"Canadian Reiner with an outstanding achievement for the year"

 

 

Reining Canada is pleased to announce that the 2008 recipients of this award are the members of Reining Canada’s Young Rider Medal Team - Silver medalists at the North American Young Rider Championship (NAYRC) in Parker, Colorado.

 

The team members include; Stephanie Gruhle, Ste. Rose, MB, Kylie Wasiuta, Springfield, MB, Kelly Truesdell, Brights Grove, Ontario, Darcy Wilson, Port Perry, ON and Allison Love of Winnipeg, MB.

 

This was the first time the discipline of Reining was offered at the NAYRC and the RC Board of Directors are proud of the high level of commitment, sportsmanship and poise these girls exhibited while representing our country and our sport. Each girl put in months of extra training and conditioning on both themselves and their horses to prepare for the competition, the long trip, and change in climate. Each and every one of the girls were thrilled to be participating and felt that competing at the NAYRC was an amazing experience they will remember forever.

 

From Oldest to Youngest - here are the Team Members:

 

Stephanie Gruhle is twenty years of age and lives in Ste Rose, Manitoba. A recipient of several year end awards including Reining Canada’s Provincial Championship, Stephanie has also committed her time to the Central Canada Reining Horse Association serving as Youth Director from 2003 – 2005 and helped create the CCRHA Youth Scholarship Award. She has graduated from the University of Winnipeg Collegiate with the academic award for Desktop Publishing and is currently enrolled in Agricultural Studies at Assiniboine College in Brandon, Manitoba.

 

 

Kylie Wasiuta is eighteen and hails from Springfield, Manitoba. Raised on a farm and loving every part of it, Kylie is a total “outdoors” girl. Loving anything to do with horses, she has worked very hard in her sport achieving the 2007 Youth High Point Championship from the Canadian Western Horse Association. Holding the most points across Canada for the Youth Medal class and a reserve placing in the Young Rider Medal class held at the Canadian Reining Breeders Classic in 2007, ensured Kylie a spot on the Young Riders Team. Kylie will be going on to study agriculture at university after representing her county in Colorado.

 

 

Kelly Truesdell, eighteen, from Brights Grove, Ontario is graduating as an honour student from St. Clair Secondary School this year. Finding time in between her multiple Reining Canada, Ontario Reining Horse Association and Ontario Quarter Horse Association championships, Kelly has been a member of the Key Club and Science Club at school as well as assisting with fundraising for various charities. Not stopping there, she served as the 2007 ORHA Youth President and the OQHA Treasurer. Kelly is especially proud of her 2005 National Reining Horse Association Top Ten, 14 – 18 Youth placing. Before heading for Colorado, Kelly will be representing Canada at the AQHA Youth World Cup held in London, Ontario. To wind up her year, she will be off to the University of Georgia with a scholarship and will be taking her place on their Varsity Equestrian Team.

 

 

Darcy Wilson, seventeen, is not only a very successful reiner but a continuing ‘A’ level student. The teachers at her school in Port Perry, Ontario have been supportive since Darcy started winning reining classes at age thirteen. In 2005 she was the Youth 13 and Under ORHA Champion, the NRHA Affiliate Champion as well as being the ORHA Rookie Champion and NRHA Affiliate Champion against adults. To top that year off Darcy also placed third at the All American Quarter Horse Congress in 13 and Under against 37 entries. She has continued her winning ways but also contributed her time being actively involved in planning and participating in fundraising events for the Ontario Reining Horse Association. Staying competitive, 2007 was an exceptional year with Darcy winning the Limited Non Pro and Intermediate Non Pro Classes at the Eastern Canada Affiliate Finals.

 

 

Allison Love at sixteen may be the youngest member of the team but by no means does she lack experience. In 2002 and 2006 Allison was the Reining Canada 13 and Under Champion as well as the North American Affiliate Champion. This placing allowed her to attend the Affiliate Finals in Oklahoma where she placed 7th out of 18 riders. In 2007 she won the Young Rider Medal Class locking in her place on the Canadian Team going to Colorado. An excellent student, Allison hopes one day to apply for medical school.