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The Legacy
of Canadian International Reining Competition
By Susan MacLennan
Canada has a prodigious record of achievement in
international reining competition. Canadians have competed internationally
since 2000. International competition is ruled by the FEI (Federalis
Equestre Internationale). In all international events to date, the Canadian
team has been top medal winners. This incredible record should inspire all
reiners and horse enthusiasts. Canada has some of the world’s top horses,
trainers, and riders in this very competitive sport. Today, over 30
countries have national reining associations. As the World Equestrian Games
(WEG) in Kentucky draw closer, it is important to reflect back on the
Canadian Team’s accomplishments.
The first international competition was held in
Gladstone, N.J., USA, in June 2000. Seven teams competed. They were the USA,
Canada, Italy, Germany, Venezuela, Japan and Brazil. Every team except the
USA and Canada rode borrowed horses.
2000 Team medal results: Gold-USA, Silver-Canada, Bronze-Italy.
The next international competition in reining (the first
FEI approved Nation’s Cup), was held in Reggio Emilia, Italy, in May 2001.
The event was one of the two qualifiers for the top ten teams to compete at
the WEG in Spain 2002. The Canadian team consisted of: Jason Grimshaw riding
Mr. Tanquery Bride (the only member of the official Team Canada that could
make the trip), Maurie Fisk riding Bran New Nic, Pierre Ouellet on Super
Olena, and Vern Sapergia aboard Show One Mark. Team Canada rode borrowed
horses. Eleven countries participated, including Canada, Italy, and the
U.S.A.
May 2001 Team medal results: Gold-Italy, Silver-Canada,
Bronze-Austria, Fourth-Germany, Fifth-Brazil, Sixth-Argentina.
The next international competition (FEI), was in
Gladstone, N.J., U.S.A., in June 2001. It was call the USET (United States
Equestrian Team) Nation’s Cup, during the USET Festival of Champions. Four
countries participated: USA, Canada, Germany and Mexico. The Canadian Team’s
riders were: Jason Grimshaw riding Listo Pollito Lena, Shawna Sapergia
riding Pretty Much Eagle, Lance Griffin riding Moonstone Chex, and Cody
Sapergia riding SR Cotton Candy. Molly Sapergia was the Chef d’Equipe. Two
of the four horses were Canadian-bred, and all four Canadian trained.
Jason Grimshaw and Listo Pollito Lena
Photo: Bart Grimshaw |
June 2001 Team medal results: Gold-Canada, Silver-USA, and
Bronze-Germany.
Individual medalists: Gold-Jason Grimshaw (Canada), Silver-Craig Johnson
riding Smokin Chic O Lena (USA), Bronze-Pete Kyle riding Dun It The Hard Way
(USA).
As the result of this qualifier for the next WEG, the
USA, Canada, Brazil, Mexico and Japan qualified to join five teams from the
Italian Qualifier for the first ever-reining competition to be held in
Spain, 2002.
Molly Sapergia (Chef d’ equipe), Lance Griffin, Cody Sapergia,
Shawna Sapergia,
Jason Grimshaw
Photo: Waltenberry Inc, Slidin’ Summer 2002
It was at this competition that the NRHA and the AQHA announced that
reining would be a medal event at the World Equestrian Games, being held in
Spain, 2002.
In June 2002, the USET hosted another Nation’s Cup.
Canadians rode borrowed horses. The top teams were: Team USA -Tim McQuay
riding Okie Dun It, Craig Johnson riding Sailing Smart, Dell Hendricks
riding Dunit In Hollywood, Shawn Flarida riding Freckles Top Prize; Team
Canada - Francois Gauthier riding Don Quintana, Shawna Sapergia riding Jac
Pic A Nic, Patrice St. Onge riding Start Me A Tab, and Team Brazil - Renata
Mauri Ricca riding Scottin Little Lady, Franco Bertolani riding Peppy Sol
Anson, Gilson Vieira Diniz Fihl riding Reys The Band, and Alexandre Lhanas
Ramos riding Melon Kali Jac.
