Our featured Junior Riders for the month of July are all of those who will no longer be Juniors in the coming year!

Our Graduating Junior riders this year are Julia Corsten, Catie Beed, Jenna Tarrel, Lucie MacDonald, Esmee Chapman-Belliveau and Nina Bryson!

Julia Corsten has been a Lancer from the time she was eight, and she has played a role in all things Lancers. We are so proud of the person Julia has become over the years as an impressive horse person and rider and friend to so many, with a wonderful sense of humour. Julia graduated from Citadel High School this Summer and will be moving on to Saint Francis Xavier University in the fall, but not until she completes an equestrian competition filled summer! She will be dearly missed by Lancer riders, but most especially by Ava Jane the horse. Best of luck in the fall, Julia.

Catie Beed has been a Lancer since she was nine, and has also accumulated riding experience elsewhere. She ultimately stuck to Lancers when she developed an incredible partnership with Eddie the pony for the past three years Catie and Eddie together have made sure that Lancers always got to bring home some red ribbons from every show they attended, starting in the .60m jumpers and working their way up to .80m jumpers and the Large Pony Hunters. Catie is well loved by the younger generation at Lancers making a strong impact during her time as a barn monitor. Catie graduated from Citadel High School this year and we are delighted that she will be continuing on as an adult rider at Lancers in the fall.

Jenna Tarrel has spent a total of 6 years of her equestrian career at Lancers, and has made sure to take part in and contribute to everything she could during that time. Jenna's commitment to the equestrian sport has never wavered and she has persevered through the highs and the lows that come with it. Jenna, together with her partner Vanna have a competitive edge that has helped drive them to be very successful at horse shows around the province. This same competitive drive has manifested as academic excellence at school. Jenna graduated from Citadel High School this year, and will be moving on to study at Carlton University in the fall. We're happy that Jenna is committed to Lancers till the end though, and excited to have her join us for one final Salmon River Camp in August. Good luck in the fall, Jenna!

Lucie MacDonald Has been at Lancers since she was nine, and has no greater priority than horses. Lucie has developed impressive riding skills during her time at Lancers, with the perfect combination of willfulness and patience to work with some of our most challenging horses. Lucie also excelled in her role as an instructor during her final year at Lancers. Lucie graduated Citadel High School this summer and has already moved on to spend the next year working at an elite show jumping stable in Quebec, where she will be working for a Lancer alumni who has made a career of riding horses. We trust Lucie will maintain her spiritual connection with Merlin at Lancers while she is away, and know she will go on to give the same support to many lucky horses moving forward.

Esmee Chapman-Belliveau has been riding at Lancers since she was nine years old. Esmee enjoyed a more recreational approach to riding than some of our more competitive riders, but never let that stop her from trying to learn and improve every time she was in the saddle. She did a wonderful job helping others to learn in the barn during her time as a barn monitor, and carried that forward any time she interacted with the younger kids at Lancers. Esmee and Giquau were a great team, and I'm sure he will miss her. Esmee graduated from Citadel High School this year, and will be heading off to attend Concordia University in the fall. Best of luck, Esmee!

Nina Bryson has spent the last two years riding at Lancers, though she has been riding horses for much longer. Many riders can relate to the challenges that come with switching barns and having to learn things in a new way with new horses. We were so glad to have Nina join the Lancer community, and have been so impressed by how much she grew as a horse person and rider in the short time she has been here. She has honed a special relationship with Sadie in particular. Nina Graduated from Halifax West High School this year, and will be staying in Halifax, so we are excited that she will continue at Lancers as an adult rider in the fall.

To read more about their time at Lancers, see their earlier features on our website