Prince George teenager wins 2 national horse jumping titles

Colby Winther-Konig, a 15-12 months-aged Prince George horse present jumper, is the new Soar Canada nationwide champion and the Canadian Equestrian Crew winner, using equally wins for the duration of Toronto’s Royal Winter season Truthful.

“I grew up competing and this is the initial time I have occur and proven at nationals and it is actually awesome to get them the two the to start with yr,” Colby claimed, who started off driving when she was two and has been on horseback ever given that.

These competitions see youth up to 18 many years contend for the Bounce Canada title and those people up to 21 years aged contend for the Canadian Equestrian Staff championship. The Bounce Canada competition features hunter-type jumps and the Canadian Equestrian Team levels of competition is a 3-stage jumper contest, which include a gymnastic phase, a jumper stage and the bounce-off period, Sorine Winther, Colby’s mom and coach, discussed.

“People are declaring she’s possibly the youngest human being to just take the Canadian Equestrian Crew championship, but I just cannot validate that however,” Sorine said. “And persons are examining into the heritage of the two competitions and it appears like there is only 4 other people because 1988 who have won the double header.”

Colby’s older sister Taylor received the Canadian Equestrian Staff Championship two many years back and that is when items transformed for Colby, mom Sorine said.

“Colby established an intention and a purpose that this was what she was immediately after,” Sorine mentioned. “It has been a very goal-oriented past couple months and I guess we can say that is a fairly major aim realized.”

Colby experienced to stand for BC at the regional levels of competition in Langley in September, then went on to the Western qualifier in Calgary in October and then is now at the Nationals in Toronto. Four riders from just about every of 4 locations in Canada capable to compete.

The Winther-Konig family have Ridge Country Farm in Beaverly, west of Prince George, and the horse Colby rides, Large Ticket, nicknamed Snickers, was born and lifted on their farm.

“I feel all people in Prince George will recognize what additional issues go into coming from that far north to contend in Toronto,” Sorine mentioned. “The preparing that we have to do, the additional miles we have to vacation. It’s a unique established of issues.”

The horse was transported to Calgary by Sorine, where by he was commercially transported to Toronto. Mom Sorine came back again to Prince George to fly to Toronto with daughter Colby quickly soon after and horse, rider and coach achieved in Toronto on Wednesday, forward of the get started of the competitors on the pursuing Tuesday.

And for individuals looking to reach their plans like Colby?

“I believe doing the job really hard and keeping at it definitely pays off and we have actually witnessed that in this article this 7 days,” Colby explained. “People begin to discover that. They see me having care of my individual horse –  I’m constantly the initially 1 in the barn, the last 1 out of the barn – I’m always performing it and you have to know that finally it will often fork out off.”