Canadian Para Equestrian Team Nominated for Paris 2024 Paralympic Games

A team of three para-dressage riders and their horses have been nominated to represent Canada in para-equestrian at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) and Equestrian Canada announced on Friday.

Canadian Paralympic Team Paris 2024 – PARA EQUESTRIAN

1. Austen Burns & Happy Feet 3 – Grade I – Newry, IRE
2. Jody Schloss & El Colorado – Grade I – Toronto, ON
3. Roberta Sheffield & Fairuza – Grade II – Lincolnshire, GBR

Paris will be the third Paralympic appearance for Sheffield and Schloss.

Sheffield, who holds dual citizenship with Great Britain but represents Canada on the international stage, made her debut at Rio 2016, where she helped the country reach 13th.^th place of team completion. She then competed individually at Tokyo 2020, where she placed 12th and was part of the team that placed 10th. At both games, she competed in Class III. She was reclassified earlier this year and will enter the Grade II ring in Paris alongside Fairuza.

“I can’t describe how it feels to be nominated for Team Canada,” said Sheffield, who is currently ranked seventh in the FEI World Para Dressage Individual Rankings (Grade II). “It’s such an honor to represent my country and it’s been such an incredible journey with so many twists and turns. There’s nothing like wearing the maple leaf.”

Grade I athlete Schloss made her debut at London 2012 and then represented Canada at Tokyo 2020, where she finished 11th.^th place. Her partnership with El Colorado is a new and developing one that has proven to be an interesting one to watch leading up to Paris.

Both Sheffield and Schloss represented Canada at the 2022 FEI World Championships in Herning, Denmark, where Schloss placed 13th.^th in Grade I and Sheffield placed fifth in Grade III.

Also a Grade I athlete, Burns will make his Paralympic debut with his partner Happy Feet 3. Based in Northern Ireland, Burns was born in Vancouver and started riding in Langley, BC at the age of three years.

To be eligible to participate in the Paris 2024 Para Equestrian Competitions, selected athlete-horse combinations must have met the FEI Minimum Eligibility Requirements (MER) in the selected events during the qualification period. Each athlete qualified for the team based on their performance results during the domestic qualification period January 1 – July 1, 2024.

“All three of our athletes have worked hard to get here and we look forward to the next step for them in Paris,” said Christine Peters, Senior Manager, Equestrian Canada Olympic/Paralympic Dressage Program. “With an on-field support team with significant Paralympic experience, everyone will have the opportunity to perform at their best. We are very grateful for all the help we have received from the coaches, owners, grooms/staff and families who make this possible. We are also grateful for the support of our funding partners, including the Canadian Paralympic Committee, Sport Canada and Own the Podium.”

Para-equestrian at the Paralympic Games is contested in three dressage events – individual and team events where the moves are predetermined and a freestyle event where the riders choose their moves. Athletes compete in five separate classifications, which are mixed according to their level of impairment from highest to lowest: I, II, III, IV and V.

At the Paris Games, the competition will take place at the Palace of Versailles. Burns, Schloss and Sheffield will compete in the individual event on Sept. 3, the team event on Sept. 6, with the individual freestyle on Sept. 7.

Canada has won four Paralympic medals in equestrian. Lauren Barwick won gold and silver at Beijing 2008, while Karen Brain won two bronzes at Athens 2004.

“I am so excited to welcome Roberta, Jody and Austen to the Canadian Paralympic team for Paris,” said Josh Vander Vies, Co-Chief of Mission, Paris 2024 Canadian Paralympic Team. “Roberta and Jody head to Paris with a lot of experience to their name and I’m sure that experience will support Austen in her first games. I wish them success in their final preparations and we will support them all the way.”

“Congratulations to our three nominated para-equestrian athletes!” said Karolina Wisniewska, Co-Chief of Mission, Paris 2024 Canadian Paralympic Team. “Roberta, Jody and Austen are accomplished dressage riders who have earned their places in Paris – and what an experience it will be to compete at the iconic Palace of Versailles. We wish them all the best of luck and will be cheering them on.”

Before being officially named to the Canadian Paralympic Team, all nominations are subject to approval by the Canadian Paralympic Committee. The current list of nominated athletes can be found HERE. The final approved list will be announced closer to the start of the Games. Canada expects to send a team of about 130 athletes.

The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games will begin with the Opening Ceremony on 28 August and continue until 8 September. Audiences can watch CBC/Radio-Canada’s coverage of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games from August 28 to September 8 on CBC, CBC Gem, CBC. The Paris 2024 website (cbc.ca/paris2024) and the CBC Paris 2024 app in English and on ICI TÉLÉ, ICI TOU.TV, Radio-Canada.ca/paris2024 and the Radio-Canada Paralympiques app in French.

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