SUNDRE - The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) World Championships in Herning, Denmark begins today with one of the 13 Canadian athlete and horse combinations set to compete against the world from the Sundre area.
Running from Aug. 6 -14, the world championships include competition in jumping, dressage, para dressage and vaulting.
Averill Saunders, who hails from just north of Sundre, is one of three Canadians competing in vaulting. The other two Canadians competing in vaulting at Herning include Shaina Hammond from Delta, B.C. and Talmage Conrad from Lethbridge.
Support for the triad will be provided by Chef d’Équipe Kathleen Saunders and team leader James Hood.
“It’s truly an honour to be named to the World Championships team, marking my fifth time on the Canadian team, I am equally excited and proud to represent my country as I was the previous four,” Saunders said in an Equestrian Canada profile.
The 18 year old has been vaulting since she was nine and representing Canada on the international stage for the past seven years, most recently at the 2021 Junior World Vaulting Championships where she became Canada’s first female individual to ever make the top 15.
“I take pride in breaking new ground for our nation on the international vaulting stage, with my favourite part of the sport is the competition aspect. The atmosphere is incredible, you get this feeling that is unmatched when entering the competition ring for your second-round freestyle. Like all championships, Herning will be exciting and inspiring, I anticipate getting a wealth of new and unique experiences,” said Saunders in the Equestrian Canada profile.
Vaulting was recognized by the FEI in 1983 and has been a central part of the FEI World Equestrian Games since its inception in 1990 in Stockholm, Sweden, and will be on display at the championships in Herning.
The Canadian vaulting team has competed in three championships – 1998 in Rome, Italy, 2014 in Normandy, France and most recently 2018 in Tryon, U.S.A.
“We are thrilled to have three vaulting athletes heading to Herning this summer,” said James Hood, Equestrian Canada director, high performance. “The sport has been growing in pockets in Canada and continues to evolve with the changing health and safety standards in the different provinces. It is exciting to see a contingent of younger athletes stepping up to represent Canada. All have been competing internationally for some time and have the maturity and skills to make a statement at the Worlds this year.”
