Ottawa, ON

Five talented eventing riders have been chosen as recipients of the 1999 Foxwood Hill Farms Rider Development Scholarships.

Hawley Bennett of Langley, BC, Mathieu Boisselier of France, Jennifer Dann of Bolton, ON, Tabitha Lee of Chilliwack, BC, and Shannon Thompson of Richmond, BC, will each receive a $1,000 scholarship to further their training.

Bennett, 22, had seven top ten finishes at both the intermediate and advanced level during the 1999 competitive season with her 10-year-old Canadian thoroughbred gelding, Livingstone. Bennett was also a scholarship recipient in 1998 after placing fourth individually at the North American Young Riders' Championship.

Montreal-born Boisselier, 22, now resides in France where he competes at the intermediate level. He and Oberon, his 9-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding, are aimed at the CCI** Compeigne, FRA, this May.

Dann, 28, competed with two horses at the preliminary and intermediate level in 1999, winning the preliminary division of the Kentucky Classic Horse Trials on her dressage score with Dig Deep, a 9-year-old Canadian thoroughbred.

At the age of 18, Thompson already has two North American Young Riders' Championships behind her. In May of 1999, she moved to England to train with current European champion, Pippa Funnell. Thompson will be aiming her 14-year-old thoroughbred, Airtyme, at this year's CCI*** Punchestown, IRL.

Lee, 22, placed third in the CCI** Galway Downs Three Day Event in California last fall with her thoroughbred/Trakehner-cross, Tabby's Tempo. She also had three top-five finishes at the intermediate level with Lil Peppy Zone, an 11-year-old quarter horse.

The purpose of the Foxwood Hill Farms Rider Development Scholarships is to identify and support up-and-coming riders who have demonstrated the potential to someday represent Canada in international team competition and to provide them with financial assistance so that they can continue training towards their goals.

The program, developed in 1997 by Horse Trials Canada, has been sponsored Foxwood Hill Farms since 1998. To be considered for a development scholarship, applicants must be a Canadian citizen, at least 16 years of age, a member of both Horse Trials Canada and the Canadian Equestrian Federation, and be competing at the preliminary three day event level or above.

Media Release Contact: Jennifer Ward January 28, 2000 Media Relations Coordinator For Immediate Release Tel: (613) 248-3433 ext. 133 e-mail: jward@equestrian.ca