JULY 2012 THE RIDER /39 Canada’s Bid to Host the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games™ One Step Closer
Ottawa June 13, 2012 - Equine Canada, together with the Bromont Bid Committee for the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games™ (WEG) has received word that Canada is one step closer to hosting this prestigious international equestrian event. The Fédération Equestre Inter- nationale (FEI) reports that five countries have been confirmed as bidders and move to Official Candidate status: Rabat (MAR); Bromont (CAN); Budapest (HUN); Vienna (AUT) and Wellington (USA).
“This is great news for Canada and the entire equestrian community,” stated Paul Côté, chair of the Bromont Bid Com- mittee. Mike Gallagher, presi- dent of Equine Canada, and a member of the committee added, “If successful, this event
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Fans can follow the Team’s per- formance during the Games online at Canadian Paralympic Committee, as well as at Equine Canada.
will create a lasting legacy for our equestrian nation, not to mention world-class facilities for our athletes to train and compete.”
The Bromont Equestrian Park, located in south-east of Montreal in the eastern town- ships, together with the City of Montreal were host to the 1976 summer games. Bromont regu- larly welcomes prestigious com- petitions including the FEI International Bromont in Jump- ing and the VOLVO CCI3* Bromont Three Day Event held this past weekend, the last North American qualifying competi- tion leading up to the 2012 Lon- don Olympic Games.
The FEI World Equestrian Games are held every four years, in the middle of the Olympic cycle. The eight FEI
disciplines - Jumping, Dressage and Para-Equestrian Dressage, Eventing, Driving, Endurance, Vaulting and Reining - are all included on the competition schedule.
“We now enter the second phase of the bid process,” advis- es Mr. Gallagher, “and will be reaching out across the country for input from all of our disci- plines, potential partners, orga- nizers and stakeholders as we move forward together as Cana- dians to bring the World Eques- trian Games to our country.” “As a result of hosting this event, we stand to generate mil- lions of dollars in economic spin-offs, not to mention the creation of a world class eques- trian centre capable of year- round training and competitions for decades to come.”
Equine Canada would like to acknowledge the funding contributions of the following partners-Own the Podium, Canadian Olympic Commit- tee, Canadian Paralympic Committee and Sport Canada.
For more information contact: Julie Cull, EC Media Relations and Games Media Press Attaché for Para- Equestrian, at 613 248-3433, x 136/Cell 613 858 7562/
jcull@equinecanda.ca
Read More About Our Riders Lauren Barwick
“I’m honored to be representing Canada at my third Paralympic games.
I’ve had fantastic support from Equine Canada, Sport Canada, my sponsors Parelli Natural Horsemanship and friends and family to make this hap- pen. The bar has been raised since Bei- jing and it is going to be an extremely competitive field of riders. I’m looking forward to bringing my best with my fantastic partner Off to Paris and will enjoy seeing my fellow team mate Ashley Gowanlock compete on one of my other horses Maile, a previous medal winner, or Ferdonia 2. I feel Canada has put together an excellent support system for London from our chef d’équipe to our awesome grooms. We will be a strong team.”
Eleonore Elstone
“I am very excited to be represent- ing Canada as a member of the Para- Equestrian team for London. I am grateful to all the people that have been supportive in my journey, especially my family. Zareno is a great horse with
The Bromont Bid Commit- tee will travel to FEI Headquar- ters in Lausanne for a special briefing on July 11, along with the four other bidders. The Committee has until December 15, 2012 to submit its official host bid package and will receive a delegation from the FEI for a site inspection between July and then. A deci- sion will be announced in the spring of 2013.
“We must acknowledge and thank the many supporters who have been assisting our committee in this dream,” states Mr. Côté. “We could not have made it this far without their help - but going forward, we will be calling upon more gov- ernment, business and equestri- an partners and sponsors to get behind this major event for
a sweet personality. He is so rewarding to ride because he always tries to please. We have had the chance to compete in three European CPEDI competitions in the past few months with good results and I am looking for- ward to our final training camp in August.”
Ashley Gowanlock
“I am feeling very blessed, it’s definitely a dream come true. London will be my second Games so I’ll be striving to better my results from Bei- jing 2008. I can’t wait to be in London and will ride for Canadian pride. It’s taken a lot of hard work to get here, but it wouldn’t have been possible without the amazing support of Own the Podi- um and my friends and family that have rallied around me.”
Jody Schloss
“I am very excited about the prospect of going to London to com-
What A Ride It Has Been For Connie Kempter, 1949 - 2012 By Kelly Bowers
On May 29, 2012, Cornelia “Connie” Kempter of Rappenhof Summit Trakehners in Bridesville, BC, died suddenly of an aneurism at her home. It was just four days after her 63rd birthday. Connie is survived and lovingly remembered by her partner in life, Steven Watson in Bridesville. She will also be missed tremendously by her mother, her brother, Christian and sister-in-law Karen in Berlin, Germany. Connie was pre-deceased by her father. She was a member of the ATA, CTA and CWBA for many years. In the past, she stood her beloved stallion Carino *E* who with her own Palma Nigra *E* produced her dear Platinum vom Rappenhof *Pb*, now standing at Valhalla Farm in Wellborn, FL. Originally from Germany, where she spend summers hiking the Alps with her parents, Connie loved the mountains which lead her to a mountaintop in BC half a century later. Her love of horses began with the book “My Friend Flicka” given to her by her grand father. Her first horse Lero was a Trakehner gelding who had survived the 1000 km ‘trek’ from East Prussia to West Germany at the end of World War II. He was the reason she was dedicated to help- ing this amazing refugee breed to continue.