2002 Team medal results: Gold- USA, Silver- Canada, Bronze- Brazil
2002 Individual medalists: Gold-Dell Hendricks
(USA), Silver-Craig Johnson (USA), Bronze -Shawn Flarida (USA).
In September 2002, our Canadian Team competed in the World Equestrian Games,
Jerez, Spain. About 46 horse and riders would compete, representing
countries from all over the world. The Canadian Team’s riders were: Francois
Gauthier riding Ghost Buster Baby, Jason Grimshaw riding Listo Pollito Lena,
Patrice St. Onge riding slip Me Another Kiss, and Shawna Sapergia riding
Pretty Much Eagle. The Chef d’equipes were Bob Thompson and Molly Sapergia.
2002 Team medal results : Gold- USA, Silver- Canada, Bronze- Italy.
2002 Individual medalists: Gold- Shawn Flarida riding San Jo
Freckles (USA), Silver- Tom McCutcheon riding Conquistador Whiz (USA), and
Bronze- Shawna Sapergia riding Pretty Much Eagle (USA).
Shawna Sapergia and Tom McCutcheon rode in a run off to determine the
final results, as they had been tied for second place. Tom succeeded,
securing the individual silver medal.
Bob Thompson (Chef d’equipe), Patrice St. Onge, Jason Grimshaw,
Francois Gauthier, Shawna Sapergia
Photo: Mike Scott, Slidin’ 2002
Photo: Mike Scott, Slidin’ Fall 2002
In 2004 the FEI started the World Reining Masters show, in which countries
could compete for a yearly world championship. In 2004 sixteen countries
competed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA. The results were:
2004 Masters: Gold – Todd Crawford (USA), Silver – Todd Sommers
(USA), Bronze – Jeannette Kraehenbuehl.
2005 Masters (Manerbio, Italy): Gold – Craig Schmersal (USA),
Silver - Tim McQuay (USA), Bronze – Steffen Breug
2006 Masters (Denver, Colorado): Gold – Shawn Flarida (USA),
Silver – Tom McCutcheon (USA), Bronze – Shawna Sapergia (Canada) riding BL
Whiz Kid, 7th place – Lisa Coulter (Canada) riding Jalapeno Peppy.
In 2006 was the next World Equestrian Games, in Aachen,
Germany. It was the second time reining had been part of the event with a
total purse of EUR 100,000. Teams from Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada,
Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Germany, Israel, Italy, The
Netherlands, Switzerland, Slovakia, Sweden and the USA competed along with
individual riders from the Dominican Republic, Hungary, Mexico, Norway,
Poland and South Africa. In order to be able to compete either as a member
of a team or as an individual at the 2006 WEG, riders must have taken part
in two FEI Reining competitions held in any country during the qualifying
period, or competed at a National Federation CRIO with a team during the
same period.
Members of the Canadian Team were: Duane Latimer riding Hang Ten Surprize,
Luke Gagnon riding Lil Santana, Lance Griffin riding Whiz N Tag Chex, and
Francois Gauthier riding Snow Gun.
The American Team included: Tim McQuay riding Mister Nicadual, Aaron T.
Ralston riding Smart Paul Olena, Matt Mills riding Easy Otie Whiz, and Dell
Hendricks riding Starbucks Sidekick.
Reining Team Silver Medalists Team Canada
Terry Griffin (Chef d’Equipe),
Lance Griffin, Francois Gauthier,
Luke Gagnon, Duane Latimer.
Photo : Horsemotion |
Duane Latimer-Individual Gold Medalist
Photo : Horsemotion |
Duane Latimer and another reining legend Tim McQuay
riding Mister Nicadual had a run-off tie-breaker for the individual gold
medal. Tim took the Silver medal after the tie-breaker with a score of 226.
