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Blewett rider prepares to compete at World Equestrian Games

The Nelson Daily Sports
By The Nelson Daily Sports
July 25th, 2018

Nelson's Korynn Weber is taking the sport of equestrian riding to the top competition in the world.

The Blewett resident will represent Canada at the World Equestrian Games in Tryon, North Carolina, September 11-16.

Weber earn the selection following trials that took her to competitions in Washington, Oregon, California, BC and Alberta. Weber, competing in the vaulting category, qualified with West Coast's composite squad. The team consists of dedicated athletes from Vancouver Island, Nelson, Chilliwack and Sundry AB. 

Weber, an accomplished lunger as well — the person controlling the horse while the athletes perform — and one of Koot-Neigh’s club horses Azrael will also be supporting a few other athletes from around the world who are securing horses in North America for this event.

Vaulting is best described as gymnastics and dance on a moving horse. At the elite level, the performances combine creativity with increased difficulty while the horse is cantering. It takes a dedicated team of athletes to spend as much time that’s needed training and travelling together to compete at this level. A squad competes as a team of six with up to two alternates that compete in both compulsories, a mandatory set of moves, and a four-minute freestyle, where athletes execute a choreographed routine with up to three athletes at one time rotating onto the horse.

In Canada, BC and Alberta form the nation’s vaulting epicentre. With over 20 years of history, West Coast Vaulters, based out of Parksville BC is a significant presence on the Canadian vaulting scene.

The World Equestrian games, held every four years in the middle of the Olympic cycle, is one of the biggest events on the global sporting calendar. This prestigious event is a multidiscipline, intercontinental sporting event organized by the highest governing body of equestrian sports — FEI.

It’s viewed by the equestrian world similarly to how fans view FIFA’s World Cup. The Canadian team selected consists of three females, one male and two pairs.

Weber and her mom Naomi have been vaulting with their club Koot-Neigh in the area for 12 years, bringing it from the lower mainland when they moved to Nelson. Weber’s home team Koot-Neigh in Blewett is very proud of her accomplishments and wish her squad and the rest of Team Canada all the best on this next leg of their journey.

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