Jeanine van der Sluijs, who lives east of Olds, is off to the 2014 World Equestrian Games in Normandy, France, after having qualified for the event at the CVI Pacific Cup in vaulting last month in Hollister, Calif.
Van der Sluijs, 26, qualified by finishing sixth in the CVI 3 (International Vaulting Competition) division, becoming the first Canadian to qualify for the 2014 world championships. She was joined at the Pacific Cup by her sister Angelique van der Sluijs and Brooke Boyd, both of the Meadow Creek Vaulting Club.
“I was very happy with (my performance). I was able to compete on a horse that I've competed on many times before at the world championship level so it felt really good to be back on (Oliver) and be able to put forth a really strong result,” she said.
Van der Sluijs combined with Anglique in the CVI 2 senior pas de deux (pairs) division where they claimed top spot at the Hollister competition.
“We had a really good result in that. We were really happy with the way things turned out for that one,” she said.
Van der Sluijs said all the members from the Meadow Creek Vaulting Club had good results. Angelique finished fifth in the CVI 2 senior division, while Boyd finished ninth in the CVI 1 junior division.
“The athletes from Olds here did excellent in each one of the divisions that they entered. It was big groups (of athletes) for each one of the divisions, so we just went out and our goal was to put forth our best results and really bring back a lot of experience. I feel that each one of us did our very best in our own class and definitely learned a lot,” van der Sluijs said.
The Meadow Creek Vaulting Club currently has eight competitive members with several recreational members as well. The club is currently getting ready for its summer camp from August 19 to 21.
