

Silver - Linda Riley, Leslieville, AB -  Kandace Krause, Canmore, AB - Christine Smith, Calgary, AB

Bronze - Elaine Steel, Mountain Grove, ON - Laura Rye of Alliston, ON - Anne MacKay of B.C.

Canadian National Junior Champion - Leah Brunner, Red Deer, AB

50 Mile Endurance
Winner - Elroy Karius, Kelowna, BC
Best Condition - Bill Miller of Fairfield, MT

Gold - Nancy Haughian, Grande Prairie, AB - Dave Getzinger, Drayton Valley, AB Karen Badger, Grande Prairie, AB

Silver - Carol, Rae-Anne and Robyn Wadey of Edson, AB

Bronze - Lori Brewza, Chase BC - Gail Jewell, Kelowna, BC - Wyatt Laing, Okanagan Center, BC

100 mile Endurance
Winner and Best Condition - Gail Jewell, Kelowna, BC

Gold - Christy and Jaylene Janzen of Devon, AB - Crystal Fulcher, Seba Beach, AB

Silver - Gail Jewell, Kelowna, B.C. - Tunie Russeau, Westbank, BC - Terre O’
Brennen, Delta, BC

No Bronze team.

20 Mile Ride N’ Tie
Gold - Alison Douglas, Banff, AB - Heather Price, Canmore, AB Silver - Rae-Anne Wadey, Edson, AB - Jenny Mooney, Winfield, AB Bronze - Prue Critchley of Hamiota, MB - Kristine Erb of Oakbluff, MB

Further Details

“The ranch was an excellent venue to showcase long distance talent.
Beautiful, scenic trail provided our wide range of competitors with a challenging and unforgettable experience.” Declared Sandra Nielsen, RMC committee president. “It was terrific to see the varying ages of riders and the many breeds of horses participating; among the many Arabians were standardbreds, quarter horses, mustangs, even a Norwegian Fjord.  One particular favorite was Leah Brunner’s 13.1hh pony, Willow, a very strong competitor in the junior 80-mile Competitive Trail event.”

With Alberta as host of the event, both endurance and competitive trail events qualified two teams a piece and this strong contingent of teams claimed five of the possible six Canadian National team medals in those two sports including three gold and two silver.

“In numbers, Alberta has the strongest competitive trail club (Trail Riding Alberta Conference) in Canada as well as a very strong endurance club (Endurance Riders of Alberta).  These clubs sanction several regional competitions held throughout the year all over Alberta, so it was no surprise to have the “home team” in the medals,” commented Nielsen.




Competitive Trail Riding

In the competitive trail riding, a two-day eighty-mile ride was hosted in superb competition weather conditions with partly cloudy skies and temperatures from sub to mid twenties. The trail wound its way through the foothills region of the Rocky Mountains and challenged the horses with elevation gains of 2223 meters. “We threw at them everything the foothills of the Canadian Rockies provides:  Hard climbs, long flats, lots of technical riding, plenty of water, and some bog.  It was a challenging but fair test of distance horses competing at a national championship.” Stated Brent Seufert, trail committee.

In total, 30 riders started, 20 riders finished. Competitive trail riders have a minimum and maximum time period in which to complete the course and were scored on how their horse’s handled the challenge. Team scores were tabulated to determine the 2008 Canadian Champions.

Gold was awarded to Alberta A team - Natasha French of Millarville, AB riding her twelve year-old bay Arabian mare Savannah, Cathy Kolesar of Coutts, AB riding a seven year-old Arabian named Classical Dancer and Holly Tibble of St. Albert, AB riding King Sera, a nine year old Arabian. French also won the individual silver and Kolesar captured the individual bronze medal.

The silver medal was won by Alberta B team despite the unfortunate circumstance of Kandance Krause’s horse losing a shoe on day one resulting in her time penalty disqualification. The team included veteran long distance rider Linda Riley of Leslieville, AB riding sixteen year-old Kittasha, Kandace Krause of Canmore, AB riding Jasmin, a sixteen year-old Arab cross and Christine Smith of Calgary, AB riding her eleven year-old Arabian, JV Prism in their first Nationals appearance and only their second season in the sport.

The bronze medal was awarded to team Ontario, which included Elaine Steel of Mountain Grove, ON riding Chanticleer Shadow, Laura Rye of Alliston, ON riding Touch of Steel and Anne MacKay of B.C. riding Dante.

Leanna Marchant of Calgary, AB riding her solid Arabian, Samson’s Fire put together a stellar ride finishing with an individual gold medal.

Nine year-old Leah Brunner of Red Deer, AB and her trusty pony ‘Willow’ were named the Canadian National Junior Champions in their first open season and first National event.

“I love this sport. I’m always going to be in this sport - competitive trail and endurance.” beams a self-assured young Brunner.