An interesting path is never straight and Connie’s life was a winding trail. She competed in dres- sage and jumping in Germany and passed the German riding instructor and studmaster exam Eq. Fed. She
bred Trakehners in Germany and Australia before moving to Canada where she lived at Rappenhof in
Quebec until 2008. Some of her Trakehner ‘kids’ made it to World- cup, one even to Olympic medal level and several served the breed as approved stallions.
In 2007, Rappenhof’s trusted semen collector for 14 years, Miguel, retired which she considered a sign that it was time for change so Connie and Steve made an exploratory drive to BC. They fell in love with a log home on the top of Anarchist Sum- mit near Osoyoo and bought the small breeding farm, fulfilling Con- nie’s lifelong dream.
Sadly, before the move in 2008, Connie’s beloved Carino died, and they set off with ATA Elite mare Palma Nigra “E”, their son Platy, and a few new broodmares for the third decade under the revised name, “Rappenhof Summit Trakehners”. However, a final blow to Rappenhof Trakehners was the death of Palma Nigra ‘E’ in December 2010. As a tribute to Palma Nigra *E*, Connie and Steve decided to retire from breeding. So in 2011, the farm and horses were put up for sale and life’s path was about to curve again. Although she would have loved to retain part ownership in Platy, the plan was for Connie and Steve to retire in Puerto Escondido, Mexico. There, they would run a B&B near the beach with Steve giv- ing guitar lessons. But sadly this was not to be and the trail abruptly ended for Connie too soon. In Connie’s own words “ We hope that some of you will be our guests of honour one day and canter along the Mexican beach with us. Maybe I will finally have time to write my Trakehner memoirs along the line: “With the Moose antler breed in three continents. What a ride it has been!”
The family requests that expres- sions of sympathy would be appreci- ated in the form of donations to the Desert Valley Hospice Society, PO Box 1261, Oliver, BC V0H 1T0. Condolence messages may be sent to
www.grahamfh.com.
Canada.”
“It’s time to give equestrian sports, including all the riders, horses, coaches, owners and supporters, a home-town world class venue and such prestigious event in which participants will shine internationally,” enthuses Mr. Côté. “It’s time our nation’s athletes and horses were wel- comed home to the World Equestrian Games.”
The following expressions of support have already come forward for the 2018 Bromont Bid from:
• City of Bromont • Cirque du Soleil • Rio Tinto Alcan
• Canadian Olympic Committee • Canadian Paralympic Commit- tee
• Government of Quebec • City and Tourism Montreal
pete in the Paralympic games. With a lot of hard work by a whole team of people, I have managed to get this far. This endeavour took a lot of hard work before it could happen. I went through rigorous training in order to learn how to ride Inspector Rebus effectively. I am excited to be the new member to the team at this Paralympic games. The other members on the team are vetrans from whom I hope to learn.”
About Para-Equestrian Canada Para-Equestrian Canada is the Equine Canada committee responsible for developing programs for athletes with a physical disability, and imple- menting the Para-Dressage high perfor- mance program. Para-Equestrian is one of Canada’s most successful interna- tional disciplines, achieving an individ- ual gold medal and an individual silver medal at the 2008 Paralympic Games, as well as two individual bronze medals at the 2004 Paralympic Games.
About Para-Equestrian Sport Para-Equestrian sport provides riders with a physical disability the opportunity to compete against other riders with similar abilities. Riders are given a “Grade” based on their func- tional ability, and are judged on their riding skill against other athletes of the same Grade. There are five grades of competitions in dressage, with Grade IA representing the more severely impaired riders, and Grade IV repre- senting the least severely impaired rid- ers. Many Para-Equestrian athletes also compete alongside able-bodied com- petitors in Equine Canada competi- tions. At the grass roots level, Para- Equestrian encompasses a number of different disciplines, while the interna- tional stream focuses only on Para- Dressage. For more information, please visit
www.equinecanada.ca/para-equestrian.
• City of Sherbrooke
• Fédération équestre du Québec • Tourism Eastern Townships • University of Montreal • Eric Lamaze, elite athlete • Mario Deslauriers, elite athlete • Chester Webber, elite athlete • Montreal Hunt Club • John Maddem
• Leopoldo Palacios, FEI course designer
The Bromont Bid Commit- tee for the 2018 WEG will be establishing a web site in order to further communicate with the public as the bid process moves forward. Interested individuals are encouraged to stay-tuned for more information coming on line.
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