Dressage-News

By KENNETH J. BRADDICK

WELLINGTON, Florida, Mar. 17, 2018–Caravella, the hunter reject that Megan Lane rode to the Olympic Games for Canada, posted their first victory in a year in winning the Global Dressage Festival CDI3* Grand Prix Special Saturday to move closer to a team spot at their second World Equestrian Games.

Caravella, 17 years old but in Megan’s opinion “going better than ever,” received the winning score of 71.617 per cent and brings her within one Grand Prix Special result of four required by Equine Canada to be considered for the world championships team of four combinations to go to Tryon, North Carolina in September.

Fellow Canada Olympian Belinda Trussell and Tattoo placed second 70.340 per cent and Anna Marek of Reddick, Florida third on 69.340 per cent.

The latest results bring the average for Megan and her Caravella to 70.801 for three of four Grand Prix Special scores required by Equine Canada. The pair has four Grand Prix scores that average 70.385, placing her second to Brittany Fraser on All In with two more CDIs in the United States and three in Canada still to go.

Megan is also campaigning San d’Or and Zodiac MW, both owned by Deer Ridge Equestrian in Hockley Valley on the outskirts of Toronto. Megan is based at Deer Ridge that has supported her for the past nine years.

Megan first met Caravella when she was with a friend shopping for a horse in 2009. The friend didn’t want the “hunter reject.”

But for Megan, “it was love at first sight.” Then 15 years old, she convinced her mother to buy the horse.

Shortly after, she rode as a junior on Caravella in the North American Young Rider championships winning bronze in the individual competition and silver in the freestyle. As a Young Rider the following year, the duo led her Ontario team to silver, took individual silver and freestyle bronze. The pair competed in the Under-25 division in Florida in 2012 but the same year moved up to Big Tour.

By 2014, Megan and Caravella were winning in Florida and Canada and went on their first European venture, including the World Equestrian Festival in Aachen, Germany.

The pair were on the Canadian team at the World Equestrian Games in Normandy.

The Pan American Games at home in 2015 saw the pair earn team silver, riding Grand Prix in the mixed small tour Big Tour squad.

Then the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

Megan, who will be 27 when the Tryon World Games is held in September, is the second highest ranked Canadian at No. 69 on the world standings.

“This year,” Megan said, “I think will be her last at top competition. What more can be expected of her?

“She has had an amazing career. We’ve partnered up through the levels, from juniors to the Olympics. Possibly, a second World Games.

“For a hunter reject… ”

Results: