Mill Spring, NC, Sept. 22, 2018 – The Canadian Vaulting Team closed out Canada’s participation in the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 (WEG) by coming together to secure a top 10 finish the Squad Competition in Mill Spring, NC, on Sept. 22, 2018.

Team Canada’s impressive freestyle performance enabled them to hold on to 10th place in the Squad Championship with a total score of 6.731 after two rounds of competition that included a Compulsory Test and two Freestyles. The squad was comprised of:

  • Alexandra Balance, 22, of Qualicum Beach, BC;
  • Jessica Bentzen, 27, of Parksville, BC;
  • Jaydee Fluet, 11, of Sundre, AB;
  • Alisa Schmidt, 32, of Chilliwack, BC;
  • Kate Thomas, 21, of Lantzville, BC; and,
  • Korynn Weber, 21, of Nelson, BC.

Their creative and emotional routine – performed on 11-year-old Friesian-cross gelding, Charles, alongside his owner and lunger, Saacha DeAmborossio of Bothell, WA – embodied the spirit of WEG by depicting the ups and downs of teamwork.

Having performed the routine once before in the Nations’ Cup Team Vaulting Championship on Sept. 19 to the tune of 6.827 points, the team returned to the ring relaxed and ready for their second go. The six vaulters, horse and lunger worked as one to produce a notably improved score of 7.602 for round two and earned Team Canada, whose members refer to each other as “family”, seventh place in the Squad Freestyle Final Competition.

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