Kicking off 2014 with a win in the Special on her Grand Prix horse Caravella at the 2014 CDI-W Wellington, Canadian Under 25 rider Megan Lane returned to the same show grounds the following weekend to win both the Prix St Georges and the Intermediate I on her small tour horse San D’or. Set to take the Florida circuit by storm, Megan is already paving her way on the road to the 2014 World Equestrian Games.
Lane had to find her straight on the opening show weekend of the 2014 Dressage in Florida circuit. After an eight place tie in the Grand Prix with 65.880%, Megan and her 13-year old Dutch Warmblood mare Caravella (by Contango x Riverman) took the special with 68.980%. Megan told Eurodressage that the horse felt amazing throughout the weekend.
“In the Special I was especially impressed with her performance given the heat that day,” she said. “I was so very excited to see my score for that test, because we had some small but costly mistakes that took away some very easy points for us, and it is so great to know that without the errors 70+% is right around the corner.”
Last weekend Lane focused on her small tour horse and swept the board, placing first in the Prix St Georges with 69.649% and first in the Intermediate I with 70.263%. Megan and her 8 year old Westfalian gelding San d'Or (by Sandro Hit x Cocktail) are schooling the Grand Prix movements and hope to do young rider Grand Prix by the end of the season.
“San D’or has an electric personality, but he is super sweet and such an over achiever which are ideal qualities for an international Grand Prix horse.”
Beginning her career as as a hunter-jumper and 3-day event rider, Megan was introduced to dressage at 3 years of age by her mother to complement her jumping talent and to boost her confidence for when she began competing, at the age of 7. “I enjoyed the benefits of the way it made my ponies that much more rideable, that I stuck with it," she reminisced.
At 13 Megan was a fixture at Ironwood Farm in her home town of Collingwood, Ontario, and she already had boarders and horses in training before becoming a part of the Deer Ridge Equestrian team in late 2009. “I now live and work out of Deer Ridge in Loretto, Ontario, the training camp venue for the Canadian team for the 2015 Pan Ams," she explained.
Trainer and coach for Caravella as well as the talented team of Deer Ridge horses, Megan made the move this season to Florida to train with Oded Shimoni and to take part in the impressive show environment in Florida, which Canada is unable to offer, especially through the cold winter months. “I brought 5 horses with me to Florida and I plan on qualifying for the 2014 WEG this year with my horse Caravella," she stated.
A horse with a temperament and athleticism that makes training for the Grand Prix very enjoyable, Megan has brought Caravella on herself, and knew after her triple gold medal win at the 2009 NAJYRC that she had found her match and purpose. “Horses are my life, it’s really quite simple," she concluded.
Text by Sarah Warne for Eurodressage
Photo © Sue Stickle
Related Links
Matute and Lane Take the Blue on Third Day of 2014 CDI-W Wellington
Scores: 2014 CDI-W Wellington
Scores: 2009 North American Junior/Young Riders Championship
Team Ontario Wins Team Gold at 2009 NAJRC