Waylon and Canadian eventers triumph in Rio

Now that he's been part of the Canadian Equestrian Team that secured Canadian eventers a place at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Waylon Roberts is aiming to ride there himself.

It's been a heady summer for 18-year-old Waylon as he made his team debut and brought home a team silver medal from the Pan Am Games in Rio de Janiero. The stellar cross country round put in by Waylon and Paleface, the black Thoroughbred gelding, helped clinch the silver for Canada, also represented by Mike Winter, Sandra Donnelly and Kyle Carter. Jessica Phoenix competed as an individual.

Rumours that the Pan Am eventing course was far from complete just weeks before the Games abounded and Waylon says "we were expecting it to be a bit of a backyard course and we were worried the course would even be finished.”

"But the footing was great and the stabling was beautiful. All in all, they (the Brazilians) put on a great show. The cross country course was excellent; it was a challenge and definitely a three star with some questions the horses hadn't seen before. We had to jump a giant soccer ball and there was a coffin that was a bit extreme."

Waylon had high praise for coach, American David O'Connor, and veteran teammates Winter and Carter "who showed us the ropes." Also lending vital support was Sandra Andresen, who served as Paleface's groom and according to Kelly, impressed the whole team with her dedication and skill.

Waylon's got every confidence that Paleface has the stuff to tackle the Olympic challenge.

"Paleface was closest horse to the optimum time at the Pan Ams and there's no question he could do the Olympics. There was nothing on the course he didn't handle well."

While Waylon and Paleface didn't have their best show jumping round, accumulating 20 faults as the unruly Brazilian crowd jeered the North Americans, Waylon says the horse was tired after his brilliant cross country run "and he tried his heart out. Show jumping is something we'll be working on."

This fall, Waylon will be honing his show jumping skills on his other horse, Myrrdin's Sebastian, who he has been competing with in 1.35 metre classes. Their next show will be the Tournament of Champions at Palgrave September 20 to 23.

Then he'll be setting his sites on clinching a spot on the Olympic team, for which he is currently shortlisted.

"I'd like for Paleface to do three events in the spring, then take him to Rolex (the only four-star event in North America and a qualifier for the Olympics. I really have confidence in him," says Waylon.