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   SPRUCE MEADOWS INTRODUCES CANADA'S TEAM FOR THE 2006 WORLD EQUESTRIAN GAMES IN AACHEN, GERMANY
 
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Canadian Reining Team silver medal presentations.
Lance Griffin (Whiz N Tag Chex); Francois Gauthier (Snow Gun); Luke Gagnon (Lil Santana); Duane Latimer (Hang Ten Surprize) Photo Credit: Cealy Tetley - www.tetleyphoto.com

Canada wins the GOLD! Duane Latimer claims the Gold Medal in Reining at 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games!

 Aachen, DE – September 3, 2006 – “I can’t describe how proud I am of him. He was flawless,” said Canada’s Duane Latimer of his Quarter Horse stallion, Hang Ten Surprize, after running his Reining pattern for the World Championship and scoring a phenomenal 230 points! “I can’t describe it; it’s awesome.”

 Just prior to Latimer’s run, American Tim McQuay on Mister Nicadual had received the identical score of 230 points and fellow American, Aaron Ralston on Smart Paul Olena, had scored 227.5. Latimer had his work cut out for him to beat that score, and he carried all of Canada’s hopes and dreams for a gold medal.

 Last to go in the class, Latimer was cheered by the thousands of fans as he executed one perfect move after another. He said, “I’ve never marked a 230 before and had to go again. That’s the loudest crowd I’ve ever run in front of.”

 Both Latimer and McQuay had to run the pattern a second time to break the tie for the Gold medal and World Championship.  When McQuay entered to the sound of screaming fans and did his sliding stop, the crowd went wild. As he prepared to do his two spins, he motioned to the crowd to quiet down. He performed an excellent series of moves and the judges awarded him 226 points.              [FULL STORY]
DATES
Endurance:
  August 21
Dressage:
  August 22-26
Eventing:
  August 24-27
Vaulting:
  August 24-27
Jumping:
  August 28 - Sept. 3
Driving:
  August 30 - Sept. 2
Reining:
  Sept. 1 & 3
 
 
 
 
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OFFICIAL WEG SITE
 

 
  Canadian Reining Team rides in for medal presentations. L-R:
Lance Griffin (Whiz N Tag Chex); Francois Gauthier (Snow Gun); Luke Gagnon (Lil Santana); Duane Latimer (Hang Ten Surprize) Photo Credit: Eclipse Communications		  
 

  DAILY DIARY  - by Ceci Flanagan-Snow & Judy Wardrope

  

CBC's Karin Larsen thanks Duane Latimer after his interview for CBC Country Canada. Photo Credit: Eclipse Communications     

Duane Latimer and Hang Ten Surprize and their near record breaking performance Photo Credit: Cealy Tetley - www.tetleyphoto.com
The flags hoisted aloft during the medal presentations Photo Credit: Cealy Tetley - www.tetleyphoto.com
Francois Gauthier and Snow Gun Photo Credit: Cealy Tetley - www.tetleyphoto.com

Lance Griffin and Whiz N Tag Chex Photo Credit: Cealy Tetley - www.tetleyphoto.com
Luke Gagnon and Lil Santana Photo Credit: Cealy Tetley - www.tetleyphoto.com

Daily Diary – Sunday, September 3rd – the FINAL DAY

We woke up this morning to a dark and dreary sky threatening to rain and storm. But despite the heavy, overcast start to the day and high winds, we had reason to celebrate. CANADA WON A GOLD MEDAL!

We all watched the entire Individual Reining competition to see who would emerge as the World Champion, and after a run-off, Canada’s Duane Latimer and Hang Ten Surprize struck gold! Horse Sport publisher, Jennifer Anstey, was spotted whooping and hollering with the best of them when the Canadians were in the ring – and that’s on tape as part of the ‘highlights’ reel.

The top four riders in the world competed for the World Championship in Show Jumping this afternoon. Each rider rode the course once on his/her own horse and then again on each of the other’s horses. Given the reduced heights and widths of the jumps, the competition was anti-climactic compared to the previous week’s caliber of competition. All four riders posted clear rounds time after time until Austrailia’s Edwina Alexander, on her final rotation, had one rail, eliminating her from medal contention. The remaining three were forced into a timed jump-off. Both Germany’s Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and America’s Beezie Madden had four-fault rounds and Belgium’s Jos Lansink went clear to claim the gold medal and World Championship title. Beezie, the faster of the four faulters, got the silver and Meredith took home the bronze.

Following the medal presentations in Show Jumping, the Closing Ceremonies began. Like the Opening Ceremonies, they provided pomp, pageantry, music and horses of all descriptions.

 Ceci stepped out back to see how things were going. “It was like being in the middle of a stampede of wild horses,” she said as 500 screaming children ran by to change costumes for their second appearance in the extravaganza. “The wrangler (for the children) was yelling ‘Schnell! Schnell!’, and you didn’t have to know German to realize he was urging them to rush!”

 Gold medalists from eight nations were featured as the flag was passed to the organizers of the 2010 FEI Games in Lexington, Kentucky.

 See you there?

 

  

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