Canadian Warmblood Young Breeders team heads to Germany
Residents of Fergus, Rockwood among those to compete in Germany
CENTER WELLINGTON – The Canadian Warmblood Young Breeders team departed July 11 for the International Young Breeders World Championships, set to take place July 16 to 19 in Celle, Germany.
The team consists of six young women from Wellington County: Hailey Larkin, 24, of Guelph; Jessica Larkin, 24, of Guelph; Victoria Smith, 22, of Guelph; Avery Caine, 21, of Rockwood; Katelyn Mullin, 20, of Fergus; and Orla Leigh, 16, of Rockwood.
Mullin and Leigh are joined on the junior team by Rielle Longtin, 17, of Saskatchewan; Grace McConnell, 17 of Alberta; and Ainsley Maclean, 17, of Alberta.
The team is also being led by three seasoned breeders serving as coaches, including Lisa Longtin (Saskatchewan), Kailey Parkin (Alberta), and Lyssa Caine (Ontario).
Competitions like the International Young Breeders World Championships involves a competition between teams of young riders who are evaluated on their ability to factually comprehend information about horses, groom them for presentation, assess breeding, and maintain control over a horse.
The International Young Breeders World Championships will consist of five components: a multiple choice test of previous competitions and horse breeding; a turnout exercise in presenting a horse optimally; a conformation exercise in physically assessing a horse; a ‘loose movement’ exercise where young breeders assess a horse’s movements; and a jog where contestants must walk alongside and exercise control over a horse.
This year’s location in Germany has special significance in the world of equestrian breeding.
The town of Celle is where the Hanoverian, a specific type of sports horse, was first bred at the Celle State Stud, a still-active state facility for horse breeding.
Mares were bred with various horse breeds to produce the Hanoverian, a horse of superior athletic fitness in the early eighteenth century.
This is not the first time the Canadian Warmblood Young Breeders team has contested the International Young Breeders World Championships.
The team previously attended the 2022 and 2024 championships in the Netherlands and Denmark, respectively, rising from 18th to 15th place between the two events.
This year’s team will see some returning participants from the 2024 delegation, including both Larkins, Caine and Mullin.