Medal presentation 2006 Aachen, Germany
Photos: Horsemotion
2006 Team medal results: Gold- USA, Silver- Canada, Bronze-Italy
2006 Individual medalists: Gold- Duane Latimer (Canada),
Silver-Tim McQuay (USA), Bronze- Aaron Ralston (USA)
2007 Masters (Oklahoma City, USA): Gold – Rudi Kronsteiner (Austria),
Silver – Casey Hinton, Bronze – Gabe D. Hutchins.
2008 Masters (Oklahoma City, USA): Gold – Rudi Kronsteiner (Austria), Silver
– Jordan Larson, Bronze – Craig Schmersal (USA), 7th Francois Gauthier
(Canada) riding Snow Gun.
2009 Masters (Oklahoma City, USA): Gold – Rudi Kronsteiner, Silver – Bernard
Fonck, Bronze – Pete L. Kyle, 4th Patrice St. Onge, Lisa Coulter (Canada)
2009 Kentucky Cup International Reining Competition (Lexington, Kentucky,
USA) The Canadian team members were: Jason Grimshaw, Dave Young, Francois
Gauthier, Lisa Coulter.
Team Results: Gold – USA, Silver – Canada, Bronze - Mexico
Individual Results: Gold - Tom McCutcheon (USA), Silver – Lisa Coulter
(Canada), Bronze – Shaun Flarida (USA)
As the 2010 WEG in Kentucky, USA, fast approaches we will
proudly cheer for our Canadian Team once again. Our team members will be
Lisa Coulter from Princeton, B.C./Pilot Point, Texas, riding Western Whiz;
Duane Latimer from Bienfait, SK/Ardmore, Oklahoma, riding Dun Playin Tag;
Shawna Sapergia from Cochrane, AB, riding This Chics On Top, and Shawna’s
father, Vern Sapergia currently from Cochrane, AB, riding Its Wimpy’s Turn.
The alternate rider for the team is Amanda Self. The Chef d’equipe is Wendy
Dyer, and the chair of the Canadian Reining Committee is Bob Thompson.
If history repeats itself, our toughest competition is
sure to be the American team. Their riders are legends and their horses
carry the bloodlines of equine legends. The team consists of Shawn Flarida
riding RC Fancy Step, Tom McCutcheon riding Gunners Special Nite, Craig
Schmersal riding Boom Shernic, and Tim McQuay riding Hollywoodtinseltown.
The Canadian team is comprised of professionals with
proven success internationally. Duane Latimer will be defending his
individual Gold medal from the 2006 WEG. It is Shawna Sapergia’s return to
international competition since her medals at the 2002 WEG in Spain. Vern
Sapergia heads the dynasty of Sapergia reiners- Shawna, Cody, Teri-Lee, and
granddaughter Sage, who have all been Team Canada members. Vern has been a
top trainer in Europe for many years. Lisa Coulter is currently leading the
FEI world rankings on “Angels Mark”. If she succeeds at the WEG, it will be
the first time a Canadian has been the world champion reiner in FEI world
standings. There are Canadian legends in the sport of reining.
“Without a doubt, we have four outstanding athletes and horses
representing Canada reining at the 2010 World Equestrian Games. We should
feel confident that we will have a place on the podium,” said Bob Thompson,
chair of the CRC.
“We are very lucky to have such a strong, talented and experienced team,
and we are looking forward to an exciting and tough competition,” added Chef
d’équipe, Wendy Dyer.
Horse enthusiasts from around the world will be attending the WEG in
Kentucky, September 25-October 10. Why not attend and cheer for our Canadian
teams in all the equine disciplines? For information about tickets and
accommodation, go to the website:
www.alltechfeigames.com. Horse enthusiasts can also watch the WEG on the
NBC network. For more information about all of our Canadian riders, go to
the websites reiningcanada.com and equinecanada.ca.
Duane Latimer in his Gold Medal Victory Lap
2006 WEG in Aachen, Germany
Photo: Kim Sloan
GO CANADA GO!
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