Source:  News Release/Julie Cull

Canadian Dressage Talent Set to Represent Canada at the 2012 North American Junior and Young Rider Championships

Ottawa, ON-The Dressage Selection Committee is pleased to announce the selected athletes who will represent Canada at the 2012 Adequan FEI North American Junior & Young Rider Championships. Presented by Gotham North, these Championships will be held July 17-22, 2012 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY.

Three complete teams, for a total of 12 competitors, have been named to represent Canada at the Junior Rider level.

Junior Team East/West will include the following riders:

Rider / Home Town / Horse / Owner

Natalie Marsden/Sundre, AB/Zeffiro/Lorey and Natalie Marsden

Elexis Ortlieb/Leduc County, AB/Diego/Ellen Drews Ortlieb and Elexis Ortlieb

Julia Burke/Surrey, BC/Patrick/Julia Burke

Marah Gaudet/St. Johns, NL/Urvin/Marah Gaudet

Junior Team Ontario will include the following riders:

Mariah Sutton/Drumbo, ON/Renoir/Mariah Sutton

Madison Lawson/Bonfield, ON/McGuire/Madison Lawson

Jonah Freedman/Toronto, ON /Ulex/Jonah Freedman

Kristin Wight/Plympton Wyoming, ON/Sirocco/Kristin Wight

Junior Team Quebec will include the following riders:

Laurence Blais Tetreault/Montreal, QC/ Pissarro/ Laurence Blais Tetreault (also qualified a second horse Lowelas owned by Blais Tetreault)

Naima Moreira Laliberte/Outremont, QC/Tolando/Brittany Fraser

Frederique Bourgault/St. Bernard de Lacolle, QC/HG San Classic/Caroline Pepin

Nicole Babich Morin/Vaudreuil Dorion, QC/FoxFire/Nicole Babich Morin

Three complete teams plus one individual rider for a total of 13 Young Riders and their horses have been named to represent Canada at the Championships at the Young Rider level.

Young Rider Team British Columbia will include the following riders:

Monica Houweling/Delta, BC/Rifradin/Linda Houweling (also qualified a second horse Stentano owned by Linda Houweling)

Ellika Crichton/Whistler, BC/Pellegrini/Ellika Crichton

Sydney Holme/North Saanich, BC/Day Dreamer/Sydney Holme

Colby Dodd/Langley, BC/Capri/Sheryal Ann and Colby Dodd

Young Rider Team Ontario will include the following riders:

Alexandra Dvorak/Hillsburgh, ON/Fling/Tom Dvorak

Megan Lane/Collingwood, ON/Lucky Lemon/Deer Ridge Equestrian

Alexandra Reid/Carlisle, ON/V.I.P./Deborah Miculinic

Anneka Sutton/Drumbo, ON/Fidelio/Anneka Sutton

Young Rider Team Quebec will include the following riders:

Mathilde Blais Tetreault/Montreal, QC/Michelangelo/Mathilde Blais Tetreault

Camille Frechette/Boucherville, QC/Viva's Capitol/Denise Lenz

Tanya Strasser Shostak/Ste Adele, QC/Dancing Tyme/Evi Strasser

Julie Channell/Boucherville, QC/Rela/Julie Channell

Young Rider Individual Manitoba:

Ariana Chia/Winnipeg, MB/Wishtadanz/Ariana Chia

The Chef d'équipes for the 2012 North American Junior, Young Rider Championships will again be Leslie Steele from Pitt Meadows, British Columbia and Ellen Dvorak from Hillburgh, Ontario.

For further information, please contact Peggy Olivier, Program Coordinator Dressage, Telephone: (613) 248-3433 ext 142 or polivier@equinecanada.ca.

About Dressage Canada

Dressage Canada, as a committee of Equine Canada, is the National governing body for Dressage in Canada. Dressage Canada's objective is to foster the growth of Dressage and the pursuit of excellence in the sport at the local, national and international levels. Dressage Canada provides support and guidance to both amateur and professional through the following programs: coaching education and programs, officials' education and programs, rules & qualifying criteria, sport development, publications & awards. For more information about Dressage Canada, please visit theDressage sectionof the Equine Canada site or connect with us on Twitter at  www.twitter.com/dressagecanada or Facebook at http://tinyurl.com/lp8cnd.

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