One of our own, Langley’s Lauren Barwick won silver at Hong Kong in her Grade 11 test on Maile. She and Hawley Bennett came out of the same Pony Club. Freestyle on Wednesday. Proud of her.
Congratulations to Lauren, I know she worked and trained hard for this. Do you know if videos of any of her rides are on the 'net?
No, I don’t - probably NBC, but they don’t beam into Canada.
Yay for Lauren
Man, what is in the water out there in Langley? 
Any word on Karen Brain? Has she ridden yet?
Yay for Lauren! Proof, perhaps, that you can do Parelli AND compete successfully?
Lauren Barwick placed first in the Freestyle Grade II with a 72.776, turning the tables on the German rider, and Rebecca Hart of the US was fourth.
I haven’t been able to find any video of any of the Paralympic rides yet. NBC is not providing the same coverage.
I did make note of Lauren Barwick’s success in my blog yesterday - but didn’t know she was from Langley. Seems like the whole team is from BC:
Go Becca Go!
I’m so happy for Becca Hart!!! We ride together and she is a super-dedicated, super-skilled horsewoman. It’s been a rough week for Team USA and I’m sure Becca, who was our national para champion this year, was disappointed and frustrated with her results earlier in the week. It takes a real pro to put that disappointment aside and come out to lay down such a fabulous freestyle. She led through the morning half of the roster and I’m so happy she’ll be able to come home on a high note. (It also shows the judges were fair and didn’t immediately limit riders to the same range of scores they earned in earlier tests.)
I’m particularly excited for her to come home because we’ve struck a deal with our mutual coach for Becca to do a jumping lesson on my horse when she returned. Coach absolutely wouldn’t allow that pre-Bejing, just in case she falls off :lol:, but now that’s the reward. Becca evented on her old horse but her current horse, while much better in the dressage, is a total DQ and would not deign to pick all four feet up over a fence. 
Nice — there is so much more to these para-Olympics than results.
People who can come together and overcome colossal odds. It is even wonderful that they are in China since China has not had a good record when it comes to the disabled. There maybe real improvements in that regard, in which case it is one reason why the Games should be in China. Even disabled national heroes.
Yes, there definitely is something in our water. All the para riders came from BC. I was DC of the same Pony Club as Lauren and two other Olympians. The three grew up together! I shall bottle the water and become a philanthropist.
Yipee.
Lee Pearson won his NINTH Paralympic gold! Amazing. What an inspiration he is. And the Brazilian rider, Marco Alves, used to ride showjumpers in able-bodied shows, before an accident that had him chanigng his equestrian career path (I do not remember if it was a riding accident).
For anyone who has an opportunity to see the Paralympic riders in action, I highly recommend you do so. We were afforded the privilige in Aachen in 2005, and it was so deeply moving. And I tell ya what, they could ride rings around many, many, many of us. :sadsmile: :yes:
Para-Olympics
I saw the Grades as in I-II-III- and IV Does anyone know what that stands for?
This is the FEI’s big overview of Para-Equestrian:
and this is safer?
age, is a total DQ and would not deign to pick all four feet up over a fence.:eek:
Lauren was a rider long before she met Pat Parelli, but yes, Maile is owned by Pat and Linda Parelli and she has benefitted from his sponsorship. So would I if the opportunity came along. Lauren was watching at a PP clinic up here and he met her.
He told the audience about her, they had a whip-round and raised
something like $10,000.00 for her. Then he made his offer to her that he would supply a horse for her if she went down there and proved herself to him … then she left here and went down there and I lost touch with her for now.
[QUOTE=onzbit;3512015]
I saw the Grades as in I-II-III- and IV Does anyone know what that stands for?[/QUOTE]
I believe it has to do with the level of handicap of the rider, for lack of a better word.
[QUOTE=Coreene;3511880]
Lee Pearson won his NINTH Paralympic gold! Amazing. What an inspiration he is. And the Brazilian rider, Marco Alves, used to ride showjumpers in able-bodied shows, before an accident that had him chanigng his equestrian career path (I do not remember if it was a riding accident).
For anyone who has an opportunity to see the Paralympic riders in action, I highly recommend you do so. We were afforded the privilige in Aachen in 2005, and it was so deeply moving. And I tell ya what, they could ride rings around many, many, many of us. :sadsmile: :yes:[/QUOTE]
I totally covet Lee’s horse, Blue Circle Boy. He’s gorgeous!
equine perfection
[QUOTE=andy825;3512610]
I totally covet Lee’s horse, Blue Circle Boy. He’s gorgeous![/QUOTE]
-droooooooooool-
–off to sulk at the dearth, nay, complete LACK of US medals. hmph. -pout- :sigh:
Fab few days for all the Brit riders - every single one has come home with a medal.
Team Gold - Lee Pearson, Anne Dunham, Sophie Christansen and Simon Laurens.
1a Individual gold and a silver for Anne Dunham - the oldest paralympian at 59 years old and riding a Welsh Section D cob.
1a Individual silver and gold for Sophie Christansen
1b Individual gold x 2 for Lee Pearson
1b Individual Silver for Ricky Balshaw
II Individual Silver for Felicity Coulthard
III Individual silver for Simon Laurens
Lee retired Gus (Blue Circle Boy) from international competition as he was getting rather too naughty in the 1b stuff - Lee has trained him to GP level himself and won the elementary (L2) able-bodied national championship with him a few years ago. I think what is even more amazing is that he has won his olympic golds with three different horses.
He rides Gentleman now.
