Canada: Endurance Team Spirit Shines Bright at FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018

Equestrian.ca - Full Article & photos

October 3 2018

Despite a restart, weather complications and the ultimate cancellation of the endurance competition at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 (WEG), the Canadian Endurance Team impressed with their unquenchable team spirit and perseverance on Sept. 12 in Mill Spring, NC.

The team – comprised of Colleen DeVry of Bruderheim, AB; Robert Gielen of Flesherton, ON; Wendy MacCoubrey of Sainte-Justine-de-Newton, QC; Kimberley Woolley of Finch, ON; and reserve rider, Tracy Vollman of Regina, SK – had proved they were ones to watch during a long and challenging WEG qualifying period that ran from July 2016 to July 2018. Gielen and MacCoubrey earned top 10 positions in the 2017 FEI Open Combination World Endurance Rankings with their horses, and DeVry came to WEG 2018 fresh off a second place finish, just 10 seconds shy of first, at the 2018 Bellis Summer Sizzler CEI 3* 160km race.

“We had reasonably focused on a goal of medaling as a team with potential for one or two top 20 individuals,” said Deanna Spiker, Endurance Chef d’Équipe, of Team Canada’s chances at the Games. “When the race was cancelled, we had one horse within the top 20 with one moving up just behind, and our three horses that remained in competition looked good for their final vet inspection.”

At the time the race was called off, Gielen was in the lead position for the Canadian team with his nine-year-old Arabian gelding, More Bang for Your Buck (Doran x Forty Thieves). A veteran of WEG 2010 and the oldest member of the Canadian Equestrian Team at 68 years of age, Gielen used his wealth of experience to successfully manage and pace his horse...

Read more here:
https://www.equestrian.ca/news/PtHMAF72tGLSiZo8r/endurance-team-spirit-shines-bright-at