Photo Gallery: Canadian Squad Trains with George Morris & Christilot Boylen

George Morris demonstrating lower leg position. Photo by Diane Charipar.

George Morris demonstrating proper lower leg position on Fernhill Dutch Design. Photo by Diane Charipar.

Members of the Canadian Eventing High Performance Squad, Eventing NOBoundaries program and other top Canadian eventers participated in a two-day High Performance clinic on Monday and Tuesday with the one and only George Morris and six-time Canadian Olympic dressage rider Christilot Boylen.

Peter Gray and Paul Delbrook hosted the clinic at their Wentworth Farm near Ocala, where George and Christilot shared their classical philosophy of training for jumping and dressage, often repeating the same message of suppleness, straightness, connection and athleticism. Both George and Christilot were sticklers for detail: “Be perfect in the little things and the big things will happen by themselves.” 

The clinic was the first in the new Canadian Masters Eventing Clinic series, which seeks to collaborate with other Canadian disciplines, top riders and trainers to share expertise. With many Canadian riders spending the winter in the Ocala area, hosting the first clinic in Florida suited many of the riders’ schedules. Rob Stevenson told EN last month that he anticipates three to four clinics being held throughout the year.

Equestrian Canada named the 2017 Eventing High Performance Squad on Monday, and six squad members rode in the clinic: Jessica Phoenix, Colleen Loach, Selena O’Hanlon, Peter Barry, Kyle Carter and Karl Slezak. Under-25 Eventing NOBoundaries riders were also invited, and Shelby Brost, Melissa Boutin, Emma Johnston and Annick Niemuller all rode. Lisa Marie Ferguson, Lesley Grant-Law, Diana Burnett, Jessica Payne, Tik Maynard, Cristina Barbour and Jamie Kellock also participated.

Diane Charipar kindly shared a photo gallery from the two-day clinic with EN, so keep scrolling for a behind-the-scenes look. Many thanks to Diane for sending in these photos. Go Canada. Go Eventing.