50 Mile Endurance

In the fifty-mile endurance event, the Alberta team of Nancy Haughian of Grande Prairie, AB riding Buckaroo Heart, Dave Getzinger of Drayton Valley, AB aboard Prince Charming and Karen Badger of Grande Prairie, AB riding Pilgrim claimed the gold medal. Twenty of the twenty-nine starters finished the event including Carol Wadey of Edson, AB and her two young daughters, Rae-Anne (17) and Robyn (13). These talented riders comprised Alberta’s second team and were the only team in both the 50 and 100-mile events to finish all three team members earning them their silver medals.

With over 23,000 combined miles between them this was the first time they have competed at nationals. It was also only the second time that they have ridden together in a team event. Robyn rode nineteen year-old Spanish Mustang named Gypsy while her Mom; Carol rode Gypsy’s offspring, a half Arab named MR Ladybird.

Rae-Anne rode Jet, her fifteen year-old 14.1 hh polish Arab “I’ve been riding him for ten years.” Says Rae-Anne. “He’s naturally easy at the start of ride, it’s so nice. He’s slowing a little now. I have put on about 500-700 miles per year, but last year it was barely over 100. I’m slowing down a little too. A lot of slow miles, we never go fast. I like it, its fun, it’s a challenge.”

Mom Carol has been competing since 1983. Rae-Anne started at age 5 in limited distance; Robyn started limited distance age 5 and started 50s the same year.

British Columbia secured the bronze medals with riders Lori Brewza from Chase BC riding her twelve year-old Morab Black Majik, Gail Jewell of Kelowna, BC and Wyatt Laing from Okanagan Center, BC riding a part-bred Arab Cody Flair.

Overall, the individual gold medal in the 50-mile was Elroy Karius of Kelowna riding Jolly Holiday, a six year-old Arabian with a ride time of 5:37:57.

“When you do this sport and the horse gives you everything they can give you and you get it done…It’s a gift.” Said Karius of his win.

Bill Miller of Fairfield, MT rode his Arabian HA Lady Valarrie and captured the silver and the coveted best condition accolade with his time of 5:39:21.
Doug Swingley of Lincoln, MT rode JV Laredo, a seven year-old Arabian to the bronze medal finishing in 5:47:31.

100 Mile Endurance

In the 100-mile event, Alberta’s contingent of consummate riders also captured gold. This gold-medal team included Christy Janzen of Devon, AB riding Salate's Victory, her fifteen year-old daughter Jaylene aboard SLSF Halite's Comet and Crystal Fulcher of Seba Beach, AB riding Bardo Grey Fonyx.

While their day started out in a similar weather pattern of earlier days in the week, the winds of change erupted with showers about eight hours into the event followed by two storm cells rolling through the area after the eleven hour mark. Out of 26 starters, only ten riders crossed the finish line. The torrent of rain was influential in preventing any riders from attaining a sub 13 hour 20 minute ride time to qualify in the FEI event for the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky in 2010.

The silver medal was awarded to British Columbia. The team consisted of Gail Jewell of Kelowna, B.C. who won the ride on her ten year-old Arab NL Temptation. Jewell’s teammates included Tunie Russeau of Westbank, BC riding thirteen-year-old Arietta and Terre O’Brennen of Delta, BC riding twelve-year-old Arabian, Koszaar.

Jewell also commandeered the much sought-after title of best condition in both the AERC and FEI events with her ride time of 14:18:54, which was well ahead of Sue Summers from Gifford, WA who finished in 15:42:33 riding Mags Motovator.

There was no bronze team awarded.

Individual Canadian Championship 100 Miles: Gold - Gail Jewell DVM, Silver - Trisha Dowling DVM (St. Denis, SK), Bronze - Crystal Fulcher.





Ride N’ Tie

In the Ride n’ Tie twenty-mile Canadian Championship event, Alberta teams emerged with gold and silver titles. Gold was awarded to Alison Douglas of Banff, AB and Heather Price of Canmore, AB who complete the challenging, muddy course in 3:28, pursued closely by Rae-Anne Wadey and Jenny Mooney of Winfield, AB in 3:35 who captured the silver medal. Wadey and Mooney teamed up after Wadey’s original partner backed out. They rode ‘Tonto’ a horse owned by Alberta rider Christy Janzen for the event. Wadey competes in track and field, cross-country and also did the K-100 relay in Kananaskis country.
“We get off our horses a lot when doing endurance riding.” Says Wadey of the running portion of the ride n’ tie. “I went to the World Champion ride n’
tie in Montana three years ago. That one was a bit easier than this one.”
Claims Wadey who had to battle slick, mucky conditions following Sunday’s rainstorms.

Prue Critchley of Hamiota, MB, a few generations Wadey’s senior, and Kristine Erb of Oakbluff, MB showed dogged determination in completing the course in 6:15 riding sixteen year-old Morab, Fort William.

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